Choosing games for kids is tough. Nobody seems to agree on what is and isn't appropriate and it's hard to know what the content is like unless you've played it yourself. Obviously, you can't play every game you buy for the child in your life, so where do you turn?

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Today, we're here to take some of that burden for you by detailing some of the absolute best games for children that you can buy on the Xbox Series X|S consoles. As always, take our advice with a grain of salt and only do what you're comfortable with.

Updated September 25, 2023, by Gabrielle Huston: The Xbox Series X|S has been out for some time now, and more games come out all the time for it! We've updated this article with fresh new examples of games that your kids might enjoy for this console.

Video Games For Kids Age 2-4+

Pikuniku

It's hard to object to a reliable indie puzzle adventure game! Pikuniku follows colorful characters who are living in a cute little dystopia. Sound strange? Good!

This title manages to balance adult fans with younger ones through a whimsical energy no one can resist. You get out of Pikuniku what you get out of it, and subtle choices will reveal themselves to those who pay attention.

Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 is your classic racing game. There's a ton to enjoy here but, if you want, all it needs to be is a game about driving cars.

You can do that in the races the game sets up for you, or in the gorgeous open world where the developers have crafted stunning cities, Mayan temples, and even an active volcano for you to enjoy!

Untitled Goose Game

This adorable open-world puzzle game is perfect for any kid. To get to new areas, you walk around the various open stages trying to solve the puzzles nearby, but that doesn't mean you actually have to solve puzzles.

The geese can honk at locals, steal their phones, and generally cause (very fun) mayhem.

Star Wars Episode I Racer

Podracing was many people's favorite part of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Fast, tense, action-packed racing in quirky and unique hovercrafts; what's not to love?!

Star Wars Episode I Racer understood us. It allows the player to podrace themselves! You can play on the original course from the movie, or on another course located elsewhere in the Star Wars universe. It originally released in 1999, but earned an HD remaster in 2020.

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Video Games For Kids Age 5-7+

Minecraft

It's hard to discuss kids' games on almost any platform without bringing up Minecraft. It's been a hit since 2011 (and before, if you count the beta), and has become a cultural staple of gaming. As a bonus, the makers of Xbox, Microsoft, now own the company that developed it.

At its core, Minecraft is a survival sandbox. You land in a procedurally generated world full of resources and must learn how to survive with what you can gather. As tasks become easier with the new tools and armor you'll make for yourself, you'll have more time to let your creativity show in building a home or establishing plans to beat a fearsome enemy. Of course, you could always skip the hard part and just use Creative Mode.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley is an adorable game that allows you to play as a villager in a valley full of Disney and Pixar characters! It's part adventure game and part life simulator game, so you run around the valley taking pictures with your favorite characters, cooking meals, dealing with evil, and much more.

Officially, Disney Dreamlight Valley is in early access. That means that it's not completely finished, but has been released in advance for a discount so that the developers can get feedback from the community in the final project stages.

The Oregon Trail

The original Oregon Trail became infamous because it was a popular, but immensely difficult, educational video game. It showcases what 19th-century pioneer life was like as they traveled to Oregon's Willamette Valley; the player needed to keep them alive on the journey.

If you're the right age, you'll remember it from your own classrooms. If you didn't play it yourself, you might have heard the phrase "You have died of dysentery" thrown around playfully - that's because it was the easiest way to die in the game.

Thankfully, this updated version is not so painful. Though you'll still have to face the harsh conditions that settlers experienced, the game is much more balanced and accessible.

Ori and the Blind Forest

Ori and the Blind Forest is a Metroidvania game where you play as the young hero, Ori, adventuring through the titular forest. Its stunning visual style is undoubtedly what sets it apart from other games, but it's also pretty tough.

In our experience, though, children are more resilient than we give them credit for - after all, kids used to spend all summer trying to get through Super Mario World. Plus, if the child in your life enjoyed this one, there's a sequel: Ori and the Will of the Wisps!

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PowerWash Simulator

Take the destructive tendencies of the child in your life and turn them towards good with PowerWash Simulator! Even adults find the act of pressure-washing anything and everything in sight undeniably satisfying.

That's exactly what you do in this game! You'll take your pressure washer to the dirtiest sites and blast away the muck and grime until things are sparkling like the sun. You can even play online or local co-op and tag-team the very worst of the worst jobs.

Bugsnax

Bugsnax is an adorable game made for free and fun-loving players. The gameplay consists of catching the adorable creatures (the Bugsnax) who are half-snack and half-bug!

There's enough here to keep any kid occupied. Once caught, Bugsnax can be fed to the local villagers (known as Grumpuses), to change their appearance according to what they ate! In addition, it has a good lesson to teach about failure for kids and adults alike.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery

In the indie game Frog Detective, you puzzle your way through three unique mysteries that will have you on the edge of your seat... or leaning back and cackling! The humor in this game is top-notch, for sure.

Frog Detective has a wonderful cast of beautiful animals, some of whom are a little more bright than the rest. You'll love the simplistic art style that tells you everything you need to know, and it's a short time commitment. You'll wish you could experience it for the first time again!

Descenders

If the child in your life loves sports, bikes, the outdoors, racing, or any combination thereof, you can't go wrong with Descenders. It's a game where you play as an extreme downhill cyclist handling unbelievable tracks and obstacles.

The environments are procedurally generated (so they're different every time that you play) to keep the game fresh. You can switch up your abilities, control the slightest movement of your biker, and earn new bikes the better you are.

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Video Games For Kids Age 8-9+

Sable

Sable is an exploration-based, open-world indie game with a captivating story and an even more captivating art style. In it, you play as the titular character, Sable, who is exploring the world as part of a rite of passage known as "the Gliding."

If the child in your life gets bored of this one quickly, it'll be a miracle, because there's tons of loot to find, people to meet, and ruins to explore!

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

LEGO Star Wars games have been beloved for a long time, and The Skywalker Saga is no exception! It reviewed well and had the best LEGO game launch ever.

In this game, you and your child can play together through all three trilogies of Star Wars movies, collecting new characters and gaining access to new planets as you go.

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Tunic

Tunic is an adorable top-down action-adventure puzzle game about a fox travelling through its forest.

The creators were inspired by the old Legend of Zelda games, and you can clearly see the influence in this fox's titular green tunic and blue/red shield.

Minecraft Dungeons

Most kids who are able to play video games in the west have played Minecraft. If the kid you know hasn't, then that's a great idea for them! If they have, then why not try out Minecraft Dungeons?

It's a little like if you smashed together Minecraft and Diablo. This fun twist on a fan favourite game will keep them entertained for hours as they adventure through the world, taking down their enemies and collecting loot!

Spelunky 2

Spelunky was a beloved game and its successor, Spelunky 2, does it justice! They're both platforming roguelike games, which means the player adventures through procedurally generated levels. Your goal is to collect as much treasure as possible!

This game distinguishes it from the first one with new level types (including the Moon!), a home base camp that grows as you play, special mysteries to solve, and more!

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Video Games For Kids Age 10-12+

The Sims 4

The Sims is a franchise of simulation games where you control characters that you create and take on hundreds of special tasks with them, and The Sims 4 is the latest entry! You can design their houses and their neighbourhoods, give them jobs, take them fishing or gardening, and more!

The DLC packs offer even more options, like becoming a vampire or a college student, so, if your child enjoys the game, you could personalize it by purchasing one of those DLCs that they might like.

de Blob 2

In this unique game, the player controls the main character - called de Blob - who mixes colors and paints the grey city around him.

It's best described as a puzzle platformer. This sequel added tons of features to improve what made the original game so great, including upgrades, power-ups, and a co-op mode!

Sea Of Thieves

Sea of Thieves allows you to live out the ultimate childhood fantasy: being a swashbuckling pirate! You sail the open waters in your very own ship, taking on skeleton monsters, raiding islands, collecting bounties, and more!

You'll need to be careful, though, because other players are sailing in the same waters as you. They can board and/or sink your ship to take you down, stealing your loot for themselves!

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Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

In Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, you play as a character in a fantasy world of Tiny Tina's creation, called the Wonderlands! You solve problems for the locals all while journeying to battle the big bad guy: the Dragon Lord.

This is a first-person shooter (FPS) so it's a bit more violent than the other suggestions on this list, but it's all very cartoony and fun. Plus, the child in your life is bound to get a kick out of the goofy humor that is characteristic of Borderlands.

Cuphead

Cuphead is an action-platformer game where players must fight a series of increasingly challenging bosses. Does the art style remind you of those old Mickey Mouse cartoons? It should!

The game was hand-drawn by a team and it took them more than five years to complete the entire thing that way. Their hard work paid off, creating a game that's as fun as it is stunning and stylistic.

Grounded

Grounded is an Xbox exclusive made by Obsidian Entertainment, the company behind Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and The Outer Worlds. Fair warning: we don't recommend this game for kids with entomophobia or arachnophobia.

The protagonists of Grounded are four teenagers who have disappeared - or have they? In reality, Max, Willow, and Pete have been shrunken down to a size smaller than a blade of grass! They must learn to survive in their new environment amid the bugs while looking for a way to return to normal.

Dredge

We offer Dredge as an option for the kids out there who wouldn't enjoy the lighthearted, cheerful stuff we usually offer young people. Dredge will suit those who enjoy the macabre, who think a cloudy day makes the sunny ones more valuable, who are fascinated by the details of life.

Dredge is an adventure game where you take on the role of a fisherman. Your personal objective is to catch fish, sell them, and improve your boat. As you explore the islands, though, you'll learn more and more about the odd residents and begin to catch more and more unusual fish. It's up to you to discover what's really going on.

Psychonauts 2

Psychonauts 2 is the follow-up adventure to the cult classic game Psychonauts. While there are plenty of hidden references for fans of the series, a kid won't have any problem enjoying themselves! Plus, you could always introduce them to the first game, too.

These are platformers in which the player controls Raz, a young psychic who is joining an organization of international super-spy psychics called Psychonauts.

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