If you are among parents who let their child surf through app distribution platforms (such as App Store and Google Play) and download whichever games they like, you might be risking your child’s safety. The games your child downloads may not be appropriate for their age. Besides, they might put your child’s personal data at risk. Some of these games are hotbeds for child abusers. Therefore, to protect your child, we suggest lending a hand to your child in selecting safe mobile games for kids.
This article will tell you what to look for when selecting a safe mobile game for children. We’ll explain what risks your child is exposed to when playing inappropriate games downloaded from unreliable resources and how to keep them safe. We’ll also introduce some of the best safe mobile games for kids of all ages.
What Risks is Your Child Exposed to When Downloading & Playing Games?
App Store doesn’t allow children under 14, and Google Play doesn’t allow children under 13 to download applications. However, not all children go by the rule. They sometimes fake their ages or use third-party app distribution platforms. When children use third-party app distribution platforms (which are quite a few), they first and foremost risk infecting their devices with malware. Other than that, they are exposed to a plethora of untrusted mobile games.
Here is a list of issues with untrusted mobile games that may put children’s safety at risk:
- Age-Inappropriate Content (Violence & Sex)
- Ads
- In-App Purchases
- In-App Chat
- Data Collection
Some parents do not take these issues as serious safety risks. In the following lines, we will explain why they’re, in fact, serious issues.
Age-Inappropriate Content
Games on official app distribution platforms are rated according to the age group suggested by developers and platform moderators. They receive an age rate based on their subject, gameplay difficulty, and content. Games rated ALL or E have content suitable for all ages. Those rated 12+, 15+, or T usually contain some violence or nudity. Games rated 18+ are suitable for adults.
Younger children are more susceptible to violent content. Therefore, you should stop your child from downloading and playing games which are not recommended for their age and instead use age ratings to see what the best safe mobile games for your child are.
Ads
Purchased games do not contain ads, but most free ones do. Showing ads to users is one of the ways developers make money out of their products. However, ads can be harmful to children for four reasons. Firstly, they propel children into spending money on products they may not need. Secondly, they may promote other games that are not appropriate for young children. Thirdly, they sometimes show nude pictures and videos intending to lure the older audience into clicking links. Lastly, they may share links that lead to phishing pages.
For the reasons mentioned above, we suggest advising your child not click these ads in the first place and, secondly, to select trusted safe mobile games that don’t show inappropriate ads.
In-App Purchases
In-app purchases are another way developers monetise their games. Children can buy items for their avatars or unlock levels in some games by paying money. These purchases usually require a small amount of money, but when they pile up, they can be significant.
On top of spending too much, purchases may act as a wrong role model for children. If the games require paying money in order to advance to higher levels, they could promote a ‘pay-to-win’ mindset, meaning that you must always spend money to grow in life.
In-App Chat
Some communicative games offer an in-app chat feature allowing children to send messages or voice chat with their peers. This feature is meant to help children build teams and plan out strategies. However, predators take advantage of it to abuse children. These people may be adults or peers who send children vulgar, derogatory, or sexual words or try to groom or cyberbully them.
Some games allow users to deactivate the in-app chat function, while others don’t. It is up to parents to help children download games that create a safe environment for children by moderating in-app messages.
Data Collection
Most games collect user data for gameplay or to show related ads. However, some of them may be dangerous malware undercover that steal personal data. So, you should be careful about the important information your child shares with games, such as credit card credentials.
To sustain your child’s safety, we suggest banning your child from downloading unknown games from untrusted platforms. You can block these platforms using Safes (we will explain how later in this article).
Best Safe Mobile Games for Kids of All Ages
Here, we’ve listed five of the best safe games for kids of all ages. They’re organised according to their age rate from the lowest to the highest. You can download them on App Store, Google Play or other trusted app distribution platforms.
Toca Life
Toca Life is a series of games for pre-schoolers. Using Toca Life, children can create their own colourful world with multiple characters and stories that the game offers. For example, they can adopt and train a pet or build a hair salon.
Almost all the games in the Toca Life series, such as Toca Life: Pets and Toca Life: City, should be purchased. Although one of them, called Toca Life World, is free. However, in-app purchase options are included in the game, which you can deactivate in the settings.
Toca Life doesn’t show ads or inappropriate content and doesn’t have an in-app chatting feature. It’s available on Android and iOS devices, making it an excellent candidate for best safe mobile game.
Pokémon Playhouse
Pokémon was first released on Nintendo game consoles in 1996 and later adapted into a popular anime series. Chances are you’re already familiar with the characters and atmosphere of the game. Pokémon Playhouse gathers the familiar Pokémon characters in a mobile game for pre-schoolers. Children can groom and take care of their favourite characters and explore various locations.
Pokémon Playhouse is free to play but contains in-app purchases, which can be turned off by parents. It doesn’t have in-app chatting and doesn’t show ads, which are great features to lack for a safe mobile game. It’s available on Android and iOS devices.
MentalUP Educational Games
MentalUP offers a variety of educational games for children from pre-school to tweens. These games boost children’s brainpower through memory training, critical thinking, decision-making, and many other brain-cognitive games.
MentalUP contains no ads and no in-app chatting. This safe mobile game isn’t free but offers a 7-day free trial. To continue playing, you need to purchase subscription plans. MentalUP is available on Android and iOS devices.
The Sims Mobile
The Sims is a famous game first released in 2000 on PCs. The gameplay hasn’t changed in The Sims Mobile. Chances are you played The Sims when you were a child. But if you haven’t, The Sims is, in short, a game of life. Children can create human characters called Sims, feed them, teach them, help them grow up, and continue until they’re old and finally die. Sims can build houses, purchase items, make families, adopt pets, interact with other Sims, and do many other activities.
The Sims Mobile is limited to children above 12 years old due to implying (not showing) sexuality. Children can play The Sims Mobile on Android and iOS devices for free; however, in-app purchases are included. The Sims Mobile doesn’t show ads and doesn’t have in-app chatting which is why it can be considered one of the best safe mobile games on the market.
Fortnite
Fortnite is a popular Play Station game for teens. The gameplay on the mobile version is the same: It involves picking avatars and engaging in survival combats. Since Fortnite contains violence and in-app chat, it’s suggested for 13+ children. Fortnite is a free app but doesn’t show ads; in return, it has in-app purchases.
The in-app chat may pose a safety risk for younger children; however, you can turn it off in the app settings. Though it might not be one of the best, it certainly is a safe mobile game for a lot of teens.
How Can Safes Make Your Child’s Gaming Safer?
As explained earlier, as a parent, you need to take responsibility for your child’s safety while playing games on mobile phones. However, Safes can help you in this matter. Safes is a parental control app that enables parents to monitor and control how their children use their mobile devices and the internet. Safes comes with comprehensive features that can make your child’s gaming safer. These features include:
- Screen Time Monitoring
- Screen Time Schedules
- Screen Time Profiles
- Instant Block (Device Pause)
- Bedtime Mode
- Geofence
- App Blocking
- Web Blocking
- Keyword Blocking
- Activity Report
Concluding the Best Safe Mobile Games for Kids of All Ages
Mobile games may look harmless to many parents, but games downloaded from unreliable app distribution sources may harm your child’s phone or steal their private data. On the other hand, not all games are appropriate for all ages. On official app distribution platforms, games are age rated. Those rated 12+ and 15+ may include violent or sexual content inappropriate for younger children. Ads, in-app purchases, in-app chat, and data collection are other essential issues to keep in mind when selecting the best safe mobile games for kids.
Safes parental control app can help you in creating a safe gaming experience for your child. With Safes, you can monitor and restrict your child’s screen time, internet use, and the games installed on their phone.
If you find the features of Safes discussed here appealing and wish to learn more about them, read the features and pricing plans pages on our website.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a list of questions and answers to help provide more information on the topic we discussed. If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help!
Why do games on App Store and Google Play have age ratings?
Games on App Store, Google Play, and other official distribution platforms are rated according to their content. Whereas games rated ALL or E have suitable content for all ages, the ones rated 12+, 15+, or T have some level of violence or nudity. If children enter their age honestly, Apps Store and Google play won’t let them download games rated above their ages. Moreover, the ratings help parents decide whether or not it is a safe mobile game for kids or not.
Why ads on games are safety risks for children?
Ads propel children to spend money on products they may not need. Besides, they may promote other games that are not appropriate for young children. Moreover, they sometimes show nudity, intending to lure the older audience into clicking links. Most importantly, they may share links to phishing pages.
Can chatting on game apps risk my child’s safety?
If the messages your child receives on the game they’re playing are not monitored, they can cause safety risks for your child. Predators can take advantage of in-app chatting on games to abuse children. These predators could be adults or children. They may send vulgar, offensive, or sexual words on public chatrooms or try to groom or cyberbully children in private chats.
