ipad games for a 5 year old, please.

July 28, 2015 12:23 PM

I'm looking for ALL the iPad games that are simple enough for a 5-year old. Easy, addictive, repetitive - this is what I'm looking for.

Lest you think I'm a bad parent, this is for a looooong car trip. I already know about and have the good quality educational apps. And to be honest, my daughter and I both are sick of them. She's not into freeplay apps like the Toca Boca ones right now, either. So yes, games. I've tried Racing Penguin but it bores her. Dizzy Bird and Peggle are too hard. Bugs and Buttons is nice but she's getting bored of it. I can't try Bejeweled because our iPad doesn't support the higher iOS required. Thanks! Please don't be afraid to be too obvious - I really don't know much about the games out there and google is giving me nothing but more educational apps...

posted by kitcat to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (18 answers total)

I get the most mileage out of games that connect to tv shows my kid likes. Even if the game is lousy, it usually captures his imagination for a longer gameplay, because of familiarity with the characters and feeling like part of their world. At 5, he and his friends were all really into Angry Birds. Angry Birds has catapult games, link-the-gems games, and a driving one called Angry Birds Go. Again, the characters are consistent (and there are cartoons in the franchise, too), so it's a little bit more absorbing than just catapulting bees into flowers.
posted by xo at 12:44 PM on July 28, 2015

Fruit Ninja!
posted by corey flood at 12:50 PM on July 28, 2015

There are a couple of Lego Duplo games that my kid finds amusing.

It's mildly educational but Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is one he keeps returning to.

Angry Birds is always popular even though he only ever beats a level by accident because hey! THREE BIRDS!
posted by telepanda at 12:52 PM on July 28, 2015

At the moment, my 5 year old loves the various iterations of Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Flow, Pool Break and Where's my Water.
posted by odin53 at 12:57 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

Anything published by Toca Boca. They're not games, more like digital toys. But they have no in-app purchases and no ads. Toca Town is particularly good, it's basically a big dollhouse full of stuff to play with.
posted by jlub at 1:05 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

Sago Mini is another company that makes good games. Maybe on the young side for your child, but worth looking into.
posted by gentian at 1:06 PM on July 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

Seconding Fruit Ninja and everything Toca Boca. Little hanov3r is 4 1/2 and loves them all.

Games-related-to-TV-shows-wise, Paw Patrol Rescue Run has been in constant rotation. There's also a LEGO Star Wars Microfighters game that he's pretty hot on, but that may have more shooting than you're comfortable with for your child.
posted by hanov3r at 1:17 PM on July 28, 2015

OH! Almost forgot the educational stuff. They may be too young for your five-year-old, but Endless Alphabet, Endless Reading, and Endless Wordplay, all by Originator, Inc have a LOT of replay value and great content.
posted by hanov3r at 1:20 PM on July 28, 2015

Nthing Fruit Ninja, Flow, and Cut The Rope. My son also liked the Mickey Mouse Road Rally (very interactive) and Sushi Monster (math game, if she's into numbers)
posted by Mchelly at 1:22 PM on July 28, 2015

Bubble Shooter is another one that's easy and repetitive
posted by Mchelly at 1:29 PM on July 28, 2015

5 year olds are actually pretty good at ipad. Jetpack Joyride, Tiny Wings, Toca Boca, Frozen, Candy Crush, playground wars, robot unicorn attack 2.

One thing; make sure you turn off microtransactions or you will be in the goddam poorhouse within a week. A general rule of 'we never, ever, ever pay for extra whatevers' will serve you well.
posted by Sebmojo at 2:06 PM on July 28, 2015

Angry Bird Go is a longtime favourite an we got lots of mileage out of it on long trips (especially as it is avaible to play offline). Also Hay Day is a favourite, as are the Playmobile games from their website (they are actually for older kids which means some reuired a higher reading level than he has but he likes them because he has the figures).
posted by 15L06 at 2:11 PM on July 28, 2015

nthing sebmojo - either go for those that can be played offline (we do that) or make sure the kid understands the no buying rule (which ours does since husband once made him reimburse him for gems...)
posted by 15L06 at 2:14 PM on July 28, 2015

where's my water is also a long term favourite, and very addictive.
posted by 15L06 at 2:46 PM on July 28, 2015

Clumsy Ninja.
Spot the Dot.
Endless Alphabet is educational, but my kids love it (as do I).
posted by Kabanos at 3:04 PM on July 28, 2015

grandma loves bugs
posted by Sebmojo at 6:05 PM on July 28, 2015

Here are the ones I have bought for my kids over the last few years, and that they have played or still play and enjoy:

Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Where's My Water, Sonic Dash, Windosill, Mega Run, Band Together, Plants vs Zombies (the first one), Fruit Ninja, Minecraft, Max and the Magic Marker, Tiny Wings, Doodle Jump, CrossFingers, Rayman Run and Edge.

Don't Let the Pigeon Run this App is a book but my kids have been playing it for YEARS. They're 9 and 7 now and still use it. Often with rude words, but whatever. If she likes to tell stories & draw My Story is fun.

If you will play with her you could also consider Broken Age and Machinarium, as they are longer, more difficult puzzle games. My kids love(d) both of them and so did I. If she can spell or you will help her Scribblenauts as well.

Strongly agree with the person who said to turn off in-app purchases and make it clear that you never, ever buy the extras on anything.
posted by Cuke at 7:36 PM on July 28, 2015

As far as games, my 4.5 year old daughter is currently in love with Winky Think, Hidden Object Mimpi, Gappy Learns Reading and 1000 Jigsaw Puzzles (I loaded it with her favorite kitten and snail puzzles). She loves Monument Valley best of all, but she needs help with the difficult bits sometimes. Dinorama by thesixtyone is also great, you get to build a dinosaur theme park, but again she gets stuck sometimes and needs help figuring out what to do. However, it's really engaging and hours of entertainment if you can get over the initial learning curve.

My 5 year old nephew really likes Tiny Thief and Lego Juniors Quest.
posted by Alison at 9:00 AM on July 29, 2015