Jesse Clark’s Blog

Kids' Media Reviews

by Jesse Clark
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Our favorite family-friendly video games (and other media)

My main criteria for a productive and enriching gaming experience:

Video games are a great medium for seeing things from new perspectives, practicing logic and dexterity, and story comprehension.

Video Games

I have played through all of these with my 4-6 year old kid. Many are co-operative, some are single-player and we can trade off with the easier and harder parts, or treat it like a "choose your own adventure" interaction.

Journey (PC, Playstation, iPad)

Outer Wilds (PC, Consoles)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)

Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Switch)

Unpacking (PC, Consoles)

A Short Hike (PC, Consoles)

Spiritfarer (PC, Consoles)

Peglin (PC)

Donut County (PC, iPad, Playstation)

What the Golf (iPad, PC, Consoles)

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Nintendo Switch)

Kirby: Star Allies (Nintendo Switch)

Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo Switch)

Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo)

Bowser's Fury (bundled with Super Mario 3D World)

New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (Nintendo)

It Takes Two (PC, Consoles)

Slime Rancher (PC, Consoles)

Review of Slime Rancher

Slime Rancher is a cozy farm-life simulator with an emphasis on exploration. There are charming environments, quaint characters, and relaxing puzzles.

It is probably the most family-friendly game in its category. There is a lot of pointing and aiming with first-person 3D controls, but basically no violence. There is a simulated daily cycle, but no time pressure. Most of the reading is optional, and the counting is very simple. So it is suitable for a kid just learning to read and compare numbers.

The progression in the original Slime Rancher is mostly based on collecting certain numbers of items, which can be found through exploration and cultivation. The sequel introduces more tiers of tools required to unlock more items which can be used to craft more tools.

Roblox

Mobile Games

It can be difficult to identify mobile games that are actually games, instead of addictive gambling apps.

Check the available in-app purchases.
If it has purchases for "remove ads" or "unlock extra levels", then it is a normal game.
If it has purchases for "buy X gems for $X.99" then it is addictive gambling.
Sadly this rules out most "hidden object" games.

Some very good apps are only available by subscription.
Always subscribe for the shortest time period. The savings for a 1-year subscription are meaningless if the kid loses interest after 1 month.

Crayola Create and Play

Sneaky Sasquach

Sago Mini

Toca Boca

Fox and Sheep

Bubl

Avokiddo

Teach Your Monster to Read

Retro Games

Kirby Super Star

Legend of the Mystical Ninja

Sonic Mania

VR Games

Job Simulator

Vacation Simulator

Gnomes and Goblins

Unseen Diplomacy

Panoptic (asymmetric 2-player)

King Kaiju

The Lab

Late for Work (asymmetric 5-player)

Favorite Shows

Gabby's Dollhouse

Hilda

Bluey

Elinor Wonders Why

Earth to Luna

Sarah and Duck

Beat Bugs

Filler Shows

Alien TV

Sophia the First

My Little Pony

Miraculous Ladybug

Spriit: Riding Free

Trolls: The Beat Goes On

We Bare Bears

Scary shows, good for older kids

The Owl House

Adventure Time

Infinity Train

Over the Garden Wall

Gravity Falls

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Centaur World

Movies

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Charlotte's Web (2006)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Coraline (2009)

Favorite Books

Hamster Princess series, by Ursula Vernon

Bacterionomicon

Treasury of Greek Mythology, by National Geographic

Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh

Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh

Dire Days at Willowweep Manor, by Shaennon Garrity

Usborne Look Inside Your Body

Usborne What are Germs

Usborne What is a Virus

Music

Story Pirates

Parry Gripp