Shopping for games for children can be tough. The parent needs to keep in mind that the child is impressionable, and while games can be distracting, they can even adversely influence the child if one is not careful enough. That said, there is no reason to shy away from letting one’s children play games, especially if they are fond of gaming. The hobby can actually teach them a lot of different skills and is an entertaining way to pass the time.

A list of games segregated into age groups till pre-teens are listed below (along with the consoles they are available on), to narrow down a parent’s choice while buying games and help one in time for any birthday gift shopping:

1. Age Group: 3–5

• Super Mario Odyssey
  Super Mario has always been a go-to choice of game for children and its game Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best 3D platformers ever to surface in recent times. The ‘assist’ feature for kids makes the game easier without losing much of its appeal. It can also be used as a multiplayer game where one becomes Mario and the other becomes his hat Cappy. It is ideal for a parent-child duo and introducing the child to the game for the first time.
• Yoshi’s Crafted World
  This Nintendo Switch™ game has an interesting premise. With limited difficulty and a minuscule risk of death, it encourages patience in the gaming children. The visuals and animation are easy on the eyes and are similar to the kind of animation a child is normally subject to.
• Lego® Games
  Lego® Games have become a gateway for parents to introduce children to popular franchises such as Harry Potter and Jurassic Park, among others. With uncomplicated gameplay, straightforward action, puzzles and plotlines being similar to their movie counterpoints, it becomes a great way for a parent to cultivate some interest in gaming for his or her children.

2. Age Group: 5–10

• Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare 2
  It is a light-hearted and young age-appropriate third-person shooter game. It allows a young child to develop strategies to counter zombie invasions. It is easy to play while giving just enough room to explore, but not so vast as to confuse a child. It has a split-screen feature allowing multiplayer opportunities. It comes with a diverse set of characters, weapons, and maps. This can be a good starting point for cooperative gaming among children.
• Pokemon Mainline Series
  Pokemon RPGs are those games that never stopped being relevant, even to this day. They can be played on Nintendo 3Ds and some of the older games can be played even on phones. Newer and better versions keep coming along quite often, so one must watch out for them. The game follows the story of the protagonist who embarks upon a quest to be the best Pokemon trainer in the world. Aside from the fact that Pokemon is a popular franchise, it does teach logic and strategy in the guise of an adventure game.
• Terraria
  It is a 2D side scroller version of Minecraft. The objective of the game is to gather resources and defeat enemies in an assigned dimension. The scope of exploring keeps a person engaged and also makes them learn while playing it. The best part of this game is that it is available on the PC, mobile phones, Xbox One, and PS4™. The game plays out uniquely when played by different people, keeping the excitement and uncertainty alive.