Good games for 8 year olds on Android include music games such as Magic Tiles 3, runners such as Subway Surfers and learning apps such as PBS KIDS Games. Two carry an Everyone 10+ rating and several are made for younger children, so check each label against your own child. PBS KIDS Games is the only one with no ads or in-app purchases labels.
Eight is an in-between age for games. Many children have outgrown toddler apps but aren't ready for what older siblings play, and they'll tell you firmly which side of the line a game falls on.
So I read the Google Play listings for popular family games and noted the developer, installs, content rating, ads and in-app purchases labels and offline wording, then wrote a little about what each one is like to play.
A few of these listings describe themselves as made for younger children, such as LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig and Sago Mini World. They're here because lots of eight-year-olds still enjoy them, or play alongside a younger brother or sister, and I've said so in each entry.
Ratings, ads and offline notes for each app
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subway Surfers | SYBO Games | 1B+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Magic Tiles 3™ - Piano Game | AMANOTES PTE. LTD. | 500M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Magic Tiles 3 includes a fantastic Game Offline mode' |
| Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures | Budge Studios | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Piano Kids - Music & Songs | Orange Studios Games | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Toca Boca Jr: Fun Kids Games | Play Piknik | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Play downloaded games offline without WiFi or internet' |
| PAW Patrol Rescue World | Budge Studios | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| PBS KIDS Games | PBS KIDS | 10M+ | No ads label, no in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| LEGO® DUPLO® Peppa Pig | StoryToys | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Play pre-downloaded content offline without wifi or internet' |
| Sago Mini World: Kids Games | Play Piknik | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Play downloaded games offline without WiFi' |
| ABCmouse: Kids Learning Games | Age of Learning, Inc. | 5M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Once installed, ABCmouse works offline on your device' |
What each game is like
Subway Surfers
The endless runner where Jake, Tricky and Fresh dash along the tracks away from the grumpy Guard and his dog. It has more than 1B installs and an Everyone 10+ rating, so look at it yourself before you say yes.
Magic Tiles 3™ - Piano Game
A rhythm game where you tap piano tiles in time to songs. Its listing describes a Game Offline mode for commutes and travel, and it's also rated Everyone 10+.
Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures
Budge Studios' Barbie app is a bundle of activities, from baking and dancing to home design and fashion. Good for children who like pretend play with a story running through it.
Piano Kids - Music & Songs
An all-in-one music app from Orange Studios Games, with instruments, nursery rhymes, puzzles, memory games and drawing. Its listing says it's for children of all ages.
Toca Boca Jr: Fun Kids Games
Play Piknik bundles Toca Boca's most-loved games into one app, and its listing names ages 2 to 8. Downloaded games play offline, according to the listing.
PAW Patrol Rescue World
Children ride around Adventure Bay with the pups. The listing aims it at toddlers, preschool and kindergarten, so it often suits a younger sibling more than an eight-year-old.
PBS KIDS Games
Educational games with characters such as Daniel Tiger and Wild Kratts, in English and Spanish. It's the only game here with neither a Contains ads nor an In-app purchases label.
LEGO® DUPLO® Peppa Pig
StoryToys' building and pretend play app, made for little ones aged 2 to 6 according to its listing. It shows no Contains ads label.
Sago Mini World: Kids Games
Imaginative play for preschoolers, with the listing naming ages 2 to 6. Like Toca Boca Jr, it comes from Play Piknik.
ABCmouse: Kids Learning Games
A learning app covering reading, maths, science, art and music. Its listing names ages 2 to 8 and says it works offline once installed, for road trips and flights.
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Reading the rating label
Google Play's Everyone label covers all ages, while Everyone 10+ suggests the game is better suited to children of ten and older. Subway Surfers and Magic Tiles 3 both carry Everyone 10+. Neither rating tells you about adverts or the shop, so read those labels too.
Your own judgement counts for more than any label. You know whether your child is fine with a fast runner or gets upset by losing, and a quick look at the game together tells you more than the store page can.
Matching a game to an eight-year-old
- Music lovers: Magic Tiles 3 and Piano Kids.
- Fast reflexes: Subway Surfers, with an adult check of the Everyone 10+ rating.
- Pretend play: Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures and Toca Boca Jr.
- Learning: PBS KIDS Games and ABCmouse.
- Playing with a younger sibling: PAW Patrol Rescue World, LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig and Sago Mini World.
Setting up the tablet first
- Turn on authentication for in-app purchases in Google Play's settings.
- Install the game yourself and play a round before handing it over.
- Open the offline games on Wi-Fi so their content downloads.
- Agree how long a session lasts before it starts.
- Keep the device somewhere you can see it, at least at first.
Adverts and the shop
Nine of the ten games list in-app purchases, and seven show a Contains ads label. That's typical of free children's games, but it means the setup steps above are worth the few minutes they take. PBS KIDS Games is the one with neither label.
Games for car journeys and laptops
Five of these listings mention offline play: Magic Tiles 3, Toca Boca Jr, LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig, Sago Mini World and ABCmouse. If you need more, this guide on how to find offline games that don't need Wi-Fi shows what to check on a listing.
Children who love cars might enjoy these free offline car parking games for tablets, and if a family laptop is the main device, here are free offline game downloads for a Windows laptop.
Frequently asked questions
What are good games for 8 year olds on Android?
Popular choices include Magic Tiles 3, Subway Surfers, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures, PBS KIDS Games and ABCmouse.
Is Subway Surfers suitable for an 8 year old?
It's rated Everyone 10+ on Google Play, so it's a parent's call. Look at it together first.
Which games for 8 year olds work offline?
Magic Tiles 3, Toca Boca Jr, LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig, Sago Mini World and ABCmouse mention offline play.
Which kids' game has no ads?
PBS KIDS Games shows neither a Contains ads nor an In-app purchases label.
Are these games too young for an 8 year old?
Some are. PAW Patrol Rescue World, LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig and Sago Mini World are aimed at younger children.
How do I stop in-app purchases on a child's tablet?
Turn on authentication for in-app purchases in Google Play's settings.
