The best games for 3 year olds are simple, calm apps with big buttons, such as Khan Academy Kids, the Bluey game from Budge Studios and RV AppStudios' tracing and toddler games. All ten here are rated Everyone on Google Play. Check the ads and in-app purchases labels first, because they vary a lot from app to app.
Three is a funny age for apps. Your child can tap, drag and swipe with surprising confidence, but reading isn't there yet and patience is short. A good game for this age works without words, rewards every attempt and doesn't lure small fingers into tapping an advert.
I went through the Google Play listing for each app on this page and noted the developer, installs, the content rating, the Contains ads and In-app purchases labels, and anything the listing says about offline play. They're in no particular order, and I haven't repeated any claims about learning results, because a store page can't prove those.
Every app here is rated Everyone. That rating tells you about content, not about adverts or shop buttons, so the labels column in the table is the one to read carefully.
Toddler apps and their store labels
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluey: Let's Play! | Budge Studios | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| ABC Kids - Tracing & Phonics | RV AppStudios | 50M+ | No ads label, no in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Car games for kids & toddlers | Amaya Kids - learning games for 3-5 years old | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Play without internet' |
| Easy games for kids 2,3,4 year | Kakadoo | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Kids Toddler & Preschool Games | RV AppStudios | 10M+ | No ads label, no in-app purchases | 'Offline Play: Enjoy all the kids learning games anytime, anywhere' |
| Khan Academy Kids | Khan Academy | 10M+ | No ads label, no in-app purchases | 'even offline' |
| Games for kids 3 years old | Amaya Kids - learning games for 3-5 years old | 5M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Play games and read books offline' |
| Baby Games: 2+ kids, toddlers | Bebi Family: Educational Games for Kids | 5M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Baby Games are also playable while offline' |
| Kiddopia - Kids Learning Games | Kiddopia Inc. | 5M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Toddler games for 3 year olds | ilugon | 1M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
Ten games for three-year-olds
Bluey: Let's Play!
Children explore Bluey's house and play with her friends and family, according to the listing, and grown-ups can join in. It's the only app here with a Contains ads label, and it also has in-app purchases.
ABC Kids - Tracing & Phonics
RV AppStudios' phonics app has children tracing the letters of the alphabet. Its listing shows neither a Contains ads label nor in-app purchases, which makes it one of the simplest to hand over.
Car games for kids & toddlers
A driving game for ages 2 to 5 starring a character called Racer Raccoon. The listing says it plays without internet, which helps in the car. It has in-app purchases.
Easy games for kids 2,3,4 year
A bundle of short, easy games for toddlers from Kakadoo, with more than 10M installs. The listing shows in-app purchases but no ads label, and it doesn't mention offline play.
Kids Toddler & Preschool Games
Made for children aged 1 to 5, with colour activities among its learning games. Its listing says the games play offline, and it shows no ads or in-app purchases labels.
Khan Academy Kids
From Khan Academy, for ages 2 to 8, with reading games, maths games, phonics and interactive storybooks. Its listing says children can learn even offline, and it shows no ads or in-app purchases labels.
Games for kids 3 years old
Amaya Kids describes this one as an amusement park with dinosaurs, educational games and fairy tale stories. The listing says games and books work offline, and it has in-app purchases.
Baby Games: 2+ kids, toddlers
Bebi Family's toddler games cover food words and animal names, with wild and farm animals sorted apart. The listing says the games also play offline, and it shows in-app purchases.
Kiddopia - Kids Learning Games
Kiddopia's listing covers maths, language and creativity for ages 2 to 8, with characters such as the PJ Masks and Pocoyo. There's no ads label, but it has in-app purchases.
Toddler games for 3 year olds
A smaller app from ilugon that focuses on new words, with activities about fruits and vegetables for children from 2 years. Its listing shows in-app purchases and no ads label.
What a three-year-old needs from a game
At this age, the game should do the explaining. If a child has to read an instruction or find a tiny arrow, they'll tap randomly and give up. The apps that work best are bright, slow and forgiving.
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- No reading required: pictures, sounds and voices should carry the instructions.
- Big targets: small buttons lead to frustration and accidental taps.
- No losing: gentle games let a child try again without a fail screen.
- Short activities: a few minutes per game suits short attention spans.
- A clear end: natural stopping points make it easier to put the tablet down.
Reading the ads and shop labels
Only one app on this page shows a Contains ads label, and three show no in-app purchases at all: ABC Kids, Kids Toddler & Preschool Games and Khan Academy Kids. The others have in-app purchases, which usually means part of the app sits behind a locked area or a parent section.
None of that makes an app bad, but you'll want the right settings switched on before a three-year-old has the tablet on their lap. A store label is a starting point, not a promise, so watch the first few sessions yourself.
Setting up the tablet before you hand it over
- Turn on authentication for in-app purchases in Google Play, so nothing goes through without your password.
- Open the app yourself first and find the grown-up section, if there is one.
- Download any extra content while you're on Wi-Fi.
- Set a timer your child can see, so the end of play isn't a surprise.
- Sit with them for the first session and talk about what's on screen.
Toddler games for journeys and waiting rooms
Offline games come into their own in the car, on a train or in a doctor's waiting room. Five listings here mention offline play, so you can load them up before you leave and stop worrying about signal.
For more ideas, my list of free offline games for iPad and tablets covers both kids and grown-ups, and this guide to offline games for kids on a road trip mixes apps with screen-free games for the car.
Looking further ahead, my guide to choosing puzzle games for a 6 year old shows how the questions you ask change as children grow.
A calm way to start
Begin with one app, not five. Pick one with no ads label, play it together a couple of times, and let your child show you what they like. If they love the characters, try Bluey. If they love tracing and letters, ABC Kids or Khan Academy Kids are natural next steps. You'll learn more from watching them play than from any list.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best games for 3 year olds?
Simple, calm apps with big buttons and no reading, such as Khan Academy Kids, ABC Kids and Bluey: Let's Play!
Are these toddler games free?
Every app here is free to install from Google Play. Most have in-app purchases, so check the labels.
Which games for 3 year olds have no ads?
Nine of the ten show no Contains ads label. Bluey: Let's Play! is the one that does.
Which toddler apps play offline?
Five listings mention offline play, including Khan Academy Kids and Kids Toddler & Preschool Games.
Are these games safe for a 3 year old?
They're all rated Everyone, but a rating covers content only. Turn on authentication for in-app purchases and watch the first sessions.
How long should a 3 year old play games?
Short sessions with a clear end work best. A visible timer helps children know when play is finishing.
Do any of these apps have no in-app purchases?
Yes. ABC Kids, Kids Toddler & Preschool Games and Khan Academy Kids show no in-app purchases label.
