14 best kids games for Android
The smartphone platform in general is aimed at teenagers and adults who own their smartphones. However, the platform is quickly growing into a great place for kids with a selection of apps and games that cater to younger minds along with hardware specifically geared toward kids. In this roundup, we’ll take a look at some of the best Android kids games. It’s important to note that kids can be anywhere from three or four years old to twelve years old so this list may feature games that are too mature or difficult for younger kids or easy for older kids. Please use your best discretion.
Angry Birds
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
First up is Angry Birds. This game is a classic with easy controls and an easy premise that makes it perfect for kids. It also helps that there are cartoon graphics, goofy sound effects, and catchy music. There are several Angry Birds games and each one has hundreds of levels. They’re all free as well so you can get every version and your kid will grow bored with the games long before they ever actually finish all of them. Rovio, developers of Angry Birds, also have an RPG, a racing game, a puzzle game, and a side scrolling shooter that round out a very large and diverse Angry Birds portfolio. You can get all of those for free as well just watch out for those in app purchases.
Candy Crush series
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
The Candy Crush series (Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda, etc) is another intensely popular series of games that were probably aimed at adults but are actually way better for kids. Much like Angry Birds, Candy Crush games feature simple game play, cartoon graphics, and plenty of stuff to do that will keep your kid entertained for hours on end. The developers, called King, have a total of ten games in the series which means, like Angry Birds, your kids will probably get sick of the games long before they actually finish all of them.
Cut the Rope series
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Cut the Rope is a great game for kids and it’s actually a fairly decent time waster for adults as well. The game play is simple because all you have to do is feed a monster candy and let’s face facts, millions of people do that on Halloween every year. It’s a cute, but simple game with plenty of levels to play and 12 games to choose from. The only potential issue with this one is that the levels do get much harder by the end so be prepared to help out if your kids can’t figure it out!
Doodle Jump
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Doodle Jump made its debut on iOS with monumental success. So much so that it was mentioned in popular TV shows like The Big Bang Theory. It would later come to Android see similar success. It’s a good game for kids thanks to its simple game play. All you need to do is make the monster thing jump from one cloud platform to the next and the score is determined by how far up someone can get. It’s also free to play and the in app purchases aren’t needed to enjoy it.
Dipdap
[Price: $1.99]
Dipdap is a sort of mixture of a drawing app and a game. In each adventure, there are things missing that the kids must draw to help Dipdap complete the level. It helps foster creativity while allowing the child to have fun. There is also a free-draw mode where kids can draw whatever they want. It’s $1.99 to buy the game but there are no in app purchases and no advertising which is perfect for kids.
Endless Alphabet
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Endless Alphabet is a game for younger kids that helps teach them how to read. They’re given a word and the letters are strewn about the screen. They must drag each letter to each word. Once they complete the word, the letters turn into little creatures who demonstrate what the word means. If your kid can already ready, chances are they’re too old to enjoy a game like this so that is something to keep in mind. It’s also free to download which is a nice plus.
Explorium: Ocean For Kids
[Price: $2.48]
Explorium: Ocean for Kids is a kids game where your kid plays as two other kids who are exploring the ocean looking for Atlantis. Along the way they learn about the ocean and its many creatures. It comes complete with the game itself along with a small assortment of facts about marine life. There is even a mode where parents can play with their kids. There are no in app purchases, advertising, or social media links which makes it totally kid safe.
Intellijoy games
[Price: Varies]
Intellijoy is a developer in the Google Play Store that specializes in kids games. There are simple titles like Connect the Dots and ABC Letters to more recreational stuff like Kids Painting and Preschool Puzzles. Most of their apps and games are well regarded by parents and are great for younger kids. You can browse their entire library by clicking the button below. Another option is using their all-in-one app to buy all of their games for $21.99 (usually around $50 if you buy them separate) and have access to their entire library of apps and games forever. If you don’t want to pay, pretty much all games come with a free version.
Lego Bionicle
[Price: Free]
Lego Bionicle is a game that is more for older kids. They get to play as some awesome looking Lego robots as they take on evil robots. It’s a tap-to-play game which keeps it simple for kids while the large explosions and colorful graphics will keep them engaged. It may be a tad violent for some parents but there is no actual violence against people, just robots. It’s also free with no in app purchases and many kids are already familiar with the Lego brand.
Pou
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Pou is a simple little game that is slightly reminiscent of the old Tamagotchi digital pet games from 1990’s. In this game, your kid will be tasked with taking care of an alien pet by feeding it, playing games with it, and even dressing it up. It’s a great way to teach your kids how to take care of things and it’s a great way to prepare them for owning a real life pet. It’s also fun and free to play.
Slice Fractions
[Price: $2.58]
A lot of people hate fractions and hate math because of fractions. Slice Fractions is a game that allows your kids to learn fractions in a fun and unique way. As your kid progresses, they’ll be asked to solve fraction-based puzzles. There are over 90 puzzles overall and kids will learn the basics in things like equivalent fractions, subtracting fractions, and more. It’s $2.58 to buy but there are no in app purchases or advertisements.
Temple Run
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Temple Run is a fun game for kids thanks to its cartoon style and its simple game play. They’re essentially just running away from a bad guy and they have to avoid obstacles and collect coins. It’s highly addicting and there are a couple of Temple Run games to choose from. There are in app purchases but they aren’t required to play or do well which is a plus. It’s a very popular game with over 100 million installs to date.
Threes!
[Price: $0.99]
Threes! is a popular game that took the world by storm in 2014. It’s a simple puzzle game where you must combine all the threes to make sixes, then all the sixes to make 12’s, and so on. The graphics and game play are very simple although the game may be too difficult for younger kids. Threes! has no in app purchases but if you want a free version of this game and don’t mind having in app purchases, then 2048 is another good option.
Where’s My Water?
[Price: Varies]
Where’s My Perry is a puzzle game by Disney where you must dig through dirt to create a path for water to flow. There are multiple versions of this game with Mickey Mouse and Perry but they’re all the same concepts. Disney employs a “free trial, paid version” so while you can download the apps for free, they are just demo versions until you purchase and unlock the full version of the game. There are a few games and they’re all fun and challenging.
Wrap up
If we missed any excellent kids games for Android, leave us a comment and let us know!
To see our complete list of Android apps and games lists, click here!
Could a next-gen LG G Pad 8.3 be on the way for Verizon?
A leaked document from Verizon shows a device codenamed “LG-VK815″ listed next to other Verizon Wireless tablets: LG-VK410 and LGV700.
The 815 seems to be a step up of sorts from the original LG G Pad 8.3′s codename, 810. This could be suggesting the 815 is a new G pad tablet coming from Verizon — of course this is all very speculative, but it’s something to keep an eye out for nonetheless.
Source: MyLGPhones.com
Come comment on this article: Could a next-gen LG G Pad 8.3 be on the way for Verizon?
Apple Predicted to Launch Optional Stylus Accessory Alongside 12.9-Inch ‘iPad Pro’
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is back with another report outlining his belief that Apple will launch a stylus as an optional accessory for the company’s rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro”. With the new iPad’s larger screen, it will likely prove popular with enterprise and creative users who tend to have more need for a stylus and Kuo believes Apple will fill that need with an in-house solution.
Given that it’s more precise than a person’s fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases. Therefore, we believe Apple’s stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad.
Apple’s proposed haptic stylus from a 2010 patent application, not necessarily reflective of the company’s current thinking on such a device
Kuo believes the stylus will be an optional accessory rather than included standard with the new iPad, as the relatively expensive stylus would drive the base cost of the iPad too high.
We don’t think all users will need a stylus initially. Coupled with its unfavorable cost structure, high selling prices may turn consumers off if the 12.9-inch iPad is always bundled with it. We therefore expect the stylus to be an optional accessory before sufficient user feedback is received.
Looking at technical details of the stylus, Kuo predicts it will charge via a Lightning connector, believing a more convenient wireless charging solution would be too expensive and require difficult antenna design that Apple will likely forego initially. Kuo also believes the initial stylus model will not include a gyroscope accelerometer, but future models could include the component to support “3D handwriting” to allow the user to write on other surfaces or even in the air.
Kuo believes Apple will launch this new stylus in the second or third quarter of this year, roughly the timeframe predicted for the iPad Pro launch. The company has filed for a number of patents related to stylus technology, with the most recently publicized one being a “communicating stylus” that would automatically transcribe handwritten notes into digital form.
Shout for your team this NFL Championship Sunday with these official apps for Windows Phone
The NFL season is truly into the final stretch now as the final four will tonight all make their claim to go to Arizona for one of the biggest events in world sport. Championship Sunday is here and fans of the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots will likely be glued to a screen – if not there in person. Fortunately, with an official app for each of them, one of those screens can be your Windows Phone.
Latest version of Amazing Weather HD enters beta
Developer EizSoft has released the latest beta version of their Amazing Weather HD app for Windows Phone. The beta will last for one month, and anyone that wants to join in can sign up with this form.
Windows Phone Gaming Roundup: Top Rated Ninja Games
Windows Central Roundup: Top Rated Windows Phone Ninja Games
Ninjas are a popular subject for games and the Windows Phone Store has a handful of top rated games that feature these stealthy characters. Many are action oriented Windows Phone games that will test your skills at strategy, reflexes and speed.
We pulled four of the top rated ninja styled games from the Windows Phone Store to highlight for this week’s roundup. We tried to offer a variety of titles that include a platformer, a fighting game and a pair of target practice games. All come across entertaining ways to pass the time with nice graphics and challenging game play.
Host epic NFL parties with the official Homegating app
The official NFL Homegating app has arrived for both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, enabling fans of the sport’s league to prepare for and host only the best NFL parties around. Simply fire up the app, select your favorite team, see upcoming games, fire out invitations, view and share recipes and you’re good to go.
CES 2015 fun reel
With six guys on the ground in Las Vegas, we worked very hard to bring you the very best that CES 2015 had to offer. We brought you upwards of 3 full hours of product features, interviews and insights into the future of tech on our YouTube channel, matched by over a hundred written pieces to put it all in perspective.
With all the hard work behind us, you better believe we took the time to have some fun. CES is held in Las Vegas, after all.
I am sorry to say that this is not a gag reel, just a little look into the team here at Android Authority. We have a passion for all things Android and for bringing the latest Android news, ideas and opinions to your computer screen, and now to your favorite podcast app with the launch of our first Friday Debate Podcast. We have you, our faithful viewers and readers to thank for making it all possible.
If you followed along our CES exploits, you noticed that we caught up with Dom Esposito and Marco Hanna to share a laugh and talk about our experiences at the show. We got all serious with Michael Fisher and Jaime Rivera of Pocketnow. Former Android Authority writer Edgar Cervantes video-bombed us a few times, what a guy – we hope he is enjoying things with Nicole Scott over at Mobile Geeks. Our own Grushie managed a solid video-bomb himself, but I won’t say that too loud.
We also can’t forget a quick shout out to Richard Lai, John Velasco, and Jon Rettinger.
Outside the show, team building was the name of the game. I won’t explain the video, you watched it above, but a night on the town was exactly what the doctor ordered, and exactly how we learned that one of our fearless leaders, Darcy, throws a mean bullet of a bowling ball.
When all is said and done CES 2015 was a great show, we hope you enjoyed the ride along with us, and would love to catch you face to face at CES 2016. Until then, stay tuned for MWC in Barcelona at the beginning of March. CES is always great, but MWC is Android flagship territory, we are super excited.
What is your favorite highlight of CES 2015?
Buy the OnePlus One without an invite on January 20
The OnePlus One is a solid phone (as highlighted in our review), but remains to be one you’re unable to purchase unless you receive an invite. The company is planning to run yet another day for those interested in purchasing one to place an order without an invite on January 20.
Owners reporting issues with the Nexus 6 back cover popping off and battery swelling
On paper, the Nexus 6 is one of the most alluring devices out there for Android enthusiasts, but that’s only if you can get your hands on one. Lack of stock has rendered it almost as rare as the abominable snowman, however it looks like what few of them are out there could be suffering […]
The post Owners reporting issues with the Nexus 6 back cover popping off and battery swelling appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 