I really feel Apple Arcade and its Android equivalent Google Play Pass are criminally underrated. Both are low cost subscriptions (around $5 a month) that give you access to thousands of games, many of which are mobile versions of commercial or indie games. A feature I love on Apple Arcade is the ability to “pre-order” a game. If you see a release coming out that you’re interested in, you can request it and it will download automatically.
Which is how these games appeared on our family iPad recently! WB was thrilled to see “Hungry Caterpillar+” because they’d played a similar game (Hungry Caterpillar Shapes and Colors) on their Kids Fire tablet. These games are simple, calm, exploratory, and great for very young kids. But WB was very happy to eat fruit and water plants :)
Katamari is such a zany game, and it’s a great mix of fun, goal-oriented, and also aimless. All of these games are rated “4+” but you’ll notice I have different opinions about what age of child might enjoy them. That’s because App Store ratings are about content appropriateness, not about the age who might engage well with the gameplay or story. A younger child might enjoy Katamari for entirely different reasons than a tween or teen or adult.
Unpacking+ is a game I’d encourage you to play or play with your child. WB and I ended up having a lot of great organizational/executive functioning conversations, like if scissors should go on a desk or in a drawer. But beyond organization, there is a sweet story waiting to be revealed as you follow the main character through different moves in their life.
Do your kids enjoy any of these games?
