My kids are ages 6 and 9 and I’ve been letting them try out many games on the Steam Deck. In this guide, I’ll review what I think are the best Steam Deck games for kids in my experience.
These games are fun, easy to pick up and play, and perfect for kids of any age. As long as they can use a controller (the built-in one on the deck or a Bluetooth one), they can play these.
If you would recommend any other Steam games for a kid, comment below and let me know.
Related: Check out our list of the best overall games for the Steam Deck.
What are the Best Steam Deck Games for Kids?
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Requirements for a Good Kids Games
When I am looking for a new game on the Steam Deck that I can enjoy with my kids, I focus on a few key things to find the right game and reduce the chances I will need to refund it.
Age-Appropriate Content
Games for kids should have content that is suitable for their age group. This includes avoiding violence, strong language, and adult themes. Age-appropriate games ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for children, allowing them to engage in play that is conducive to their developmental stage.
It’s crucial that these games also offer positive messages and themes, such as teamwork, friendship, and problem-solving.
Easy Controls
Children’s games should have simple and intuitive controls suitable for their motor skills and cognitive development level. PC Games with complicated controls frustrate young players and detract from their enjoyment. Easy-to-use controls help kids feel accomplished and encourage them to explore the game further.
A lot of the games on the list can be played with a keyboard or with a controller.
Recognizable Characters
Games featuring characters that children recognize from books, TV shows, or movies can greatly enhance their gaming experience. These familiar faces create an instant connection and a sense of comfort, making the game more engaging and relatable for young players.
Plus, games with well-known characters often come with built-in stories and worlds that children are already interested in exploring, which can motivate them to learn more and engage deeply with the game’s content.
Educational Value
A good kids’ game on the Steam Deck should have an educational aspect, whether it teaches problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, or academic skills like math and reading. Educational games can make learning fun and interactive, which helps in retaining information and developing a love for learning.
Games that blend education with entertainment are especially valuable for young minds.
Engaging and Colorful Graphics
Vibrant and appealing graphics are important in children’s games. They capture the child’s attention and imagination, making the game more engaging.
Good graphics also aid in storytelling and can help convey the game’s themes and objectives more effectively to a younger audience.
No Online Play
If the game includes online play as one of its core features, I stay away from it. Online play isn’t monitored well and isn’t worth the hassle of your kids being forced to play with adults worldwide.
There are too many great offline games in the Valve Steam store to even need to consider an online one.
Next, I’ll go over each game for kids and why they are perfect to get started with today.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley is an enchanting adventure game that invites your kids into the magical world of Disney. They journey alongside beloved Disney characters to rebuild a once-thriving land.
My kids love the creativity in Dreamlight Valey as they tackle challenges, solve puzzles, and restore the valley’s beauty. What makes it exceptionally fun is the seamless integration of classic Disney elements, engaging storytelling, and vibrant visuals, providing an immersive experience for players of all ages.
As someone who has explored the enchanting landscapes of Disney Dreamlight Valley, I was captivated by the seamless blend of nostalgia and creativity. The interactive Disney characters and the joy of rebuilding the magical land make it a delightful adventure for kids.
My kids love this game because it allows them to be part of a magical world filled with their favorite Disney characters, fostering their imagination and creativity most delightfully.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a fantastic choice for younger kids with a creative flair. It is always being expanded on with new features and levels to play.
Key Features
Interactive Disney Characters: The game features classic Disney characters, adding a delightful touch to the gaming experience.
Creative Rebuilding: Encourages creativity as players reconstruct the magical land, fostering imagination and problem-solving skills.
Serene Levels: The game is easy to play at your own pace, offering kids an engaging gameplay experience.
A Little to the Left
A Little to the Left is a delightful puzzle game that introduces your kids to a whimsical world where organizing everyday objects becomes challenging. The game stimulates your kids’ organizational skills by presenting various puzzles to arrange objects effectively.
What makes it thoroughly enjoyable is the accessible gameplay suitable for kids of all ages, making it an ideal choice for family fun.
While playing, I immersed myself in the joy of strategically organizing objects amidst playful disruptions. My kids love this game because it turns organization into an entertaining adventure. Plus the surprises, like the playful white cat, kept them giggling and engaged throughout the game.
Key Features
Everyday Object Puzzles: Your kids will be engaged in puzzles that involve organizing everyday objects, providing a unique and entertaining gaming experience.
Playful Challenges: Encounter unexpected disruptions, like the mischievous white cat, adding an element of fun and surprise to each level.
Accessible to All Ages: With its straightforward gameplay, A Little to the Left ensures that even younger players can participate and enjoy the puzzling challenges.
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Scribblenauts Unlimited is a creative puzzle-solving game that unleashes the power of imagination. In the game, your kids take on the role of Maxwell, equipped with a magical notepad that allows them to summon objects to overcome puzzles and challenges. Each environment is expansive and open, which my kids found amusing to play in.
Scribblenauts encourages creativity by solving problems innovatively, making it a unique and engaging experience. What sets it apart is the vast collection of objects available and the ability to create, assign, and share objects online. This provides endless possibilities for solving puzzles.
My kids love this game because it lets them bring their wildest ideas to life, summoning everything from friendly creatures to vehicles, turning each puzzle into a canvas for their boundless creativity.
Key Features
Unlimited Object Summoning: The game allows players to summon any object they can think of, fostering creativity and imaginative thinking.
Open Environment: Scribblenauts Unlimited provides a vast, open world for exploration, offering a sense of adventure and discovery.
Endless Possibilities: With a wide range of objects and the ability to create, assign, and share them, the game offers limitless ways to solve puzzles.
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush is a captivating game that seamlessly blends action and rhythm genres, offering kids an exhilarating musical journey. In the game, your kids assume the role of a defective musician battling against a sinister mega corporation’s robots.
The purpose of Hi-Fi Rush is to navigate through levels, defeating enemies in sync with the rhythm, all while unraveling a captivating storyline. The fun lies in the game’s ability to hit the sweet spot between incredible gameplay and an immersive narrative, making it an engaging experience for kids of all ages.
After introducing my kids to this game, they loved that it allowed them to feel like musical heroes, defeating robots in sync with the beat. The storyline kept them eager to uncover what would happen next. Plus, the controls are perfect for the Steam Deck and work well with the small hands on a kid.
Key Features
Musical Journey: Hi-Fi Rush takes kids on a thrilling musical adventure, introducing them to rhythm-based gameplay against a captivating storyline.
Defeating Robotic Enemies: Kids can enjoy the excitement of battling against robotic enemies in a visually dynamic environment, adding an action-packed element to the game.
Captivating Storyline: The game’s compelling storyline provides a narrative hook that keeps kids interested in the journey, making it more than just a rhythm game.
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart is a cleverly paced shooter-platformer that immerses players in a whimsical universe filled with hilarious moments and bizarre science fiction weaponry. In the game, your kids will control Ratchet and his robotic companion, Clank, as they navigate various dimensions to thwart an interdimensional plot.
Ratchet and Clank engages kids in fast-paced combat, creative platforming, and puzzle-solving. The game’s control scheme adapts seamlessly to the Steam Deck, providing a customizable experience.
I was impressed by the seamless graphics and thoroughly entertained by the witty banter and inventive weaponry. My kids love this game because it combines hilarious adventures with imaginative weapons, creating a visually stunning and entertaining experience. Ratchet and Clank was one of my favorite games on the original PlayStation, so I love that they’ve brought the new edition to Steam.
Key Features
Hilarious Moments: The game is filled with humorous dialogue and comedic situations, ensuring a lighthearted and enjoyable experience for kids.
Bizarre Science Fiction Weaponry: Your kids can explore and utilize a variety of imaginative and quirky weapons, adding an element of fun to the combat scenarios.
Visually Stunning Gameplay: The game’s graphics adjustment for the Steam Deck enhances the visual appeal, creating a captivating and immersive gaming experience.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is an action-packed sequel featuring a vast lineup of beloved Nickelodeon characters engaging in crazy fighting battles. Your kids can choose iconic characters like SpongeBob, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jimmy Neutron to partake in thrilling brawls with unique fighting styles.
The game provides fans of Nickelodeon series and fighting games with an entertaining experience that brings together their favorite characters in epic battles. The fun lies in the game’s new gameplay elements, characters, and levels, catering to both series and fighting game enthusiasts alike.
Having stepped into the virtual arena of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, I found the mix of familiar characters and dynamic fighting styles to be a nostalgic trip down memory lane. My kids love this game because it lets them control their favorite Nickelodeon characters in epic battles. Each player has their own set of crazy fighting moves, creating an unforgettable gaming experience.
Key Features
Beloved Nickelodeon Characters: Your kids can play as their favorite Nickelodeon characters, adding a nostalgic and enjoyable element to the game.
Crazy Fighting Battles: The game introduces crazy fighting battles with unique moves and cinematic supers, creating an action-packed and visually exciting gameplay experience.
New Gameplay Elements: With new characters, levels, and gameplay elements, the sequel offers fresh and engaging content that keeps kids entertained.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Ultimate Chicken Horse is a chaotic party platformer that redefines chaos. The game challenges kids to construct traps and navigate through their own creations. Each level is a new and ridiculous course design, providing a unique and unpredictable platforming experience.
My kids enjoyed the gameplay’s competitive nature, with increasingly challenging levels that they could play back and forth. Both the single-player and the co-op were big hits.
When we played the game at home, I found the balance between creativity and competition delightful. My kids love this game because it allows them to showcase their creativity by building unique levels. I loved their laughter as they created unpredictable and ridiculous courses that they and their friends had to complete.
Be aware, there is cartoon violence in this game so I only recommend it for older kids.
Key Features
Creative Stage Development: Kids can unleash their creativity by designing traps and platforms, adding a personalized touch to each round.
Collaborative Gameplay: The game encourages collaboration as kids construct levels together, fostering teamwork and social interaction.
Ridiculous Course Designs: With 18 themed levels and a vast library of placeable pieces, each round offers new and absurd course designs to keep kids entertained.
Bear and Breakfast
Bear and Breakfast is a charming management game designed for older kids, where players become a bear innkeeper. You have to build rooms, welcome visitors, customize decor, and solve riddles while managing a bed and Breakfast in the haunted forest of Dark Grove.
Bear and Breakfast is fun because it features a delightful mix of strategy and adventure as players balance running an inn with exploring the enchanted surroundings. The game offers a unique experience that engages kids by blending puzzle-solving, decorating, and interacting with quirky characters.
My kids love this game because it lets them become playful bear innkeepers, decorating their inn with bear-themed charms. At the same time, exploring the haunted forest adds a thrilling adventure element that keeps them playing to uncover the mysteries within.
Key Features
Become a Bear Innkeeper: Kids can step into the paws of a bear innkeeper, adding a whimsical and imaginative element to the gameplay.
Customize Decor: The game allows kids to customize and decorate their bear-themed inn, fostering creativity and personalization.
Haunted Forest Exploration: Exploring the haunted forest of Dark Grove provides an adventurous setting with riddles to solve, offering a mix of mystery and excitement.
Slime Rancher (1 & 2)
Slime Rancher is an engaging slime-wrangling adventure that can take kids to Rainbow Island, where they construct a conservatory base to gather unique slime species. In the game, you must explore, capture, and care for these adorable slimes while expanding and upgrading the conservatory ranches.
Slime Ranger 2 is fun because it offers a deeper and more satisfying experience than its predecessor. It comes with more upgradeable ranches, new biomes, enhanced slime interactions, and various new features that add to the charm of slime ranching.
My kids love this game because it lets them embark on a colorful adventure, capturing and caring for adorable slimes with unique personalities. The excitement of upgrading their ranches and exploring new biomes keeps them hooked on the whimsical world of slime ranching.
Key Features
Adorable Slime Wrangling: Your kids will enjoy capturing and caring for various adorable slime species with unique behaviors.
Upgradeable Conservatory Ranches: The game introduces upgradeable ranches, providing a sense of progression and customization for young players.
Exploration and New Biomes: The adventure extends to new biomes, fostering exploration and discovery of different environments and slime species.
Planet Zoo
Planet Zoo is the ultimate wildlife park simulator from the same creators of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon. The game aims to build, administer, and customize your dream zoo, featuring real animals with unique personalities, needs, and behaviors.
Your kids will like this game as it features the meticulous design of detailed habitats in lush jungles and sandy deserts, the responsibility of catering to the diverse needs of the animals, and the satisfaction of creating a thriving zoo environment.
This game is more realistic than others on this list. However, the controls might be a little intimidating for younger kids. My kids love this game because it allows them to build and manage their dream zoo, creating detailed animal habitats.
Key Features
Realistic Animal Interactions: Kids can experience the joy of observing and interacting with realistic animal behaviors, fostering an educational yet entertaining environment.
Detailed Habitat Design: The game allows creative freedom in designing detailed habitats, providing a sense of ownership and personalization for young players.
Diverse Biomes: Exploring and creating habitats in lush jungles and sandy deserts adds an element of adventure and discovery to the gameplay.
Final Thoughts
This guide has the best Steam Deck games for kids based on my experience introducing my kids to new games. From action platformers to simulation management games, there is something for everyone. Jump into one of these games today and discover some really solid games that are ready and perfect for the Steam Deck.
