Calm games for kids: age ratings, gentle picks and settings for parents

Reading the PEGI label before anything else

PEGI is the age rating system used in the UK. The number tells you the minimum age the content is considered suitable for, and the descriptors tell you why. In PEGI's own words:

• PEGI 3: content considered suitable for all age groups, with only very mild, comical violence and nothing likely to frighten young children.
• PEGI 7: may include scenes or sounds that could frighten younger children, and implied, non-detailed violence.
• PEGI 12: may include slightly more graphic violence towards fantasy characters, mild bad language or sexual innuendo.

A rating describes content, not difficulty or pace. It doesn't tell you whether a game is calm, so it is worth reading descriptors and a game's description together. The best place to check a rating is PEGI's own search tool, listed in our sources.

Gentle games and their official PEGI ratings

These ratings were read from PEGI's database on 3 November 2026. Ratings can differ between editions, so check the exact version you are buying.

PEGI 3

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch; a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is also rated PEGI 3)
• A Short Hike
• Dorfromantik
• Flower
• Slime Rancher 2
• Pikmin 4
• Snake Pass
• Cozy Grove (with an In-game Purchases descriptor)

PEGI 7

• ABZU (Violence, Fear)
• Unravel Two (Violence)
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Violence, Fear)

PEGI 12

• Stardew Valley (Gambling descriptor)
• Spiritfarer (Bad Language descriptor; its subject is caring for spirits before they pass on)

Some calm games, especially smaller digital releases, may not appear in PEGI's search because they were rated through a different route on digital stores; in that case, check the rating shown on the store page for your platform.

Why a calm PEGI 12 game might suit an older child, or not

A PEGI 12 rating on a gentle game is often driven by one specific element rather than the overall tone. Stardew Valley's PEGI 12 comes with a Gambling descriptor, and Spiritfarer's with a Bad Language descriptor and a theme of death and saying goodbye.

Whether that is right for your child is a family decision, and parents know their children best. A sensible approach is to read the descriptor, look at the game's official description, and, if possible, play the first session together.

For younger children, PEGI 3 games with no online features are the simplest place to start. Our calm library shows each game's PEGI rating alongside notes on in-game purchases and online chat.

In-game purchases and the 2026 PEGI descriptors

PEGI's In-game Purchases descriptor shows that a game offers digital goods or services for real money. Since June 2026, newly submitted games are also assessed against new criteria, several of which are relevant to children:

• Paid random items, such as loot boxes or card packs, default to PEGI 16, and in some cases PEGI 18.
• Time-limited offers lead to a PEGI 12; PEGI says a game can be PEGI 7 if built-in parental tools have spending turned off by default.
• Pressure to Play, for daily-reward mechanics, leads to PEGI 7, or PEGI 12 if players are punished for not returning.
• Unrestricted communication, where chat can't be blocked or muted and isn't moderated, leads to PEGI 18.

These rules apply to newly submitted games, so older games may not show the new descriptors. Our guide to playing without pressure explains how to quieten notifications and daily-reward reminders.

Console and tablet settings that keep play calm

• PlayStation: Family Management, found under Settings > Family and Parental Controls on PS5 or in Account Management on the web, lets a family manager set Playtime Duration, Playable Hours and whether the console will Notify Only or Log Out when time is up. Children can ask for more playtime, and parents can accept or decline from the PlayStation Family app.
• Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2: the free Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app sets daily play-time limits, restricts games by age rating, limits messaging with other users, and shows which games your child has played and for how long, including a monthly summary.
• Xbox: the Xbox Family Settings app lets organisers set screen time limits and content filters, manage how children play and communicate, respond to requests for more time and see daily and weekly activity reports. Xbox notes these settings might not apply when playing Xbox games on other devices.
• iPhone and iPad: Screen Time, set up through Family settings for a child, covers which apps and websites are allowed, who your child can contact, time allowances and schedules, and content and privacy restrictions.

Playing alongside a younger child

For younger children, calm games often work best as a shared activity. A few approaches that tend to work, in our editorial view:

• Pass the controller: single-player games with no timers, such as Dorfromantik or A Short Hike, are easy to take turns on. One person plays, the other suggests where to go next.
• Share an island: Nintendo says up to four people can play Animal Crossing: New Horizons together on one console with one copy of the game, using extra controllers, and up to eight players can live on one island.
• Narrate together: exploration games such as Flower or Alba: A Wildlife Adventure are good for chatting about what you see.

Our calm co-op guide covers multiplayer set-ups in more detail, and the play together softly playlist collects games that suit shared sessions.

Screens and a child's bedtime

The NHS page on sleep and young children advises not letting a child look at laptops, tablets or phones in the 30 to 60 minutes before bed, as the light from screens can interfere with sleep. It also recommends a calming, predictable bedtime routine at the same time each night.

The platform tools above can help: playable hours on PlayStation, Nintendo's bedtime alarm in the Parental Controls app, Xbox screen time schedules and Apple's Screen Time schedules. For more on what the NHS says, see our guide to games and sleep.

If you have concerns about your child's sleep, behaviour or wellbeing, please speak to your GP or health visitor rather than relying on general guidance.