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Learning games explained

13 dark patterns in kids' games and apps to watch for

Dark patterns are design tricks that push people to do what the company wants: watch the ad, buy the gems, stay one more round. Adults struggle with them; young children usually cannot even see them. Researchers at the University of Michigan found these tricks in most apps preschoolers use, and regulators have fined game makers hundreds of millions of dollars over them. This list names each trick, shows what it looks like on screen, and gives the research or case behind it, so you can spot it and talk about it with your child.

Drawn from peer-reviewed studies (Radesky et al. 2022, Meyer et al. 2018, Zendle et al. 2019), an FTC settlement and an advocacy complaint. Sources checked Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-24. Nobody paid to be here and nothing is an affiliate link.

  1. Parasocial pressure (the sad character)

    A friendly character begs your child to keep playing, looks sad when they try to leave, or says they will be lonely. Radesky's 2022 study of apps used by 3- to 5-year-olds found this in about a quarter of apps. Little kids feel real guilt toward these characters.

    Watch for: Tell your child the character is a drawing that cannot be sad.

  2. Fake time pressure

    Countdown clocks on deals, 'only today' offers or rewards that vanish if you stop playing. The urgency is invented. Young children cannot tell that the timer is made up, and they rush to buy or keep going.

    Watch for: Any countdown attached to a purchase is a red flag.

  3. Navigation traps

    The exit is hidden, the close button is tiny, or the only way forward runs through an ad or a shop screen. Radesky's team found navigation constraints in nearly half the apps they coded. Kids end up watching or tapping things they never chose.

  4. Lures to buy or keep going

    Glittering locked items, a treasure chest you can almost open, a 'free' gift that leads to the store. These lures appeared in about 45 percent of apps in the 2022 study. They turn a learning game into a shop window.

    Watch for: Turn on Ask to Buy or purchase passwords before your child plays.

  5. Ads disguised as gameplay

    A 2018 University of Michigan study of popular apps for children 5 and under found 95 percent had at least one kind of ad, including all of the free ones. Ads came as teaser videos mid-game, hidden ads behind misleading icons, and prompts to share.

    Watch for: If you cannot tell where the game ends and the ad begins, neither can your child.

  6. Watch an ad, get a reward

    Extra lives, coins or hints in exchange for watching a video ad. It teaches kids that ads are part of the game and trains them to seek them out. The 2022 study counted reinforced ads in about 1 in 6 apps.

  7. One-tap purchases and confusing buttons

    In 2022 the FTC said Fortnite's confusing button layout charged players with a single press, even while waking the game or previewing items, and that kids could buy currency without a parent until 2018. Epic agreed to pay $245 million in refunds plus a $275 million privacy penalty.

    Watch for: Require a password for every purchase, not just the first.

  8. Loot boxes and random prizes

    Paid mystery boxes, packs or gacha pulls where you do not know what you will get. A 2019 survey of 1,155 16- to 18-year-olds (Zendle, Meyer and Over) linked loot box spending with problem gambling, more strongly than in adults. In early 2025 the FTC also settled with Genshin Impact's maker over loot boxes sold to teens.

    Watch for: A learning game should never sell random prizes. Treat it as a deal-breaker.

  9. Free at school, paywalled at home

    A game is free for teachers, then shows kids at home a version full of locked items and membership prompts. In 2021, 22 advocacy groups asked the FTC to investigate Prodigy Math over this pattern. Kids then nag parents for the paid tier.

    Watch for: Ask what your child sees at home, not just what the teacher sees.

  10. Pay-to-win and status items

    Paid players get better pets, faster progress or flashier outfits that other kids can see. In a learning game this means money, not skill, decides who looks smart. It also brings playground pressure, as kids without the paid tier feel left out.

  11. Streak guilt and daily login rewards

    Streak counters, daily chests and 'don't break your streak' alerts turn practice into a chore you must not miss. Some kids love them; others feel anxious or play just to tick the box. Learning should not depend on fear of losing a number.

    Watch for: Turn off push notifications for kids' apps.

  12. Wait-or-pay energy timers

    You run out of energy or lives and must wait hours or pay to continue. It is designed to frustrate kids into buying, and it breaks up learning at random points. Good learning games let children stop when they choose, not when a meter runs dry.

  13. Permission grabs (mic, camera, location)

    The 2018 Michigan study found kids' apps asking for phone, microphone, camera and location permissions that the games did not need. Each permission is more data about your child. A spelling game does not need to know where you live.

    Watch for: Deny permissions by default and see if the app still works.

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