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🧸 Early learning (ages 2-6) · 🎮 Learning games and sites

PBS KIDS Games (app and site)

By PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). Visit PBS KIDS Games (app and site)

Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.

Free games built around PBS KIDS shows such as Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts and Alma's Way. The app lists 280+ games for ages 2 to 8, in English and Spanish, covering early math, reading, science and social skills. A child taps a show character and plays short games; no account is needed, though a parent account can save progress. It runs on the web and as a free app.

Our take: A safe first stop for preschool and early-grade kids; families wanting a structured learning path should look elsewhere.

Checked in a browser

A browser check on 2026-10-25: what loads, the ads and trackers we saw, and what a child meets first. Not a hands-on test.

Child safety: 5 out of 5No ads, no chat and no links to outside sites on the first screen; the only grown-up links are Grown-Ups, Apps and Help.
Data: 4 out of 5Only Google Analytics/Tag Manager plus Sentry error reporting were contacted; no ad or tracking networks.
Ease: 5 out of 5Big, bright game tiles with characters a young child knows (Signs and Seek, Carl's Collections) fill the phone screen.
Cost honesty: 5 out of 5Free; no membership, upgrade or price was shown.

What we found

  • The first visit contacted 3 third-party sites: google-analytics.com, googletagmanager.com and sentry.io.
  • No ad slots, 3 cookies set, none from a third party.
  • No links to outside sites in the page text; the first screen is full episodes and a Halloween Games row with large picture tiles.

From the test: A clean first visit: big, friendly game tiles, no ads, and only Google Analytics in the background.

The facts
Ages it suitsabout 2-8
What its terms say about ageNo minimum age. The terms let parents allow children to use the service as long as the parent supervises and accepts responsibility. (terms)
PriceFree. Free (Oct 2026). No subscription or in-app purchases listed on the App Store.
Works onWeb, iPhone and iPad, Android
AccountNo account needed
AdsNone
In-app purchasesNone
The AI in itNo AI; the privacy policy says content may be adjusted to a child's skill level.

What's good

  • Completely free with no in-app purchases
  • No account needed; kids' data kept to a minimum
  • Familiar characters and bilingual games
  • Backed by public research on PBS KIDS media

Watch for

  • The privacy policy mentions short sponsor ('underwriting') messages on some PBS KIDS services
  • Games are short and character-led, not a full curriculum
  • Privacy policy last updated May 2020

Data and privacy

PBS says it does not collect information that directly identifies a child (no name, email or phone), and kids' usernames are moderated. It collects device IDs, rough location (zip code, for the local station) and play data, uses cookies for analytics, and says it will not use children's personal information for marketing or online advertising. Read the privacy policy.

Does it work?

PBS KIDS media and games are among the most studied kids' content. A randomized trial by EDC and SRI (2013) found PBS KIDS videos and games, used with teacher materials, improved preschoolers' math skills; children who got only the technology without the teaching materials did not show the same gains.

In the Big Index

Alternatives to PBS KIDS Games (app and site)

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    99math

    99math (Estonia) · ages about 5-14 (grades K-8)

    A low-effort, free way for teachers to make fact practice lively; parents of kids who dislike timed competition may want a calmer tool.

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    ABCya

    ABCya.com LLC (a division of IXL Learning) · ages about 4-12 (pre-K to grade 6+)

    Handy for quick grade-level practice in class or at home; skip if you want an ad-free experience without paying.

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    Adventure Academy

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    Good for kids who love online games and need a nudge toward school subjects; families wanting no social contact should set chat to off or choose a solo app.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extras

    Arcademics

    Arcademics · ages about 6-14 (grades 1-8)

    Fine for quick fact-fluency races at school or home; families who want no ad tracking or who have a child anxious about speed should skip it.

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    Be Internet Awesome: Interland

    Google · ages about 7-12

    A good free starting point for online safety with kids 7-12, best paired with family talks since the game alone did not change behavior in testing.

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    Blob Opera

    David Li with Google Arts & Culture · ages about 4 and up

    A delightful five-minute music toy for any age; not a music course.

Every product in early learning (ages 2-6) →

Where these facts come from

Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.