Fun for parents and kids! A smartphone game app for elementary schoolers that combines learning and play.
“Can elementary school kids play smartphone games?” “Which apps are safe to let them play?” Many families may share these worries and questions.
Here, we introduce a variety of smartphone game apps—from popular titles among kids like Monster Strike, Pokémon, and Disney character games to educational options.
They’re high-quality apps that are easy to enjoy with simple controls and can help develop thinking skills.
Explore a new world of play together with your child!
- Summary of smartphone app games popular with children
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Get Friendly with Games] Math Games, Apps, and Activities
- Exciting! Multiplayer games everyone can play. Time-killing app games
- Travel-friendly games and activities for kids
- [Playable from lower grades] Japanese language games and activities
- Learn by Playing! Recommended Games with a Kanji Theme
- [For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Game Ideas to Use in Social Studies Classes
- Have Fun with Your Kids! A Roundup of Board Games Recommended for Parents and Children
- [For Elementary School Students] Cipher Quiz: Fun Puzzle Riddles
- Recreation Popularity Rankings for Elementary School Students
- [Elementary School] Treasure Discovered! A Collection of DIY Puzzle Treasure Hunt Ideas
Fun for parents and kids! Balancing learning and play with smartphone game apps for elementary schoolers (11–20)
Me and my cat
A game I’d recommend to elementary schoolers who love cats: “Boku to Neko” (Me and My Cat).
In this game, you collect cats and weapons through gacha, level them up, and defeat enemies.
Battles themselves run automatically, so the player’s job is to choose which cats to send into the fight and aim to take down the opponent’s tower.
There’s a wide variety of cats, from cute to adorably weird, and collecting them is truly fun! The controls are simple, so even elementary schoolers who’ve never played combat-style games can enjoy it with confidence.
Boku and Neko - A Tower Defense RPG/TD Attacking with Cat CharactersCategory: Games Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.56023
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Pretend Play Land
Gocco Land is a perfect fit for children growing up in a digital society.
The app is appealing because it lets kids learn how society works in a fun way.
For example, through programs like “JAL Job Experience,” children can try out airport and airplane-related roles, deepening their understanding of different professions while they play.
The app’s popularity is evident, with a total of 6 million downloads.
It’s a recommended app that lets parents and children enjoy learning together while supporting education with an eye on the child’s future.
Kids’ Educational Game | Gokko Land: Shopkeeper Experience App for ChildrenCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.40956
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Cats and Soup
How about Cat and Soup, which has high ratings on various distribution platforms? In this title, you sell dishes made by cats to earn money and develop your facilities.
As you progress, your facilities grow larger and more impressive, giving you a real sense of accomplishment.
In addition to management simulation elements, it also features raising and training the cats, plus mini-games.
The fishing and crane game, among others, are all highly addictive—be sure to give them a try.
Family Apps
FamilyApps, provided by TAKARATOMY AiiBIS, is an educational app where children can learn about various professions while having fun.
The app lets kids deepen their knowledge through play and fosters a sense of achievement with its reward system.
It’s available for both iPhone and Android, so everyone can enjoy it regardless of device.
While broadening children’s perspectives as dependable members of society, parents can also join in and watch their kids grow—be sure to check it out.
Family Apps - Educational pretend play for childrenCategory: Education, Free, iOS Universal, Rating: 4.39949
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Think!Think!
Think!Think! is a game app that boosts children’s logical thinking skills.
It offers plenty of engaging games that kids won’t get bored of, such as “Connect the Rails,” where you link tracks to reach the goal; “Perfect Cube,” where you fit missing pieces to complete a cube; and “Will it be a Box?”, where you look at a net and figure out what shape it will form.
In this app, you earn stars by solving problems, and collecting them lets you get rockets and travel through space.
It’s not just about solving tasks—the clever progression that leads to what comes next is surely a big reason for its popularity.
Think!Think! Educational App – Educational games for children's thinking skills and 3D geometryCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.31104
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Todon (sea lion) math
“Todo Sansuu” is a popular app that makes learning math fun even for children who are just starting out.
Aimed at kids from age 3 to the early elementary grades, it lets them explore the world of math through play—from the basics of counting to reading clocks and simple calculations.
With over 2,000 diverse tasks that can be tackled at each child’s own pace, it’s regarded as well-suited for early education.
While the free version offers plenty to learn, the paid version includes exclusive content that can deepen understanding even further.
Highly rated both in Japan and abroad, it’s recommended for parents who want their children to build a solid foundation in math.
Todon (sea lion) mathCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.46957
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Hungry Cooking
Let me introduce Hungry Tummy Cooking, an app that children and their guardians can enjoy together.
The app is themed around everyday cooking and serves as an educational tool that conveys the importance and fun of food through play.
Its key feature is that children can learn the flow of cooking in an enjoyable way, and it also includes plenty of elements that nurture creativity.
Even the plating options are diverse, allowing kids to refine their sense of aesthetics while playing.
One point to note is that the app includes in-app purchases, so be careful to prevent your child from making purchases without permission.
It also encourages parent-child communication, making it well worth a try.
Crayon Shin-chan: Big Help Mission
“Crayon Shin-chan: Big Helping Mission” is an app where kids can enjoyably learn useful household skills and social rules.
By joining Shin-chan in everyday tasks like cleaning and shopping, children naturally develop practical life skills.
The shopping activity is especially popular: kids memorize a shopping list, then choose items and check out, helping them build arithmetic ability and a sense of money.
The flat-rate “All-You-Can-Play Plan,” available for 350 yen per month, has received many positive reviews and serves as a great communication tool between parents and children.
This app lets kids have fun while learning anything they’re unsure about, making it highly recommended content for your child.
Crayon Shin-chan: Big Help MissionCategory: Education, Free, iOS Universal, Rating: 4.56229
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Korilakkuma’s Wind‑Up Rangers: Pop Out of the Toy Box
Koriakkuma Wind-up Rangers: Pop Out of the Toy Box is a game where Koriakkuma teams up with toys to defend their territory from enemies.
The best part, of course, is how incredibly cute the toys are! There are many types of toys, and it’s fun to see which ones you’ll get.
As you collect toys, you can form a team and battle.
Even though it’s a combat game, it’s surprisingly soothing.
If you love cute things—girls and boys alike—definitely give it a try!
Could not find the app link.
Puzzle & Dragons
Released in 2012, Puzzle & Dragons is a popular title that has expanded in many directions, including an anime adaptation and merchandise.
The game combines puzzle and battle elements, letting you enjoy both the satisfaction of solving puzzles and the thrill of defeating opponents at the same time.
The puzzles themselves are simple and designed to be solved intuitively.
Even children who aren’t confident in puzzle games are encouraged to give it a try.
It’s also perfect for kids who love fantasy worlds, such as those featuring dragons.
