Every kid is different, but age is still a useful starting point. Here's a grounded, no-fear-mongering look at what tends to fit each stage — and, just as important, how to decide for your own family rather than going off a generic "recommended" list.
Preschool (ages 2–4)
Keep it simple, slow, and ad-free. Look for calm pacing, no chat, and no in-app purchases. Co-viewing matters most here — what they watch with you beats what they watch alone.
- Good fits: gentle shows with slow pacing and kind characters, simple drawing or music apps.
- Watch for: fast, overstimulating content and "free" games stuffed with ads.
Elementary (ages 5–10)
This is the big expansion — Minecraft, Roblox, kid YouTube, and lots of games. The themes are usually fine; the things to manage are chat with strangers and spending. Turn on the safety settings and talk about not sharing personal info.
- Good fits: creative and building games, curated video apps, with chat limited or off.
- Watch for: open chat, user-made content, and currency-driven spending.
Middle school (ages 11–13)
Social pressure arrives. Group chats, YouTube, and the edge of social media start showing up. Many platforms officially require users to be 13, so this is the age to talk openly about what they'll see and how to handle it.
- Good fits: multiplayer games with friends they know, creative platforms, supervised social apps.
- Watch for: direct messaging with strangers, mature user content, and comparison/algorithmic feeds.
High school (ages 14–17)
The conversation shifts from control to coaching. Most mainstream apps are age-appropriate now; your job is helping them build judgment about privacy, mature content, and their own time. TikTok and similar feeds are the norm here — talk about how the algorithm works.
How to actually decide
The youngest kid in your house sets the bar, and your family's values decide which categories matter. A title that's fine for a 14-year-old may not be for a 7-year-old in the same home — so the useful question isn't "is this good?" but "is this okay for MY kid?" You can check any title free and get a report judged for your own family.
And to stay ahead of what's trending for your kid's exact age, the free Porchlight newsletter does the watching for you.