Short answer: For ages 3–5, start with ASTRO’s Playroom, Bluey: The Videogame, or My Friend Peppa Pig. Ages 6–8 get the most from Sackboy: A Big Adventure, LEGO Horizon Adventures, and supervised play of ASTRO BOT. Ages 9–12 can usually handle ASTRO BOT, Sonic Superstars, and, when comfortable with cartoon combat, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
This is a practical 2024 age guide, not a substitute for the U.S. ESRB rating system. The bands consider controls, reading, difficulty, fantasy violence, social features, and likely parent involvement. Ratings, availability, and online requirements can change, so check the current store listing before buying.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Monster Jam Showdown - PlayStation 5 | $19.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition - PlayStation 5 | $44.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Hello Kitty Island Adventure - PlayStation 5 | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem - PlayStation 5 | $21.10 | Buy on Amazon |
Quick age guide
| Age band | Best starting picks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | ASTRO’s Playroom; Bluey: The Videogame; My Friend Peppa Pig; selected PAW Patrol games | Short sessions, familiar characters, first controller practice |
| 6–8 | Sackboy: A Big Adventure; LEGO Horizon Adventures; ASTRO BOT with help | Family platforming, cooperative play, colorful action |
| 9–12 | ASTRO BOT; Sonic Superstars; Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart; selected LEGO and racing games | More demanding platforming, collectibles, action and multiplayer variety |
| Younger teens | Selected Teen-rated superhero and adventure games after review | Longer stories and more complex combat |
Best PS5 games for ages 3–5
ASTRO’s Playroom: best first PS5 game
ASTRO’s Playroom comes preloaded on every PS5 and is an unusually low-risk introduction because there is no separate game purchase. Its short, colorful stages teach movement and the DualSense controller while celebrating PlayStation hardware in a museum-like setting. See the official PlayStation page.
Bluey: The Videogame: best for preschool fans
Bluey: The Videogame follows Bluey, Bingo, Mum, Dad, Muffin, and Uncle Stripe through exploration, costumes, minigames, and collectibles rather than combat-heavy progression. It is a natural fit for children who already enjoy the show. The game is available on PS4 and PS5; check the current store rating and whether your child can operate the controller independently on the PlayStation listing.
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#1 Best Overall
- AN IMMEDIATE OFF-ROAD ARCADE GAME - Perfect for Monster Jam fans and a must play for arcade racing gamers: Monster Jam Showdown is ready to bring you a vast and easy-to-access offroad racing challenge!
- SHOW OFF YOUR FREESTYLE SKILLS - Performing amazing tricks in the Freestyle competitions is at the essence of every Monster Jam event around the world.
- MASTER THE MOST ICONIC MONSTER JAM TRUCKS - The excitement of real-life Monster Jam events comes to the video game world, thanks to the franchise's most recognizable icons: the trucks! Grave Digger, Toro Loco, Megalodon, Maximum Destruction and many others...
- RACE BIG ACROSS 3 DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS - Get ready to let all your favorite trucks roar outside the stadiums, driving through the most spectacular untamed environments!
- FIND YOUR FAVOURITE GAME MODE - Start your career in a non-linear journey through a variety of racing and freestyle game modes in all three biomes, beat the competition and become the champion of the Showdown Tour!
My Friend Peppa Pig: best for simple guided play
My Friend Peppa Pig uses familiar characters and straightforward activities. Its PlayStation listing notes PS5 parental-control support and a feature that can end the game when a playtime limit is reached, which can help establish a routine. Details are on the official page.
PAW Patrol games: best licensed alternative
PlayStation’s family guide includes PAW Patrol titles among its child-focused recommendations. Treat the franchise as a set of separate games: verify the exact title’s PS5 availability, current ESRB rating, controls, and content before purchase. Use the PlayStation family-games guide as a starting point.
Best PS5 games for ages 6–8
Sackboy: A Big Adventure: best family platformer
Sackboy supports one to four players and is built around colorful 3D platforming that works well as parent-and-child couch play. It also offers optional online play, with up to four online players on supported versions when each player has PlayStation Plus. Later stages become more demanding, so an adult can make the difference between a fun challenge and frustration. See the official game page.
Rank #2
- READY, SET, WARP! Race across 24 tracks and warp to 15 CrossWorlds with Travel Rings, a unique gameplay mechanic that transports the iconic characters from the Sonic and SEGA universes into new dimensions. Use unpredictability to your advantage as you change the landscape of each race!
- RACE WITH THE BEST! Choose from 23 iconic Sonic characters, the largest roster of any Sonic racing game!
- MAKE IT YOURS: Mix and match between 45 unique original vehicles and 70 different gadgets to trick out your ride, level up your kart, and create the ultimate machine to match your racing style.
- GAIN THE ADVANTAGE WITH POWERFUL ITEMS! Dominate your opponents with 23 different items including returning favorites and all-new items like the Monster Truck!
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY: Gather with friends and play local split-screen in Grand Prix and the new party mode Race Park, compete against a community of players from around the world with up to 12 players online in World Match, or test your driving skills in Time Trials.
LEGO Horizon Adventures: best cooperative action-adventure
LEGO Horizon Adventures retells the Horizon setting in a lighter LEGO style, mixing exploration, building, humor, robot creatures, and action. The PS5 version supports couch co-op, with online cooperative play on supported versions. Check the current ESRB descriptors and your child’s comfort with cartoon combat on the PlayStation listing.
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ASTRO BOT is a PS5-exclusive 3D platformer spanning more than 50 planets, with rescue collectibles and PlayStation-character cameos. PlayStation lists fantasy violence and crude humor, but no in-game purchases. Its cute presentation does not make every stage preschool-easy; younger players may need help on harder sections. Consult the official page.
Best PS5 games for ages 9–12
ASTRO BOT: best single-player choice
For older children, the same game becomes a stronger independent-play recommendation because optional collectibles and later challenges reward persistence. It is single-player, so choose something else if siblings specifically need simultaneous shared play.
Rank #3
- Explore a Massive World: Meet Hello Kitty and Friends across distinct biomes with more than 100 hours of adventure and affecting stories to experience. Brave Kuromi’s haunted mansion in the Spooky Swamp, unearth ancient secrets with Retsuko in fiery Mount Hothead, grow rare flowers with Wish me mell in the Merry Meadows, discover new treasures underwater in Rainbow Reef, and so much more.
- Be Who You Want: Express yourself as an original, Sanrio-style avatar with a wide range of adorable character customization options. Select from dozens of faces, features, and body shapes, then collect hundreds of clothing items. Change your appearance at any time.
- Craft, Create, Collect: Bake delicious recipes with Hello Kitty, brew magic potions with Kuromi, collect critters with Keroppi, learn to fish from Badtz-maru, and so much more. Share gifts and complete quests to deepen your friendship with even more beloved characters.
- Team Up in Multiplayer: Everything is better with friends. Invite other players to your island and complete multiplayer challenges to boost each other’s stamina, solve the island’s trickiest puzzles, chase new high scores, or build beautiful vacation homes together. Multiplayer guests can even decorate their own Friendship Cabins on your island.
Sonic Superstars: best fast multiplayer platformer
Sonic Superstars combines speed, bright platforming, and approachable cooperative play. It is easy to start but not always easy to master: high-speed sections can frustrate younger players. The 2024 recommendation from PSU’s kids-game coverage makes it a useful entry point for children who enjoy momentum and replaying stages.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: best for children comfortable with cartoon combat
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a single-player PS5 adventure with exploration, puzzles, fantasy weapons, and animated combat. PlayStation lists fantasy violence, animated blood, an alcohol reference, and in-game purchases. It has a standalone story, so prior series knowledge is unnecessary, but the content makes it better suited to older children or younger teens. Check the official descriptors.
LEGO, racing, sports, and party games: useful secondary options
PlayStation’s family guide also points to LEGO titles, Gran Turismo 7, Rabbids, Sonic Mania, SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, and Peppa Pig. Select by the child’s preferred play style: racing and party games suit shared sessions, while online communication, competitive pressure, and purchases need separate review for each title.
Rank #4
- AUTHENTIC MONSTER TRUCK EXPERIENCE: Drive and perform stunts with 20 of your favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks from Bone Shaker and Tiger Shark to Race Ace, Big Foot, and beyond, with each authentically modeled after the iconic trucks. Experience the thrill of controlling these real-world behemoths in a game that’s built for fans and newcomers alike.
- EXHILARATING STUNT ACTION: Pull off spectacular tricks and discover each truck’s unique signature stunt move based on its personality, such as Rhinomite, who will bash through anything with his mighty front horn, so don’t get on his bad side! Plus, master jaw-dropping flips, spins, and jumps to wow the crowd and rack up the highest scores in the arena.
- INTENSE BATTLE ARENAS: Battle it out in electrifying arenas that include fan-favorites such as Stunt Zone By Night and the fearsome Skelesaurus's Lair. Each arena offers a unique challenge and atmosphere, from neon-lit madness to apocalyptic showdowns where vibrant graphics and explosive effects ensure an unforgettable monster truck experience.
- BOSS FIGHTS AND ARCADE CHALLENGES: Face off against formidable bosses like the towering Crushzilla. Test your skills in a variety of modes including Career, Stunt, Destruction, and Boss Mode, each offering a uniquely fresh and intense gameplay experience.
- HEAD-TO-HEAD MULTIPLAYER: Challenge your friends in competitive local multiplayer matches. See who can perform the best stunts, smash the most obstacles, and score the highest points in competitive head-to-head battles.
Younger teens and borderline recommendations
Do not equate a cartoon look with a child-safe rating. Common Sense Media’s PS5 list labels Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales as 13+, while it places Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at 16+. These are Common Sense age recommendations, not ESRB classifications, so display the current ESRB rating and content descriptors before approving any Teen-rated game. See the Common Sense Media list for that additional editorial signal.
Set up PS5 safeguards before handing over the controller
- Check the game’s current ESRB category and content descriptors on its store page or packaging.
- On PS5, open Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select the child account, and set the age level for PS5 games. You can customize exceptions when appropriate.
- Set playtime limits, spending limits, and communication permissions separately; decide whether voice, text, and online multiplayer are suitable.
- Remember the U.S. ESRB age setting behavior: a nine-year-old setting blocks games above E, while an eleven-year-old setting permits E and E10+ but blocks Teen and higher categories. Details are explained by the ESRB’s PS5 parental-controls guide.
- Check whether the game is single-player, local co-op, online multiplayer, or dependent on PlayStation Plus. For local co-op, an additional DualSense controller is optional equipment, not a requirement for every game.
What to check when buying a 2024 game
- Availability: confirm that the exact edition is still sold for PS5.
- Content: read the current ESRB descriptors instead of judging from art style alone.
- Social features: review communication, matchmaking, and online-account requirements.
- Spending: check for in-game purchases and use a child-account spending limit.
- Difficulty: distinguish a game that is easy to begin from one that remains easy later; Sonic Superstars and ASTRO BOT both develop tougher sections.
ASTRO BOT was a major PS5-only family-platformer release in 2024. This article keeps that historical frame; a later update should recheck ratings, availability, subscriptions, and store policies rather than silently treating it as a current-year buying guide.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
