Open-world gaming has become one of the industry's most popular subgenres. Not only do the games tend to offer great value for money, but they also offer a level of freedom that is unparalleled when compared to linear titles. This makes open-world games particularly great for parents, as they can keep their kids occupied with just one of the genre's titles rather than having to continuously purchase linear games that will be finished in a few hours.

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However, one issue with open-world games is that parents may not know exactly what they're buying for their children. For example, when buying a Mario game, most parents know that their kid will be platforming the entire time, but with open-world games, the huge array of side quests and activities to uncover can make it tricky to keep track of everything in the game. Thankfully, there are numerous excellent open-world games for kids currently available.

Updated on April 30th, 2024, by Jack Pursey: The Open-world genre continues to grow in prominence year after year, with more and more of the gaming industry's most iconic franchises jumping on the bandwagon, from platformers like Sonic to shooters like Halo. As open-world gaming dominates sales charts, more parents than ever before are curious to know which open-world games are suitable for their kids. As such, this list has been updated with a few more entries and further information to help parents and children decide which game is best suited for them.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Hundreds of Hours of Content That Lets Kids Flex Their Creativity

Like Nintendo's Super Mario series, it's not often that the company's The Legend of Zelda has direct sequels. However, few were surprised when Nintendo announced a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, given the game's huge open world and innovative gameplay mechanics that clearly had more mileage in them. Unsurprisingly, the sequel Tears of the Kingdom has once again been a huge critical and commercial success.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom differentiates itself from its predecessor with its caves and sky islands, which have made the already enormous world even larger. The game also leans into the sandbox elements of Breath of the Wild by giving players a whole host of tools and devices to create weapons, vehicles, and much, much more.

2 LEGO Worlds

Build Lego Structures Without The Cost of Physical Sets

LEGO Worlds is a sandbox game that was developed by Traveller's Tales and has many similarities to Mojang Studios' Minecraft, throwing players into a 3D procedurally generated world and letting them build almost anything they like from the ground up.

LEGO Worlds struggled to impress critics, and its highest rating on Metacritic came in at an underwhelming 71 on PC. Still, the concept of the game is very strong for kids who like LEGO, and considering the price of physical LEGO these days, LEGO Worlds is a cost-effective alternative to purchasing numerous sets.

3 Grow Up

A Rare Open World Platformer

Grow Up was developed by Ubisoft Reflections and is the sequel to 2015's Grow Home. The game features an unorthodox blend of the open-world and platform genres, the latter of which is often considered to be inherently linear.

However, Ubisoft's Newcastle-based development team, Ubisoft Reflections, did a fantastic job of meshing the two contrasting genres by creating an open-world game that is great fun to simply explore and traverse while trying to complete the game's main objective of recovering spaceship parts.

4 Stardew Valley

A Beloved Life and Farming Simulator That Can Keep Kids Occupied for Years

Stardew Valley has become a staple of the casual open-world genre since it was released. The game follows a similar pattern to many games in the farm simulation genre by beginning with the player inheriting a plot of land that they are free to cultivate and build upon in any way that they choose.

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However, Stardew Valley stands above its competition in the crowded farm simulator genre with its excellent social features and simple yet addicting gameplay mechanics.

5 Terraria

Procedurally Generated Worlds Provide Endless Entertainment

Terraria was released a few months before Minecraft, though sadly for Re-Logic and 505 Games, the sandbox game has always had to live in the shadow of its open-world competitor.

However, it's easy to forget just how successful Terraria has been due to the enormous commercial success of Minecraft. Terraria has sold over 35 million copies over the last decade, with many long-time players still thoroughly enjoying the game with friends today. Like Minecraft, the game offers a sandbox open world that players can build and create in, though it differentiates itself with its 2D perspective.

6 Assassin's Creed Origins (Discovery Tour Mode)

A Fun Way for Kids to Learn History

The Assassin's Creed series may initially seem like an odd choice to recommend to children, given that the series is known for its sword-fighting and assassinations. Assassin's Creed Origins doesn't buck this trend in its main campaign, though it does offer a separate mode that provides a fantastic educational experience.

Origins' Discovery Tour mode lets players explore the game's Ancient Egypt map but replaces the missions and enemies with historical information and tour guides. Ubisoft is clearly confident about the Discovery Tour's ability to teach, as they have marketed the mode to schools. Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Valhalla also feature Discovery Tour modes.

7 LEGO City Undercover

A Great Grand Theft Auto Alternative for Kids

As one would expect from a game under the LEGO brand, every aspect of LEGO City Undercover's content is made with children in mind. The game is commonly referred to as "Grand Theft Auto for kids" and consequently has a few fights and car chases, though they're all presented in the wholesome, non-violent style that one would expect from a LEGO video game.

LEGO City Undercover puts players in the shoes of police officer Chase McCain, who is tasked with cleaning up the city's crime, which is out of control thanks to the infamous criminal Rex Fury escaping prison.

8 Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

A Laid-Back Adventure Featuring a World Full of Heart

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles kicks off in a dramatic fashion when a bolt of lightning destroys the player's boat. However, the game will soon attain a far more meditative pace when the playable character finds themselves on the magical island of Gemea.

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The island has a beautiful landscape that can be freely explored in a similar fashion to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Players are also encouraged to partake in activities such as crafting and farming, though their main goal is to clear a substance known as the Murk.

9 A Short Hike

A Compact Open World Adventure With Plenty to Do and Find

A Short Hike sticks out like a sore thumb on this list, as unlike most open-world games, which can take 100+ hours to beat, A Short Hike can be completed in just 1-2 hours. Adam Robinson-Yu's indie game was well-received by critics, exemplified by its impressive Metascores of 80 and 88, as well as its Seumas McNally Grand Prize win at the Independent Games Festival Awards in 2020.

A Short Hike requires players to find golden feathers, which will grant them extra jumps needed to reach the map's peak. The game also offers numerous side activities, such as fishing, treasure hunting, and competing in the unique "beachstickball."

10 The Witness

A Difficult but Rewarding Puzzle Experience Set on a Geniusly Designed Island

Although The Witness is suitable for children in the sense that there's no violence or adult language, it's worth pointing out that it should only be considered for those who love challenging puzzles; otherwise, the tricky game may be swiftly put down and forgotten about. However, if solving tough puzzles is right up their alley, then The Witness may be the best open-world game for them.

The Witness was directed and designed by Jonathan Blow, who became well-known to the gaming industry with his hit puzzle platformer Braid in 2008. The game puts players on an ingeniously designed island and presents them with a plethora of line puzzles to solve.

11 Minecraft

Embark on Survival Adventures or Build Magnificent Structures

If a child is considering playing an open-world game, there's a good chance that they've already played or at least considered Minecraft. Mojang's modern classic is not only one of the best child-friendly games of all time but also one of the best open-world games ever released. Minecraft is a sandbox game where the only limitations are the player's imagination, which shouldn't be an issue for children.

The game features a Creative Mode for those who simply want to build the best creations possible with all resources unlocked, and then there's Survival Mode, in which players must go out and gather resources themselves while ensuring that they avoid dangerous enemies.

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