What's the easiest first app for a kid?

A one-button game: tap to jump, tap to flap, drag to steer. It's small enough to finish and fun enough to share.

Should my kid learn to code first?

Not before their first project. Designing a game teaches the big ideas (rules, goals, feedback, difficulty). Coding is easier to learn once they've made something they care about.

Can we publish it in the app store?

App stores need developer accounts, fees and reviews, which is a lot for a first project. A web game plays on any phone or tablet and can be added to the home screen like an app.

My kid wants to build an app. Where do we start?

It's one of the best things a kid can ask. You don't need to know how to code to help. Here's the path we use with our own kids.

1. Start with a game

Kids' app ideas are usually games, and games are the best first app: clear goal, instant fun, easy to show off. Ask your kid: who is the main character, what do they do, and what gets in their way?

2. Keep it to one idea

One action (jump, fly, climb, dodge), one thing to avoid, one thing to collect. Big ideas can come later; finishing the first one is what builds confidence.

3. Draw it first

A quick drawing of the main character and the world turns a vague idea into a plan, and kids love seeing their drawing become a game.

4. Make it real, two ways

Our game builder (free): you and your kid describe the characters, our kid-safe AI draws them, your kid picks how it plays, and you have a real game in minutes. How it works
Learn to code it: once they're hooked, free kid-friendly tools like Scratch are a great next step.

5. Share it

Playing their own game with grandparents and friends is the moment kids remember. Every game in our arcade credits the kid who designed it (first name only, if you choose).

Design a game Play games kids made