PBS KIDS Games review
Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
PBS KIDS Games suits a US household that wants practice drills for a young child rather than booked lessons with a tutor, covering math, english and science from age 2. Support reaches grown-ups by email and phone, and the app on a phone or tablet is the entire format, not a call with a teacher.
Key facts
- Best for
- Daily practice for a young child in the United States, not booked lessons.
- Minimum age
- 2 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Public Broadcasting Service (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Subjects
- Math, English, Science, Languages, School
- Lesson format
- Mobile app
- Official website
- pbskids.org
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- Google Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- The subject set of math, english and science is broader than Readability's english and than Starfall's english and math, so a child can move between school strands inside the same download.
- The stated minimum age is 2, which puts practice within reach of a preschooler rather than a reader who already has fluency.
- The format is app only, matching the way 100% of kids-app brands deliver, so practice fits around a normal day instead of a booked slot.
- Support runs on email and phone, so a parent can pick up the phone as well as send email when a specific game will not behave.
Cons
- The listed market is US only, so a family based anywhere else will find nothing to use here.
- Everything sits in app form, so anyone counting on a tutor to correct reasoning will not get one in this plan.
- Help runs on email and phone with no live chat listed, so a question about a stuck game waits for a reply rather than starting instantly.
- Coding and data work are absent from the math, english and science list, so a child ready for programming has to move to another product.
Who it suits
- A US household with a preschooler or young child who will practise without an adult sitting alongside every game.
- Parents who want math, english and science covered in one app download rather than separate apps per subject.
- Caregivers who only need email and phone for the occasional question and will not miss a chat window.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone expecting live teaching or a scheduled class, since the format here is app only.
- Households outside US, who should look for a provider that lists their own country instead.
- Parents of a child ready for coding work, which sits in neither the math, english and science set here nor Starfall's english and math pairing.
Who runs it
PBS KIDS Games is operated by the Public Broadcasting Service, and its home country is US. A public broadcaster is a different kind of owner from a venture-backed app, and that difference is the one worth holding on to when a child is going to spend regular time inside the product. There is no growth pitch attached to the download and no sales call to sit through. Grown-ups who have a question can reach the team by email and phone, so a problem with a specific game can be raised by email or by phone, and the answer comes from the organisation named on the product itself.
How PBS KIDS Games compares
Where PBS KIDS Games is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does PBS KIDS Games cost?+
Pricing is not set out for this app, so it is worth weighing the wider market before paying anything. Across the 422 brands in this set, the median subscription price is €71.91 and the median monthly price is €18.59, which puts a paid plan for a children's app in a normal band rather than an unusual one.
What subjects does it cover?+
The subject list covers math, english and science, so a child can move between school strands inside the same app rather than juggling separate downloads. That set is broader than Readability's english and than Starfall's english and math, and it sits close to Schulerhilfe's math, english and science.
How young can a child start using it?+
The stated minimum age is 2, which puts practice within reach of a preschooler rather than a school-age reader only. Having a grown-up nearby matters at that stage, and the math, english and science list gives an easy starting point, with short drills that do not need reading fluency to get going.
Is there a live tutor or live class?+
Live teaching is not part of this offer, because everything arrives in app form, so the product is a set of games and drills rather than a booked slot with a teacher. That matches the group, where 100% of kids-app brands work by app, and it is the main reason to consider a paid tutor instead.
Which countries is it available in?+
The listed market is US and the operator is headquartered in the United States, so this is a US product. Families elsewhere should not expect a localised version, a translated interface or US support hours. Checking whether a provider lists your own country first will save a wasted download.
How do I get help if something is wrong?+
Grown-ups can contact the team by email and phone, so a problem with a specific game has a choice of routes rather than a single inbox. Email suits anything that needs a screenshot, and a phone call suits a question explained out loud. Live chat is the route missing here, while 71.9% of brands in this set have a help centre.
Who is behind the app?+
The operator is the Public Broadcasting Service, and its home country is US. A public broadcaster has different reasons for putting a learning product in front of children than a subscription startup does, and the practical effect shows in support, where questions go to the organisation behind the brand by email and phone.
How does it compare on price with paid tutoring?+
The median starting lesson price across the 422 brands in this set is €25.43, and the kids-app ranking puts its own median at €23.24. An app spreads its cost over as much practice as a child wants, and what a lesson price buys on top of that is feedback rather than more content.
Sources
- pbskids.org/apps/play-pbs-kids-games checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Lesson format
“The PBS KIDS Games app makes learning fun and safe”
- pbskids.org/grownups checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Minimum age
“helps children ages 2 to 8”
- pbskids.org/privacy checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Markets, Support channels
“1225 S Clark St Arlington, VA 22202”
- play.google.com/store/apps/details checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Subjects
“Math games, Reading games, Science games”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Lesson price from, Trial lesson.
PBS KIDS Games
Daily practice for a young child in the United States, not booked lessons.