It’s safe to say that the Nintendo Switch caused a revolution in the gaming world, allowing people aged 5 to 95 to play high-quality games on the go. Regarding 5-year-olds, the best games are those with fun and friendly characters, colorful graphics and simple yet entertaining mechanics.
However, 5-year-olds are not all the same, and one child’s gaming delight could be dull for another. That’s why it’s essential to consider the interests of the child you’re buying for and their gaming experience and abilities. Whether your child wants to speed along with Mario, go on missions with heroic pups or live a glamorous movie star life, there is something for them in the list below.
We know the games need to be approved by parents and kids alike. That’s why, when choosing games for this article, we looked for genuine reviews that showed that kids loved the game and that parents were impressed. T
Top 3 Switch Games for 5-Year-Olds
These are our top picks when it comes to Nintendo Switch games that are appropriate for 5-year-olds, easy to navigate and tons of fun!
| 💰 FOR TIGHT BUDGETS | 🧒🏻 BEST FOR YOUNGER KIDS | 🧑🤝🧑 BEST MULTIPLAYER | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yum Yum Cookstar | PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay! | Mario Party Superstars | |
 |  |  | |
| ✅ BEST AGE | 3 years and above | 3 years and above | 3 years and above |
| ❤️ PROS | Lots of kid-friendly recipes you can try IRL | Easy enough for young kids to play by themselves | Truly fun for all ages with fantastic replayability |
| 💔 CONS | Practicing the techniques is repetitive | The loading time is pretty long | Some of the mini-games can be challenging for a |
| 💵 PRICE | $22.99 | $24.00 | $54.45 |
As you can see, some of these games are aimed at complete beginners, while others are ideal for 5-year-olds who are already skilled gamers. When choosing the best games for your little one, remember their reading level, too, as some games require reading while others do not.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s dive into the full selection…
1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
| Type of Game: Racing & multiplayer game Skills it develops: ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Familiarity with game rules ✅ Social interaction |
Mario Kart is a classic game that is loved by kids and adults all around the world. This edition plays extremely smoothly and is packed with new features, including five new characters, four new multiplayer battle modes, 48 Tracks and over 40 racers! This game is perfect for family gaming sessions as it is fun for all ages and supports up to four players on one TV.
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
Easy to learn but hard to master, this game is a great way for children to level up their gaming skills. If your kiddo has a need for speed, this is a must-buy!
What We Love:
❤️ Plays smoothly with great graphics
❤️ Fun for all ages
❤️ Great variety of tracks and characters
What We Don’t Love:
💔 As with all Nintendo games, it is quite pricey
| 💡 Tip: Want a more budget-friendly racing game that is entertaining and easy enough for preschoolers? Try Axle City Racers. |
2. Yoshi’s Crafted World
| Type of Game: Action & adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
This awesome platformer game centers around the lovable green dinosaur from the Super Mario Bros universe. The game is easy enough for kids to pick up quickly but is enough of a challenge so they won’t get bored. Plus, it has fun missions, mini-games and cool characters to discover!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
Yoshi’s Crafted World is just that – a world made of handicrafts from all kinds of materials. While kids may not pay much attention to this, adults will love the attention to detail in the graphics design, which helps to make the game fun for mom and dad too!
What We Love:
❤️ Appropriate difficulty level for most 5-year-olds
❤️ Amazing attention to detail
❤️ Packed with fun missions and mini-games
What We Don’t Love:
💔 A few customers did not like the music
3. PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay!
| Type of Game: Action & adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
If your little one loves Paw Patrol and already has Paw Patrol On A Roll, this is an excellent addition to their game library. This one consists of seven adventures that players progress through and seven mini-games. Whether kids play alone or with friends, they will have lots of fun helping the pups with their heroic missions!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
This game is intuitive and easy for kids to navigate. The activities are staggered for difficulty level so that kids can see themselves improve over time. Plus, they get to play as their favorite pup! Be sure to also check out the selection of printable Paw Patrol coloring pages we produced recently.
What We Love:
❤️ Easy for kids to navigate by themselves
❤️ Great for solo and dual playing
❤️ Packed with activities of varied difficulty levels
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It sometimes takes a while to load
💔 The games are a bit short
4. Mario Party Superstars
| Type of Game: Multiplayer game Skills it develops: ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Familiarity with game rules ✅ Social interaction |
For kids who love Mario but would prefer something slower-paced and more exploratory, Mario Party Superstars is a winner. Although it is pricey, this game is packed with content, so it is great value for money. With the five classic Mario Party boards and over 100 mini-games, kids will never get tired of playing this!
This is another great family game as it is easy and intuitive for kids to navigate but offers enough of a challenge for experienced gamers. It also has an excellent online multiplayer mode, so you can include family members who live far away!
What We Love:
❤️ Kids can start easy and build their skill
❤️ Great game for families
❤️ Includes online multiplayer option
What We Don’t Love:
💔 There could be more maps
💔 Quite expensive
| 💡 If your little gamer just can’t get enough of the Super Mario universe, this Super Mario Bros. U game is a great addition to the collection. |
5. My Little Pony: A Maretime Bay Adventure
| Type of Game: Adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
Kids who love My Little Pony will jump at the chance to become Sunny, the adventurous Earth Pony and enter her magical world. Kids get to explore Maretime Bay, unlock new magical powers and pretty accessories as they go and have fun playing mini-games with a friend or family member. As the instructions and dialogue are all voiced, no reading ability is necessary!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
With cute characters and graphics and simple controls, this game is a great way to learn the basics of gaming on a Nintendo Switch. At the same time, it includes enough challenging parts to keep kids engaged!
What We Love:
❤️ The instructions and dialogue are all voiced
❤️ A good difficulty level for 5-year-olds
❤️ Cute graphics and fun for kids
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It is a bit on the short side
💔 The 2-player mode only works for the mini-games
6. Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition
| Type of Game: Simulation Skills it develops: ✅ Critical thinking ✅ Promotes friendship ✅ Reading |
If your 5-year-old (or perhaps your whole family) is into Disney, you must get this game. There is so much to explore in this enchanting game, with six Disney-themed worlds, each containing a variety of adventures. The fun of it is that you never know what you may discover or what challenges your favorite characters may set you!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
Note that this game involves quite a lot of reading, so kids may need some adult help. However, the gameplay is easy to understand, and the activities are varied enough for adults to enjoy too!
What We Love:
❤️ Includes a wide variety of activities
❤️ Simple enough yet fun for Disney fans of all ages
❤️ Packed with fun surprises
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Requires quite a bit of reading
💔 There is no multiplayer option
7. Ryan’s Rescue Squad
| Type of Game: Platformer & adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
This is a fun little game for young beginner Switchers, whether they are fans of Ryan’s World or not. The gameplay is simple and easy to understand, but challenges here and there offer opportunities for improvement. This is a game that kids can easily play by themselves, but it is also fun to play in 2-player mode with a friend or family member!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
What keeps this game interesting is the wide range of mini-games and the fun characters kids can play and customize. It is a simple game, but beginners will find it lots of fun!
What We Love:
❤️ Simple gameplay but includes some challenges
❤️ Dual player mode works well
❤️ Fun for kids whether they are Ryan’s World fans or not
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It may be a bit repetitive for some kids
💔 There isn’t as much content as some other games on this list
| 💡 For kids who are more into PJ Masks, this is also a great simple game for beginners who still want a bit of adventure. |
8. LOL Surprise! Movie Night
| Type of Game: Adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
While this game may appear simple, it has quite a few challenging elements, so it is ideal for 5-year-olds with some gaming experience under their belt who enjoy a bit of a challenge. It is also packed with content, with various activities and lots of mini-games to complete, giving you a great bang for your buck!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
This adorable game features cute characters and a fun movie theme that kids who dream of becoming movie stars will love. Players get to explore L.O.L.ville Studios, star in movies, experience the glam lifestyle and more!
What We Love:
❤️ Packed with a variety of activities and mini-games
❤️ Cute characters and great graphics
❤️ Deceptively challenging – good for building gaming skills
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It requires some reading
💔 It may be too challenging for some 5-year-olds
| 💡 Another awesome LOL Surprise! game is this fun travel-themed one in which the dolls explore cities worldwide. |
9. My Universe: Pet Clinic Cats & Dogs
| Type of Game: Simulation Skills it develops: ✅ Critical thinking ✅ Promotes friendship ✅ Reading |
Does your 5-year-old love animals or dream of being a vet one day? Then this is the game for them. Kids play as a vet who must administer various treatments to help their four-legged patients get better. And this set is a bargain: it includes three editions, including Cats & Dogs, Puppies & Kittens and Pandas and lots of new missions and mini-games!
| Recommended age: 4 years and above |
As well as mastering dozens of treatments and teaching the animals tricks, a lot of the fun of this game comes from the wide range of cute cat and dog breeds you get to see.
What We Love:
❤️ Intuitive and easy to play
❤️ Lots of fun minigames and new content
❤️ The cats and dogs are varied and cute
What We Don’t Love:
💔 The activities are not very varied
💔 May be boring for adults
10. Yooka-Laylee: The Impossible Lair
| Type of Game: Action & adventure Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
This game offers a range of difficulty levels, so kids can start on the most accessible level and try more challenging modes as they age. Whatever mode you’re on, this adventure game cum platformer is an absolute blast! The environment is colorful and full of fun surprises; there is so much to explore and discover.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
Yooka-Laylee: The Impossible Lair has a storyline to captivate children and a lot of humor packed in along the way. While they may need some help in the later levels, they will love exploring the 3D overworld and attempting the different challenges.
What We Love:
❤️ Offers a wide range of difficulty levels
❤️ Lots to explore, find and unlock
❤️ Fun storyline with humor kids will enjoy
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It does not have a multiplayer mode
💔 The final level will be too challenging for most 4-year-olds
11. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
| Type of Game: Platform / Jump ‘n Run Skills it develops: ✅ Problem solving ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Reading |
Up to four players can play this classic platforming game, making it perfect for playing as a family, though kids should be able to play by themselves after some practice. The game offers five playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Toad, Toadette and Nabbit. Nabbit is unique in that he doesn’t take damage from enemies, which makes him a great character for little ones!
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
Like all Super Mario games, there’s a lot of content here: 164 courses plus an extra Super Luigi U game! While the game is simple, the graphics are always fun, and kids will love gobbling up those gold coins.
What We Love:
❤️ The controls are easy to learn
❤️ Includes a “cheat” character who doesn’t take damage from enemies
❤️ Works smoothly and accommodates up to 4 players
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Some of the levels may be too challenging
💔 You can only save the game once on each level
12. Hot Wheels Unleashed
| Type of Game: Racing Skills it develops: ✅ Hand-eye coordination ✅ Familiarity with game rules ✅ Social interaction |
If your kiddo loves toy cars, chances are they will be highly excited to shrink down and race around with them in a video game! Hot Wheels Unleashed is a racing game with a difference because the vehicles are the size of Hot Wheels toys, and the miniature race track winds around a human-sized world. It is cute and whimsical, yet still an exciting, fast-paced racing game!
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
To make the game even more fun, you can build your tracks and unlock a range of awesome Hot Wheels cars. Gameplay is simple, but there are a few fun tricks to play with too.
What We Love:
❤️ It’s fun to feel like you are shrunk down in a human-sized world
❤️ Simple and intuitive controls
❤️ You can build your own tracks and unlock awesome cars
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Unlocking items requires a lot of in-game currency
💔 The track builder is quite difficult
13. Untitled Goose Game
| Type of Game: Simulation Skills it develops: ✅ Critical thinking ✅ Promotes friendship ✅ Reading |
Most 5-year-olds love chaos, silliness and all things naughty. So, in this multiple award-winning game, you play as a goose whose primary goal is to cause havoc in the life of the townspeople. While you may want to keep the chaos at bay in the real world, Untitled Goose Game allows kids to unleash it safely on screen!
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
Untitled Goose Game is entertaining in co-op mode, as you can work together to perform even more hilarious pranks. There are challenges to solve, but it’s more about wandering around and seeing how much of a commotion you can cause!
What We Love:
❤️ Full of hilarity, chaos and fun, especially in co-op mode
❤️ Great replayability as there are many different ways to prank the people
❤️ Cute graphics and relaxing music
What We Don’t Love:
💔 The game gives little direction
💔 Quite a short game
Frequently Asked Questions About Nintendo Switch Games for 5-Year-Olds
🙋 Can 5-year-olds actually play Nintendo Switch?
5-year-olds can absolutely play Nintendo Switch, but there are a few caveats. Most people are aware of the dangers of too much screen time, so setting a time limit on your child’s daily Switch access is essential. In addition, there are a few things to remember when buying a Switch for your 5-year-old.
Firstly, make sure to enable parental controls on your child’s Switch so that they cannot access inappropriate content. You can also adjust the communication settings so that strangers cannot contact your child. Lastly, you can customize your settings so you cannot purchase games over a particular PEGI rating.
🙋 Is the Nintendo Switch kid-friendly?
The Nintendo Switch is kid friendly if you apply the controls described above, only allow your child to play age-appropriate games and set reasonable time limits on their access to it. In fact, the Switch is probably the most child-friendly game console out there, thanks to its intuitive control system. It is also straightforward to apply parental controls from anywhere, and loads of Switch games are specifically aimed at preschoolers. However, note that the game cartridges are tiny, so unless your child is unusually responsible, they are likely to get lost without some parental oversight.
🙋 Should I buy my kid a Nintendo Switch?
While this is a personal decision, there are some things to consider that may help you decide. First, consider your child’s motor function. Some 5-year-olds are already very dextrous while others are still a little clumsy, in which case the controls may be frustrating. Next, think about how careful your child is with their toys.
A Nintendo Switch is expensive, so you don’t want to waste money on a console that ends up broken! Lastly, keep in mind the importance of limiting screen time. Some kids will be happy to hand the Switch back after half an hour, but if this could spark a tantrum, perhaps avoid purchasing one until they are a bit older.
So… What Nintendo Switch Game Should I Get?
The best Nintendo Switch game for your little gamer depends on their interests and current gaming and reading abilities. For example, if the kid you are buying for already has some gaming experience, one of the games from the Super Mario universe is a great choice. But if they are new to Switch games, My Friend Peppa Pig or one of the Paw Patrol games is a great way to learn.
If your kiddo’s favorite Switch game isn’t on the list, but you think it should be, don’t hesitate to let us know!
