Best PS4 games for kids from Just Dance to Little Big Planet 3

Children were once happy with board games and figurines. Now, what is typically needed to remedy Christmas-induced hyperactivity is a smattering of PS4 games, which marry the fun, the educational, and the child-friendly.

We’ve selected the best PS4 games for kids this Christmas, from team-building exercises trussed up as video game Overcooked, to the vintage Hasbro game pack, including family favourites like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit. Read on to find out our top picks for the best PS4 games in show this Christmas.  

We will be updating this page with more PS4 games to keep youngsters entertained over the festive season, so be sure to check back in. 

Best PS4 games for kids

Little Big Planet 3

This PS4 game is rightly lauded for its excellent graphics, inspired voice-overs (Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, anyone?), and creative call to arms. By which, we mean the game was designed to invoke and encourage creativity in youngsters, with the option for kids to create and customise their own levels.

The game’s technical elements might pose a challenge to younger children, although you’ll have Sony to thank when your boisterous eight-year-old turns out to be the next Zaha Hadid. Little Big Planet 3 encourages imagination, innovation, and perseverance. A guilt-free video game if ever there was one.

Overcooked

Speaking of valuable life-skills, while Overcooked might not teach your child to make a mean risotto, it does necessitate valuable teamwork skills. Kids work together to create a culinary masterpiece – which all goes to pot if their coordination isn’t up to scratch.

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Overcooked is a game for up to four players, and encourages children to work together to achieve a shared goal. It’s fun, high-pressure, and teaches kids to communicate in a timely and productive way. Just don’t expect them to whip up a beef Wellington anytime soon.

Abzû

Of course, we had to sneak in a game that’s not solely for children, providing some much needed respite for parents. Abzû, which lets players glide through its ethereal underwater world, exploring the deep blue serenity, does just that.

There’s no pressing objective or threat, so the game is suitable for adults and children alike who’ll find its shimmering depths soothing. Perfect for families with an unwieldy Blue Planet habit, or those for whom competitive gaming sounds like a stress-ridden ordeal. Explore reefs, brave the wrecks, swim with dolphins; it’s like a trip to the Bahamas – if a trip to the Bahamas cost under £15.

Hasbro Family Fun Pack

If you’re immediately distrustful of any product with “Family Fun” in the name, we don’t blame you. But Hasbro bucks that trend with its digitised collection of vintage favourites, like Scrabble, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit.

If your kids writhe in disgust at the prospect of a board game, dupe them into participation with this 21st century update. Squabbles over who’s got the arduous task of being the banker in Monopoly, for example, are banished, thanks to the mighty games console. Old school’s gone interactive, and the fun is boundless.

Just Dance 2018

Just Dance has been around since 2009, when it hit the sleepover scene with aplomb. Now, back with its 2018 edition, the interactive dance game is better than ever, featuring crowd pleasers such as Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, and Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

Perfect for getting kids active over the otherwise sedate Christmas period. Plus, watching three different generations conduct a dance-off to Nicki Minaj is as heartwarming as it is hilarious.