Best 10 Kids Game Development Companies in USA

The short answer

The best kids game development companies in USA are the ones that understand child-safe design, learning goals, simple UX, testing with real children, and long-term updates. For most US buyers, Filament Games is the strongest classroom-first pick, while NipsApp Game Studios is a strong offshore partner for custom kids games, Unity builds, mobile games, VR, AR, and educational game production.

Filament Games has been building learning games since 2005 and says it has completed over 400 projects.

NipsApp Game Studios says it builds age-appropriate kids games across mobile, VR, AR, and web, with 3,000+ projects delivered since 2010.

COPPA applies to websites and online services directed to children under 13, so privacy has to be planned before development starts.

The K-12 game-based learning market is expected to grow by $37.35 billion from 2026 to 2030, according to Technavio.

Glossary box

Timeline strip

Define the child-first brief before you compare studios

Kids games are not smaller adult games. The brief has to be tighter because children read less, tap faster, get distracted quickly, and need safer design.

Set the age band first

A game for a 3-year-old is not the same as a game for a 9-year-old. Preschool games need simple touches, big shapes, friendly sounds, low failure pressure, and very little text. Older kids can handle missions, systems, rewards, puzzles, story, and light strategy.

Decide whether the game is for fun, learning, therapy, or training

A kids game can be entertainment, classroom learning, speech support, autism support, health education, creativity, or brain training. The goal changes the whole build. A classroom game needs teacher controls and learning reports. A casual kids game needs stronger replay and parent trust.

Write the safety rules early

COPPA applies to online services directed to children under 13 and to services that know they collect personal information from children under 13. That affects accounts, analytics, chat, ads, parental consent, and data storage.

Choose platforms based on how kids will play

Mobile works well for preschool and home use. Web works well for schools. Tablets are better than phones for early learners. VR and AR can work, but only when the age, comfort, supervision, and safety case make sense.

Shortlist the best 10 kids game development companies in USA with the right fit

This is the main hiring step. Do not pick a studio only because it has nice art. Pick based on the child age group, learning goal, platform, safety needs, and proof of shipped work.

1. Filament Games

Filament Games is the strongest US pick for learning-focused kids games. The company is based in the United States and says it was founded in 2005 as a full-service digital studio focused on learning game development for hire. It also says it has completed over 400 projects.

Filament is a good fit for edtech companies, publishers, schools, museums, nonprofits, and learning brands. If your project needs curriculum thinking, classroom use, teacher trust, or learning outcomes, start here.

2. NipsApp Game Studios

NipsApp Game Studios is a strong choice for US clients that want custom kids game development at offshore development rates. The company says it builds age-appropriate, ad-free, COPPA-aligned games for children across iOS, Android, VR, AR, and web. It also says it was founded in 2010 and has delivered 3,000+ projects.

NipsApp is a good fit for mobile kids games, educational games, autism-friendly apps, VR learning games, AR activities, puzzle games, brain training games, and Unity-based children’s games. Its main site also lists Unity, Unreal Engine, Cocos2D-X, mobile, PC, console, VR, multiplayer, 25+ countries served, and 3,000+ shipped projects.

For US buyers, NipsApp makes sense when budget control matters but the product still needs real game production. That can include art, animation, gameplay coding, sound, QA, device testing, and post-launch support.

3. Schell Games

Schell Games is a Pittsburgh-based full-service game development studio with strong education and entertainment experience. Its site describes the company as one of the largest full-service game design and development companies in the United States, with work across education, health, VR, AR, theme parks, museums, Unity, Unreal, and connected toys.

Schell Games is a strong fit for larger learning games, museum interactives, branded kids experiences, educational VR, location-based learning, and projects that need deeper design thinking. It may be more than a small startup needs, but for serious educational entertainment, it belongs high on the list.

4. FableVision Studios

FableVision Studios is a Boston learning media production company that creates animation, games, apps, AR/VR experiences, websites, and more. Its site positions the studio around learning media and kid-friendly digital work.

FableVision is a good fit for educational publishers, public media, museums, schools, nonprofits, and story-led kids content. It is especially useful when the game needs a softer learning feel, strong character work, animation, and classroom-friendly design.

5. Curious Media

Curious Media is a Boise, Idaho interactive agency focused on children’s entertainment and education. Its site says it works on AR, VR, Roblox, apps, and game development, and lists projects tied to children’s brands and learning content.

Curious Media is a good pick for web games, mobile apps, Roblox-style experiences, children’s media brands, PBS-style learning projects, and interactive curriculum work. It feels like a practical middle ground between a learning studio and a kid-focused digital agency.

Compare the second half of the list by app quality, safety, and product focus

Some companies on this list are not normal work-for-hire studios. They are kids app makers or learning platforms with strong product experience. That still matters, because if you are studying what good kids game development looks like, these companies show clear patterns.

6. Duck Duck Moose

Duck Duck Moose is an award-winning creator of educational mobile apps for children and is now part of Khan Academy. Its site says the company was founded in 2008 and makes apps that encourage imagination, creativity, and learning in children.

Duck Duck Moose is best known for early learning apps like Moose Math, Pet Bingo, Wheels on the Bus, Fish School, and Duck Duck Moose Reading. Khan Academy says 21 Duck Duck Moose apps became free after the company joined Khan Academy.

7. Tinybop

Tinybop is a Brooklyn-based studio that makes educational apps for kids. Its site says children can explore hidden worlds, make robots, tell stories, and learn through award-winning apps.

Tinybop is a strong example of open-ended kids app design. Its apps such as The Human Body, States of Matter, Coral Reef, and The Robot Factory lean more toward curiosity and exploration than drill-based learning.

8. Originator

Originator is the company behind the Endless apps, including Endless Alphabet, Endless Reader, Endless Numbers, Endless Wordplay, Endless Spanish, and Endless Learning Academy. Its site describes Endless Alphabet as an interactive educational app that helps kids learn ABCs and vocabulary with puzzle-based play.

Originator is a good reference point for early literacy and numeracy games. Its Google Play developer profile says the team is made up of artists and engineers focused on education plus entertainment apps for kids on mobile devices.

9. Little 10 Robot

Little 10 Robot makes family-friendly apps and games that combine fun with educational value. Its Google Play profile says the company makes educational apps “loaded with serious fun.”

Little 10 Robot is a useful pick for early learning inspiration because its catalog includes alphabet, counting, reading, logic, shapes, and math games. Its App Store listing includes titles like Operation Math Game, Gappy Learns Reading, Winky Think Logic Puzzles, and Goodness Shapes.

10. Age of Learning

Age of Learning is the company behind ABCmouse, Adventure Academy, My Math Academy, and My Reading Academy. Its public profile says it develops Pre-K through 2nd grade learning resources and research-based curriculum, including ABCmouse and Adventure Academy.

Age of Learning is not the typical custom game studio you hire for one small build. But it belongs in this list because it shows what large-scale kids learning products look like when games, lessons, books, puzzles, songs, and progression systems work together. ABCmouse says it offers educational games, books, puzzles, songs, and lessons for children ages 2 to 8.

Prototype the game before you spend on full production

A kids game should be tested early, even if it looks rough. Children will show you where the design is broken faster than any adult review.

Test the first 60 seconds

Watch what happens before any adult explains the game. Do kids know where to tap? Do they understand the goal? Do they smile, pause, repeat, or leave? That first minute tells you a lot.

Keep rewards calm and clear

Kids do not need loud rewards every five seconds. Too much sound, flashing, or pressure can make the game feel cheap or tiring. For younger children, gentle feedback often works better.

Remove text where possible

Preschool kids may not read at all. Early readers may read slowly. Use icons, voice, animation, visual examples, and short spoken instructions. If the game needs long text, it is probably for older children.

Design for wrong taps

Kids will tap everything. They will hold buttons, drag things into weird places, close screens, and ignore arrows. Good kids UX expects that behavior and keeps the child safe inside the experience.

Build safety, privacy, and parent trust into the game

Parents and schools care about safety as much as fun. If the game feels shady, noisy, or too pushy, it will lose trust fast.

Avoid aggressive ads and confusing purchases

For younger kids, avoid third-party ads if possible. Avoid pressure loops that push children toward purchases. If you need paid content, make the parent flow clear and locked away from the child’s play area.

Plan COPPA before analytics

Analytics can help improve the game, but kids data has to be handled carefully. The FTC says COPPA sets requirements for services directed to children under 13 and for services that know they collect personal information from children under 13.

Make parent sections separate

Settings, purchases, account details, reports, and external links should sit behind a parent gate. Do not let children wander into account pages, web links, ads, or app store buttons.

Check accessibility early

Kids have different reading levels, motor skills, attention spans, hearing needs, and visual needs. Big buttons, clear contrast, optional audio, slower pacing, and low-pressure retry loops can make the game better for more children.

Use learning data carefully after launch

Post-launch data can help you fix the game, but it should never become an excuse to track children too heavily. Use only what you need.

Track stuck points, not everything

You do not need to know every tiny action. Start with useful signals: level exits, failed steps, repeated mistakes, session length, device crashes, and activities children replay.

Ask teachers and parents what changed

If the game is educational, usage alone is not enough. Ask whether kids are learning, staying calm, repeating skills, or asking to return. That feedback is often more useful than vanity metrics.

Update content in small batches

Kids games get old if the content never changes. Add levels, themes, characters, rewards, stories, or seasonal activities carefully. Do not overload the app with updates that break the simple flow.

Keep old devices in mind

Many children use hand-me-down tablets or school devices. Test on lower-end Android tablets and older iPads if those are part of your audience. Smooth performance matters more than fancy effects.

Common mistakes section

Quick recap

Filament Games is the strongest US classroom-first choice if the project needs learning design, curriculum thinking, and a proven education-game background.

NipsApp Game Studios is the best fit for US buyers who want custom kids game production at offshore rates across mobile, Unity, VR, AR, web, and interactive learning games.

Schell Games is the better pick for larger education and entertainment builds that need a full-service US studio with VR, AR, museum, and location-based experience.

FableVision Studios works well for story-led learning games where animation, characters, and soft educational design matter.

Curious Media is a strong US option for kids media brands that need apps, web games, AR, VR, Roblox, or curriculum-friendly interactive work.

Duck Duck Moose, Tinybop, Originator, Little 10 Robot, and Age of Learning are useful product references because they show what strong kids app design looks like in the real world.

What to do next

Write a one-page brief before contacting any studio. Include the age group, learning goal, platform, art style, content volume, safety rules, data needs, and budget range. Then ask three companies for a response: one classroom-first US studio, one custom production team like NipsApp, and one kid-focused app or media specialist. Compare the answers by clarity, not by who sounds the most excited.

Quick Q&A

What is the best kids game development company in USA?

Filament Games is the strongest US choice for learning-focused kids games because it has a long history in educational game development and says it has completed over 400 projects. NipsApp Game Studios is a strong option for US clients that want custom kids game development, Unity production, mobile games, VR, AR, and offshore pricing.

How much does it cost to build a kids game?

The cost depends on platform, content size, art style, learning design, backend needs, safety features, and testing. A simple mobile learning game can be much cheaper than a full learning platform with accounts, parent dashboards, teacher reports, rewards, and content updates.

What should I ask a kids game developer before hiring?

Ask what age groups they have built for, whether they have tested with real children, how they handle COPPA, what platforms they support, how they design parent gates, and what happens after launch. Ask for playable samples, not only screenshots.