10 Best Game Consoles For 3 to 5 Year Old Kids in 2023
Video gaming consoles like Nintendo DS, PlayStations, and Xbox are becoming increasingly popular as a family’s favorite pastime activity. These games are not only fun to play with family and friends but also offer tools for stimulating curiosity and developing learning skills in young children. Also, a game console could be an excellent gift option for younger kids aged around 3 to 5 years. In this preschooler development period, they become more curious and want more than just playtime: they want to learn more about themselves and their world.
There are many options if you’re looking to buy a new game console for your child. But which one should you go with?
Well, we have done the hard work for you and gathered some of the best game consoles for 3 to 5-year-olds. These are the ones that have been tested and vetted with years of use. They all have great features, but they also come with different price points and other perks that make them stand out from the rest.
So, if you want to buy a game console that’s fun, durable, and easy on the wallet, look no further than our list below. Just pick one that fits your budget and needs.
Best Game Consoles For 3 to 5-Year-Old Kids
Our Top 3 Picks
Best Game Console For 3-Year-Old Kids: LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures
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Let’s start with a great gaming system from the toddler-favorite brand, The LeapFrog. This gaming console is a great choice for 3-year-old children who want to explore the world of electronic gaming.
Like many LeapFrog products, this gaming system is pretty affordable. This system also comes with all the features you’d expect from a high-end gaming console, but it also has some other perks that make it stand out from the competition.
The first thing that makes this system so great is its size. It’s small enough for younger kids to handle and pick up easily—yet not so small that they have trouble playing games with it.
The second thing that makes it great is its educational purpose. It comes with 100+ games that double as educational instruments, making it perfect for learning while having fun at the same time.
If your child loves Paw Patrol or Bubble Guppies, then this is an especially good choice because they feature these characters in their games in this system. Besides Disney hits like Frozen and Toy Story, there are also educational titles such as Math Blaster and Reading Buddies: Bookworm!
The games disguise concepts ranging from mathematics to reading in fun-filled games—so you don’t have to worry about your child getting bored during practice time.
Best Game Console For 4-Year-Old Kids: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Nintendo Switch
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great choice if your child loves the thrill of go-kart-style racing games. It’s super affordable and beginner friendly.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best-selling games in the Nintendo Switch catalog. Wondering why this one is so popular among kids. First of all, it brings all the content from the Wii U version, including DLC, and adds many new features.
The biggest addition is the Inklings, who are playable characters in multiplayer mode. Also, this version includes all the tracks from previous Mario Kart games. This makes it easy for players to jump right into their favorite tracks without having to worry about what items they have unlocked or how well they know those tracks.
The Smart Steering feature makes driving and staying on the track easy for novice players, even at 200cc. They added this feature to help kids who might be too young for Mario Kart 8 but still want to play with their older siblings.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is also a great family game. It allows parents to play with their children while enjoying themselves on one screen instead of having two screens showing different games simultaneously.
Best Game Console For 5-Year-Old Kids: New Nintendo 2DS XL
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This recommendation is from the video game giant Nintendo. Nintendo is also known as the Disney of video games, thanks to its collection of kid-friendly gaming consoles. This New Nintendo 2DS XL is a perfect choice if you are looking for the best handheld game console for kids around 5 years old.
The best thing about this product is its two large colorful screens that make playing games easy and enjoyable for kids who might struggle to understand complex instructions from games.
The console is lightweight, and its ergonomic design makes it comfortable to hold for hours of playtime. In addition, it comes pre-loaded with children’s favorite game, Mario Kart. Your children will also be able to play all Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS, and most Nintendo DS games on the system.
What’s great, it comes with multiplayer features so your kids can play with friends and family. However, the New Nintendo 2DS XL was discontinued in 2020. This means that no new games are being released—which also means go get it while it’s still available.
Game Consoles For 3 to 5-Year-Old Kids
Rated Highly by Parents and Experts
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PlayStation 4 Pro
Now, if you want to upgrade from the previous gaming console and give your 5-year-old kid a more immersive experience, then PlayStation 4 Pro is a great choice. Although this gaming is suitable and safe for all ages, older kids (8+) will get the most out of this.
It’s a wonderful choice if your kid is already exposed to the gaming world and wants more advanced gameplay. It will keep your child entertained for hours on end.
The PS4 Pro has many great features, but its ability to run games in 4K resolution makes it stand out from other consoles. That means your children can play all of their favorite games at high quality and with more detail than ever before.
Plus, the PS4 Pro has extra resources to run games in 4K resolution if your TV doesn’t support it. If you don’t have a 4K TV, it also has an optional Boost Mode to use that extra power to improve gameplay.
Your child will gain access to most of the games the console offers. Your child can enjoy favorite games like Gran Turismo Sport and Call of Duty: WWII. However, there are a few limited to PS5. But don’t worry- you can add more free games if you opt for PS Plus subscription. Sure, the games vary in maturity, but you have a parental control feature to control and limit the usage.
Other notable features include live streaming, connecting with friends, sharing in seconds, remote play, and whatnot.
Nintendo Switch
Another gaming console from the brand, Nintendo. And for good reasons. Nintendo is the undisputed king in the world of gaming consoles for kids.
The Switch is a great choice for parents who want to keep the children entertained while also providing them with a head start in learning how to play more advanced video games like the latest Mario, Metroid, and Zelda games.
The Switch has many features that make it ideal for kids and adults. The biggest reason is that they can play together and have fun while playing their favorite games, with the added benefit of being able to take them on the go.
The Nintendo Switch has a 7-inch OLED screen, making playing games more immersive. You can enlarge the images and make them bigger so that everyone in your family can see what’s going on. This feature is great for younger children who may find it difficult to focus on one thing at once when playing on their own devices, like phones or tablets.
Better yet, Nintendo Switch also comes with enhanced audio to hear every sound in the game. It helps improve immersion because players will feel like they’re virtually there rather than watching something happen from afar.
Suppose you have an older Switch model (like our current one) and want to use those Joy-Con controllers instead of buying new ones for your kids, no worries! The system still works just as well with just one controller as it does with two—just make sure they are connected wirelessly.
The only drawback is without SSD storage or 4K support; the system feels a bit dated. Also, it’s the pricier option on this list. However, considering the features, it’s worth every penny.
Xbox One S
When you’re looking for a gaming system that your child can use to play games and watch movies, the Xbox One S is a great choice.
The Xbox One S comes with an intuitive interface that will make it easy for kids to learn how to play games. It also has features like instant access to YouTube, Netflix, and more—which means no more waiting for videos to load.
It’s compatible with over 100 games right out of the box and offers a 1 month’s trial of Xbox Game Pass, so there’s no need to buy any other games or accessories before your child can start playing. And if you want to play with friends and family in person or around the world on Xbox Live, this gaming system has got you covered.
And this isn’t even all! The Xbox One S also has Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio technology built into its powerful processor, so your kid can hear every sound as if it were coming from inside the room with its immersive sound quality.
Even better, the Xbox One games and accessories work together so that if one element is missing from your kid’s game library, then it will still be able to run with no issues.
If your child is just starting with video games or wants something that will help them build their skills faster than traditional consoles could ever do, this Xbox One S is the right choice.
LeapFrog LeapPad Academy Kids’ Learning Tablet
Do you want to gift your 5-year-old an electronic device designed to boost creativity and intellectual skills?
If so, you need to check out the LeapFrog LeapPad Academy Kids’ Learning Tablet. They packed this device with educational apps and creative games designed by LeapFrog learning experts.
The LeapPad has a kid-friendly web browser called LeapSearch, which lets kids learn about things like animals, plants, and dinosaurs—all while adding to their knowledge about these subjects through fun games. It also includes a free three-month trial of LeapFrog Academy, an interactive learning program that progressively guides children on learning adventures.
This tablet also has an app store so that parents can install their favorite apps on their child’s devices. And if your child loves playing games, there are over 100 games already installed on the device.
What’s better, your kids can save up to 24 activities to their favorites and play on the go without an internet connection. It includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, so your kids don’t have to worry about running out of juice mid-game.
This innovative tablet comes with a parental control feature, so you can control the content and usage of time. This is perfect for 3-8 years old, so you can be sure it will grow with your child.
Other Recommended Game Consoles For 3 to 5-Year-Old Kids
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Nintendo Switch Lite – Turquoise
The Nintendo Switch Lite is ideal for kids just starting with gaming and want something portable and easy to use that doesn’t require special setups or configurations. If your child is new to the game but still wants to play on their own time, this will be perfect for them.
If you’re a parent, you’ve probably been there—you know how hard it is to find a gaming console that your 5-year-old child can use for hours without guiding them.
Nintendo Switch Lite is the answer to all of your problems. It’s small and lightweight, so it won’t take up much space in your child’s room or backpack. It’s also easy to carry around with you wherever your kids go. And because it’s such a simple system, it doesn’t require any complex controls or settings to configure. All that is needed is plug-in and play.
Better yet, this gaming system is suitable for all physical and digital games from the Nintendo Switch that support handheld mode. That means your children will always have exciting gaming options.
Most importantly, this gaming console features parental control, so you can monitor and manage your child’s usage.
My Arcade Pocket Player Handheld Game Console
My Arcade Pocket Player Handheld Game Console is a great gaming system for kids looking forward to getting their first taste of eletronic arcade games. It’s not fancy, beginner friendly, yet it is very cheap.
But it has some great features that make it a good choice for kids who are just learning how to play video games on the go.
This handheld game console has original artwork that looks pulled straight from a classic game console.
The front-facing speaker gives you enough sound to hear your kid’s voice when they’re playing. The volume controls allow you to change the music or commentary volume as needed. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can plug in your favorite headphones if you want to listen without disturbing others around you.
The compact size makes this handheld game console easy for kids to carry around with no hassle, even if they’re wearing their favorite pair of jeans. The lightweight design makes this product feel great in your hand while still being sturdy enough to withstand hours of gameplay with no issues (even if your kid ends up knocking it over!).
The only thing I would change is that no batteries are included in the package (you have to buy them separately). But that’s not a huge deal at all—it’s still easy enough to find them at any store or grocery store at a cheap price.
Flipslide from Moose Toys
If you’re looking for a way to keep your 5-year-old focused and entertained, consider the Flipslide from Moose Toys. The innovative gaming system looks like an electronic version of a Rubik’s Cube—but it’s made of colorful blocks.
They designed this game to be easy to learn and addictive to play. So, this is a great option if your child is starting with video games or has already gotten into more complex games like Minecraft.
There are four different game modes: Speed Mode, Multiplayer Mode, Level Mode, and Memory Mode. They designed each mode for different difficulty levels and offered a different challenge for kids to work their way through. Even if your 5-year-old isn’t at the highest level yet, you can still play with them.
Flipslide helps kids learn skills like patience and focus that will also help them in other aspects of life.
It has easy controls that are perfect for little hands. Kids need to press one button to move around their color block puzzle on each side of the screen. This makes it easy for even very young children to play.
They can also use two buttons on each side to match up the colors they want to move around the board. It’s a lot of fun because there’s so much strategy involved in getting those blocks over there—and it’s all up to you.
It’s lightweight, so your kids can take it anywhere they go. The only hard part is putting it down!
Conclusion
Sure, there are lots of options out there, so it’s hard to know where to start. But we’ve rounded up 10 of the most popular and reliable options on the market today, so you can find the one that’s perfect for your kids.
Just pick one of them from the above list that fits your budget and style.
