The Best Xbox 360 Games for Kids

The Xbox 360 was released over a decade ago, yet the console and games continue to be best sellers, even with later-generation systems on the market.

The staying power of this easy-to-use console is unprecedented, and because of this staying power there continues to be a thriving market for fresh games for kids to play. While the Xbox One is most popular with adults and teenagers, the 360 console remains a favorite with the younger generation. 

Today we will look at the ten best Xbox 360 games for kids and help you choose the next adventure for your little ones

Comparison Table

1. Why the Xbox 360 and Not Other Consoles?

The Xbox 360 is the predecessor to the Xbox One, which is popular with adults and older teens. While there are plenty of kids' games available for the Xbox One, there's still a preference among youngsters for the 360 console.

Because there's such a bent market for these types of titles, it's no wonder the best Xbox 360 games for kids have kept the console going strong.

2. What Qualities Does a Game for Kids Have?

While the games appear different in substance, there are some consistent similarities we observed over and over between these titles. The best Xbox 360 games for kids were all easy to learn, with simple rules and mechanics that even the youngest children could grasp.

These games are broken up into smaller or more episodic pieces, which works well with the shorter attention span many younger kids have.

3. Do All Kids Games Require Additional Hardware?

There are a couple of titles on this list that either comes with a piece of playable hardware or require some additional after-market accessories. A prime example is the Guitar Hero Live controller, a familiar plastic guitar with multi-colored buttons.

In other cases, like any of the Kinect titles, there can be an option to play with a controller or the full-motion capture system. Be sure to look at what is required to enjoy the game and whether that piece of equipment comes with the title as you purchased it.

4. How Long Does It Take a Child to Finish These Games?

That depends on the game. While these games are designed with some level of replay value, the best Xbox 360 games for kids are all made for really long play time.

Many of the titles are based on replaying for higher score values or collectible runs, so that can keep a child occupied for a good long while. Some titles on this list even have additional modes, missions, or other software components you can purchase to add to the game.

These are often referred to as “add-ons” and can extend the play time on some titles indefinitely.

The range of prices we found for the best Xbox 360 games for kids started at around ten dollars and went as high as fifty-five dollars.

The games that came in on the higher end of pricing often included additional accessories or hardware.

Sometimes these pieces of hardware were required for the game to function, so be sure to check what accessories you currently have and whether that piece is included with the games on this list.

The Best Xbox 360 Games for Kids

Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Pack

About This Game

Skylanders is an open world game that brings the player into the world of the flying SuperChargers. The evil Doomstation has attacked Skyland, and it's up to the forces of good to push back and retake the great lands.

This game puts you inside of a selection of flying tanks, planes, and specialized machines that soar above the bad guys and give you a bird's-eye view of the action.

This game version includes some connected toys, a Portal of Power and two Skylanders figures that allow the player to jump between the game and real life.

This is a favorite for kids because of the offline playing, allowing them to continue the fun away from the console using the included action figures. This is especially great for younger children, as something more tactile can help them understand the mechanics of the in-game characters.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures

About This Game

When you can't make it to Anaheim, then your kids will love the next best thing; Kinect Disneyland Adventures.

This game puts the player right in the happiest place on Earth and sets them on a fun adventure that will take them from the jungles of Adventureland, the far-off planets of Tomorrowland, and even puts them alongside their favorite animated friends in their home of Toon Town.

This game uses the motion tracking and speech recognition tools of the Kinect to engage kids in a series of mini-games based on different areas of the park. Your kids can even find their favorite characters in the park and take a picture with them using the photo function of the Kinect

Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack Bundle

About This Game

Disney has more than one entry on the list of the best Xbox 360 games for kids. It should be obvious why these games do so well with the youngsters, as they employ a wide range of familiar characters and figures from Disney franchises.

Disney Infinity has been a popular series for nearly a decade now, and this latest installment expands that world into the Star Wars universe.

This game allows your kids to play as one of four different characters from the show Star Wars Rebels. The players must work together with the Galactic Resistance to defeat the rise of the mighty Empire.

This edition comes with two figures and a standing board, so your child can take the play off of the console and into the world of their imagination.

Kinect Sports Season Two

About This Game

The second installment in the Kinect Sports franchise uses the motion capture system to put the player in a number of athletic competitions.

You can play a full round of golf with your bare hands by using the full-body movement capture, along with a series of voice commands to navigate your way around the course.

There are several fun activities here from kicking a field goal in a football stadium to smacking a home run in a baseball game.

LEGO Jurassic World

About This Game

What could be more fun for a kid than playing with LEGO blocks and dinosaurs? We find it tough to name a better pairing than these two franchises, and the game does not disappoint. 

The player gets to roam the park and help save people and Dinos alike from the evil corporate entity that threatens to destroy everything. This is a bright, campy, and often funny take on the blockbuster Jurassic Park franchise and is fun for kids and adults.

FIFA Soccer 12

About This Game

The FIFA soccer franchise is world famous for immersive and detailed gameplay. Don't let the realistic visuals throw you off; this is one of the best Xbox games for kids looking to play something they know from the real world.

FIFA 12 is a perfect balance of mechanics, control, and pace in gameplay. This is a perfect game to usher a young person into the concept of playing well with others, even if it's just in a video game.

Minecraft: Story Mode - Season 2

About This Game

The most popular game in the world brings a narrative into the mix with Minecraft: Story Mode. If your child needs something more engaging than just farming and mining for ore, then Story Mode is what they might be looking for. 

The player embarks on a new adventure in this Season 2, where they must trek through the woodlands of this blocky world and defeat the evil deep inside.

This is a point-and-click adventure, which makes it ideal for younger kids trying to learn how to engage with a game based on a narrative.

Guitar Hero Live

About This Game

Pretty much everyone knows about Guitar Hero and the endless spin-off games, so there's probably not a lot of new stuff we could tell you about it. 

While this series wasn't aimed towards kids, it has taken off as a favorite for the younger age group. The simple mechanics and tactile function of the guitar controllers seem intuitive enough for kids to feel engaged.

The system of difficulty adjustment also allows your kids to ease into the play style, so the game stays fresh even with the same playlist of songs.

Kinect Adventures

About This Game

Another great installment in the motion-capture genre of games, Kinect Adventures brings the whole family into the perilous jungles of the Xbox and pits them against the wildest mini-games.

You can run the track and field style courses of Reflex Ridge, play a handball-style game called Rally Ball where you break through stone blocks, and navigate the raging waters on a raft in River Rush.

This is a great game for the whole family to go head to head or cooperate to defeat online players.

National Geographic Challenge

About This Game

This is one of the best educational games ever made, with five different modes of play all aimed at teaching kids about the majesty of our planet. There's a quiz mode with 4,000 questions that includes audio, photo, and video clues for the kids.

There's a puzzle mode that will keep their minds sharp while teaching them about the mechanics of geography and weather patterns. This game includes all original content straight from the archives of National Geographic with a full sixty minutes of high definition video.

It's difficult choosing just one title from these great games, but there are some standouts in the bunch. For something that young kids can sit and work through with a story, we really love LEGO Jurassic World and Minecraft Story Mode.

These games also have a long life and there are lots of collectibles for kids to run around and look for inside of the game world.

For a more active and family-based game, we recommend Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures. Both titles use the Kinect motion-capture module to bring your full body movements into the sphere of play.

Not only is this a great way to inject some exercise into the video game experience, but it's also one of the best Xbox 360 games for kids to play with their whole family.