Exploring the new Kids and Toddlers Taxonomy

Introducing Kids & Toddlers Taxonomy

Sensor Tower's new Kids and Toddlers taxonomy, available from our Usage Intelligence product, refers to a collection of games designed for children aged 2 to 5 years old. These games are created with the purpose of helping kids learn and develop new skills, while providing them with an enjoyable and engaging experience.

The Kids and Toddlers Taxonomy is broken down into five categories: 

1. Digital Pacifier: Games for preschoolers with simple, sensory activities. Examples include: World of Peppa Pig: Kids Games and  PAW Patrol Rescue World.

2. Educational: Games with overarching educational objectives such as learning the alphabet, mathematics, etc. Examples include: Lingokids and  ABCya Games.

3. Customization: Kids dress up as characters and decorate scenery by interacting with in-game elements. Examples include: Toca Life World and  My PlayHome Plus.

4. Virtual Pet: Kids care for and interact with a virtual pet. Examples include: My Talking Tom 2 and  My Tamagotchi Forever.

5. Interactive Stories: Reading material that kids can interact with. Examples include: Sago Mini World and  Fairy Tales ~ Children’s Books.

Kids & Toddlers Games Market Overview

The Kids and Toddlers market is significant, with 18B all time downloads and all time revenue at $2B.

Digital Pacifier is the most popular subcategory within the Kids and Toddlers category by downloads, with 7.4M downloads, serving as a source of entertainment and distraction for kids.

In terms of revenue, the Educational subcategory generated the highest revenue —$9.3B— making it an excellent resource for parents and educators looking to supplement Children's education through play.

Top Games By Revenue & Downloads

Looking at all time worldwide revenue, we see that Customization and Educational games account for the majority of the top grossing games in the Kids and Toddlers category, with Toca Life World: Build a Story and ABCmouse.com leading the way. All Time Worldwide downloads highlight the popularity of Virtual Pet and Digital Pacifier games, with My Talking Tom and Hill Climb Racing at the top.

It is noteworthy that games such as Bike Race: Motorcycle Games, Talking Tom Gold Run, and Talking Tom Hero Dash appear on both lists, indicating that they are popular among children for entertainment purposes. 

Educational games such as Lingokids, Kiddopia, and Noggin Preschool Learning App, demonstrate that parents and educators are interested in using mobile games as a means of supplementing children's education and promoting learning in a fun and engaging way.

Talking Tom IP Dominates in Kids Game

Looking at App Store and Google Play rankings from 2020 to 2022, Talking Tom IP continues to dominate the market. In all three years, at least seven Talking Tom games made it into the top 10 most downloaded Kids and Toddlers games. My Talking Tom 2 and My Talking Tom Friends consistently remain in the top two spots in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Talking Tom's continued dominance in the market can be attributed to its success in engaging children with its fun and interactive gameplay, coupled with a strong brand identity and diversified gameplay.

Kids & Toddlers Trends: Games in 2021 & 2022

Looking at total downloads and revenue for Kids and Toddlers games, we see a decline over 2022, while revenue has experienced a comparatively smaller decline. This suggests that despite a decrease in the number of new installs, the existing players are still willing to pay for IAP, indicating a loyal user base. 

While the decrease in downloads may seem concerning, the fact that revenue has not been impacted to the same extent indicates that there is still potential for success in the Kids and Toddlers Gaming market. By focusing on user retention and exploring new monetization strategies, publishers can continue to thrive in this market.

Despite the fact that Digital Pacifier saw a 21.8% decline in downloads, it is the only category that shows consistent revenue growth over the period. Educational saw relatively stable downloads and revenue trends, while the rest of the categories show some fluctuations over time.

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