A Story Bots page on the Netflix Playground app

Netflix, 2026

If you are a major SVOD (streaming video on demand) platform such as Netflix, one of the best ways of retaining subscribers is by building a strong lineup of programs for preschoolers and elementary school-age boys and girls.

These kids will repeatedly watch their favorite shows and that makes the service more valuable for harried parents. Especially if the programming is presented free of advertising and other marketing.

All of those factors were likely behind the decision by Netflix to launch Netflix Playground this week, a new ad-free app that targets preschool viewers.

Designed for children ages 8 and under, Netflix Playground includes a collection of games suitable for play on a phone or tablet. The games feature familiar Netflix faces like Dr. Seuss’s Horton!, Peppa Pig, Bad Dinosaurs and Sesame Street.

Netflix allows parents to create individual kids profiles with age-appropriate content, which offers a number of ways to create a safe viewing environment:

• Customizable maturity settings
• Title-level blocking for shows or films parents prefer to filter out
• Profile lock PINs so grown-up profiles stay for grown-ups
• Viewing history and activity tools so parents can stay informed

Here are the games available at launch on Netflix Playground:

Bad Dinosaurs
Prehistoric puzzles, sticker scenes, music, and memory games abound with Janet and her brood of tiny thunderlizards.

Sesame Street
It’s always a sunny day on Sesame Street, and the activities here encourage pattern recognition, object recognition, and free-form play.

StoryBots
These inquisitive creatures are here to help your kids hone their memory, improve pattern recognition, develop budding musical skills, and more.