How do I stop my child buying things in a pet game?

On iPhone and iPad, Apple's Ask to Buy sends every purchase and in-app purchase request to a parent to approve or decline. Apple says it is on by default for some children, depending on country or region. Turn it on in Settings, Family, your child's name, Apps and Websites, Restrictions, Ask to Buy.

Where do I find this information about a game?

On the game's App Store page. The description usually says whether it has ads and needs an account. Further down, the Information section lists in-app purchases, the age rating shows content notices, and App Privacy shows what data is collected.

Home › Puffgrove › Pet game checker

Nine questions to ask before your child adopts a virtual pet

Q: Are there virtual pet games where the pet cannot die?

Yes. Some pet games are built so the pet never dies, gets sick or runs away, and some say so on their store page. The first question in this checker is there so you find out before your child does.

Q: What is a loot box in a kids' game?

A loot box is a reward you pay or play for without knowing what you will get: a wheel spin, a mystery egg, a card pack. The App Store flags games that have them. They are not automatically a problem, but they are worth knowing about before a child has spending access.

Some pet games are gentle. Others let the pet die, nag with timers, or sell mystery eggs. You can't tell from the icon. Answer these for the game you're looking at and you'll get a short list of what to sort out first.

Which game are you checking? (optional)

Your list

Answer the questions above and your list builds here. “Not sure” is a fine answer: it tells you what to look up.

Our own game, through the same nine

We make Puffgrove, a pet game for iPhone and iPad, so here are its answers, including the two you'd want to set up first.

Can the pet die, get sick or run away?	FineNo. Pets never die, get sick or run away.
Does it punish days away?	FineNo streaks and no guilt timers. There is a daily reward wheel, but skipping it loses nothing you had.
Ads?	FineNone.
In-app purchases?	Sort out firstYes. An optional Plus plan (monthly, yearly or one-time) and optional Dewgem packs and bundles.
Loot boxes or random rewards?	Sort out firstYes. Apple's listing carries a Loot Boxes notice. Mystery Eggs come from a daily wheel and play rewards, with the odds shown in the app. Dewgems you buy only get specific items, never random ones. Plus adds extra wheel spins.
Account or sign-up?	FineNo account.
Can strangers contact your child?	FineIt has no account and works offline; the listing describes no chat or online play.
Works offline?	FineYes, everything.
Is the free part properly playable?	FineYes. The Grove, Toy Trail and Sniff Out are free for everyone.

In it you hatch a creature, place things in its grove, such as a pond or a wind chime, and watch it decide what to do. Each of its 18 discoveries tells you which of your choices caused it. Apple rates it 4+.

Free to download. If your child will play, turn on Ask to Buy first.

Where to find the answers

The description. Games that have no ads or need no account usually say so near the top. Games where the pet can't die often say that too.
The Information section, lower on the App Store page, lists the in-app purchases by name and price.
The age rating shows content notices. That's where a loot box notice appears.
App Privacy shows what data the game collects and whether it's linked to the player.
Ten minutes of playing it yourself answers the rest: close the game, reopen it later and see how it greets you.

If the answer to purchases is yes

That doesn't rule a game out. On iPhone and iPad, Apple's Ask to Buy sends each download and in-app purchase request to a parent to approve or decline. Apple says it's on by default for some children, depending on country or region. To check: Settings, Family, your child's name, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Ask to Buy.

Source: Apple Support, Approve what your child can purchase and download with Ask to Buy and Set up parental controls.

Questions people ask

Are there virtual pet games where the pet can't die?

Yes. Some are built so the pet never dies, gets sick or runs away, and some say so on their store page. The first question is there so you find out before your child does.

What is a loot box in a kids' game?

A reward you pay or play for without knowing what you'll get: a wheel spin, a mystery egg, a card pack. The App Store flags games that have them. They aren't automatically a problem, but they're worth knowing about before a child has spending access.

Is “4+” enough to go on?

No. An age rating covers content, such as violence or scary themes. It doesn't tell you whether the game nags, sells things or lets the pet die. That's what these nine questions are for.

Does this page save my answers?

No. Nothing is stored or sent. Reload the page and it's blank.