How to get a kids app into Google Play's Kids tab: Teacher Approved, explained.
There is no form to fill in and nobody to email. Teachers review your app when it meets the Families policy. Here is what they look at, and how to be ready.
Most of what ranks for "teacher approved google play" is news from 2020 to 2022. The programme still matters, and the way in is still the same: build for the review, because you can't ask for one.
How the programme works
Google launched Teacher Approved in April 2020. Academic experts built a framework and specially trained teachers rate apps against it. In Google's words, teacher-approved apps are eligible to appear in the Kids section of Google Play, can be featured in banners and collections, and show a "Teacher approved" badge.
Apps are not nominated. When an app meets Google Play's Families requirements it enters the review queue automatically. In November 2022 Google said it was expanding Teacher Approved to all apps that meet the Families policy, not just those already in the Kids tab, and folded the old Designed for Families programme requirements into the Families policy.
Programme details here come from Google's 2020 and 2022 announcements. Check the current Families policy in Play Console before you rely on any specific rule.
What reviewers rate
| Criterion | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Age-appropriateness | Content, language and difficulty fit the age band you declared |
| Design quality | Works without reading for young kids; large targets; no confusing flows |
| Appeal to children | Kids actually want to come back to it |
| Enrichment | Curiosity, learning, creativity, or simply good fun |
| Ads and in-app purchases | No manipulative prompts, purchases clearly separated from play |
Get the policy foundation right
- Declare the target age honestly in Play Console's target audience and content settings. Claiming "13+" to avoid Families rules for an app clearly made for younger children is a policy risk.
- Use only ads SDKs certified for Families. Google required Families developers to use self-certified, child-appropriate SDK versions from 2023.
- Complete Data safety accurately. Apps targeting children can show a Families-compliance badge in the Data safety section.
- Keep purchases away from play. Parent gates in front of purchases and external links.
Make the listing work for parents
Kids don't read store listings. Parents do, quickly, and they look for reasons to say no. Put the age band in the short description, say plainly whether there are ads or purchases, and use screenshots of real gameplay rather than artwork. We cover how parents search in our kids portfolio case study.
What our kids portfolio taught us
The Gyan Studios titles reached 700,000+ installs with zero ad spend. A few lessons apply directly to review readiness:
- Test on cheap phones. The first title crashed on the low-RAM devices a large share of its audience used, and the first reviews were one-star performance complaints. A rebuild cut crash reports by 91%. A reviewer on a family tablet sees the same crashes.
- Ship fresh content regularly. Kids finish a question bank in a week or two. A four-week update cadence kept sessions and ratings up.
- Ratings are a parent signal. The flagship held 4.4★. Parents read reviews closely before installing a kids app.
If your kids app is stuck, start with the free ASO score, then read Android vitals and the 0.47% ANR line; stability problems are common in kids apps built for low-end devices.
Questions people ask
How do I get my app Teacher Approved on Google Play?
You can't apply. Apps that meet Google Play's Families policy are queued for teacher review automatically. Make sure your target audience settings, ads SDKs and Data safety form are correct, and build for the review criteria.
What do teachers look for in Teacher Approved apps?
Google lists age-appropriateness, design quality, appeal to children, enrichment, and how ads and in-app purchases are handled.
What does Teacher Approved give an app?
A Teacher approved badge, eligibility for the Kids section of Google Play, and eligibility for featuring in banners and collections.
Want this mapped onto your product?
See how our ASO work runs, or send your store link and a founder will reply personally.
