MJ KidsA personalized video game with your child's name: how it works, step by step
A character that looks like your child, a voice that says their name and a link that becomes an icon on the phone. Here is how MJ Kids makes your child's game, step by step.
A personalized video game with your child's name is a game where the hero is drawn to look like your child and a voice calls them by name while they play. At MJ Kids, you tell us what your child looks like, we create the character, and you get the link to the game within 24 hours.
In this guide I walk through every step: what you need to send, how the character is made, how your child plays on a phone or tablet and what you control as a parent.
What a personalized game with your child's name actually is
It is different from a regular game where the child just types a name at the start. In the MJ Kids game, the hero is your child:
- A character that looks like them: skin tone, hair, eyes, glasses if they wear them, their favorite outfit or jersey and their favorite number.
- A voice that says their name: in the levels, in the celebrations and when the day's play time is over.
- Worlds they love: soccer, dinosaurs, cars, a 3D run and a building table with toy bricks.
For a child, it feels like stepping into the screen. My son Junior laughs every time the game says his name. You can play the demo of Junior's game to see what it looks like.
Step by step: from order to finished game
- Pick a plan on the game page and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Fill in your child's details on your order page: nickname, skin tone, hair type and color, eyes, favorite outfit, jersey number, what they love and a phrase they often say. You can add up to 4 reference photos.
- Choose the address of their world, for example mjkids.app/theo. You see right away if the name is free.
- We draw the character and show it to you first. If something is off (hair, clothes, colors), you tap "Ask for a change" and we adjust it.
- Within 24 hours you get the link by email and on your order page.
- Open it on the phone or tablet and tap Add to Home Screen. It becomes an icon, just like an app.
Do I need to send a photo of my child?
No. A description is enough to draw the character. If you want to send a photo, it is used only as a reference for the drawing and deleted when the game is delivered. The game uses the drawing, never your child's photo.
We also don't use cartoon characters or sports team logos. We create an original hero with the colors and number your child loves, so the game belongs to them alone.
How your child plays
The game is made for kids ages 3 to 8, including those who can't read yet:
- Big buttons and spoken instructions, recorded in English.
- Nobody loses: if the hero bumps into something, they get up and keep going.
- Works on Android phones and tablets, iPhone and iPad, and on computers.
- After the first time it opens with internet, it works even in airplane mode, on a road trip for example.
What parents control
| Feature | How it works |
|---|---|
| Daily play time | 15, 20, 30 or 45 minutes. When time is up, the hero goes to sleep and says there's more tomorrow. |
| Closed at night | If you turn it on, the game stays closed from 8 pm to 7 am. |
| Parents' area | Protected by a 4-digit password you create. Forgot it? A code goes to the email on your order. |
| Ads and purchases | None. No ads, no purchases, no chat and no links out of the game. |
| Data | Play time and the things your child builds are stored only on your family's device. |
These controls make it easier to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' advice of up to 1 hour a day of high-quality content for kids ages 2 to 5. Learn more in the guide to ads in kids' games and what the rules say.
Which plan to choose
| Plan | What you get |
|---|---|
| Hero Yearly | The full game with all 5 worlds, including the 3D Run, voice lines with your child's name and 1 new narrated story every month for a year. |
| Family Yearly | Everything in Hero Yearly for up to 2 kids, each with their own character, and 2 new stories a month. |
| One Custom Story | A single narrated story with your child as the hero, theirs to keep. |
Current prices are on the game page. The yearly plans are paid once a year in US dollars, with no automatic renewal. If you don't renew, the game keeps working. To give it as a present, see the guide to a creative gift for kids ages 3 to 8.
Create your child's game with MJ Kids
You tell us what your child looks like and loves, and we deliver the game with them as the hero within 24 hours of receiving the details.
- A character drawn to look like your child
- A voice that calls them by name
- No ads, with a daily time limit for parents
- If it doesn't look like them, we adjust the character
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for the game to be ready?
Up to 24 hours after you send your child's details on your order page.
Do I need to download an app?
No. You get a link, open it in the browser and tap Add to Home Screen. It becomes an icon and opens full screen.
Can you add my child's favorite team logo or a cartoon character?
No. We create an original hero that looks like your child, with the colors and jersey number they love.
Can I order for more than one child?
Yes. Each child gets their own character. The Family Yearly plan covers up to 2 kids.
Does the game work without internet?
Yes. After it opens once with internet, it is stored on the device.
Is the game in English?
Yes. On mjkids.app the voice lines, texts and stories are in English.
Sources
Junior's dad and creator of MJ Kids. He has worked in technology for over 30 years and makes games and stories where the child is the hero, with no ads.
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