First Impression
The first time I opened My City: Newborn Baby, I was on a Tuesday evening, sitting on my couch with my iPhone 15 Pro, trying to find something my 5-year-old niece could play with while I babysat. The graphics are bright and cheerful—think cartoon colors and friendly faces. You pick a baby, dress them up, feed them, change diapers, take them to a park or a doctor’s office. My niece was hooked within seconds. But as someone who reads every app permission before hitting “allow,” I immediately noticed the app asked for access to things like photos and storage. That felt weird for a kids’ game. Why does a baby care simulation need to see my camera roll? I checked the privacy policy and found references to third-party analytics and advertising identifiers. That rubbed me the wrong way. The app itself is cute, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was collecting data under the guise of a toy.
What It Does Well
The core gameplay is surprisingly creative. You can mix and match outfits for the baby, decorate the nursery with different cribs and wallpaper, and even take the baby to different city locations like a toy store or a playground. My niece spent an hour just putting the baby through a bath routine, picking out pajamas, and then making a pretend bottle. The mini-games—like a simple puzzle where you match baby items—are engaging enough for a young child without being too frustrating. The controls are simple tap-and-drag, which works fine on an iPhone screen. I also liked that there’s no timer or stressful element; kids can play at their own pace. The virtual city feels lively, with random characters walking by and interactive objects like a stroller that actually moves when you swipe. For a kid who loves pretend play, this app scratches that itch. My niece named her baby “Luna” and insisted on showing me every outfit change like it was Fashion Week.
Where It Falls Short
After about a week of daily use, the repetition set in. There are only so many times you can feed a virtual baby or change a diaper before it feels like a chore, even for a kid. The app has a lot of content locked behind in-app purchases—like new rooms or special outfits—and those pop-ups happen way too often. I get that developers need to make money, but asking a 5-year-old to ask their parent for “coins” every 10 minutes kills the flow. Also, the app crashes occasionally on my iPhone 15 Pro when switching between locations too fast. Not a dealbreaker, but annoying. For older kids, say 8 or 9, this will probably feel too babyish after a few sessions. My niece is 5 and she’s already starting to lose interest because there’s no real story or progression. You just… do the same tasks over and over.
Is It Worth the Price?
The app costs a few bucks upfront, which I’m fine with—I’d rather pay once than get bombarded with ads. But the heavy reliance on in-app purchases makes me feel like the initial price is just the entry fee. If you’re comfortable with the base content and don’t mind saying “no” to your kid when they beg for a new crib, then yes, it’s worth it. My niece has gotten probably 15 hours of play out of it over the year, so that’s like 50 cents an hour. Not bad. But if you’re expecting a robust experience without opening your wallet again, you’ll be disappointed. The free-to-play model would have felt more honest than a paid app that still tries to upsell you every session.
Developer & Support
I contacted support once because the app froze during the bath mini-game and wouldn’t close. I sent an email on a Friday night and didn’t get a reply until Wednesday afternoon. The response was actually helpful—they gave me specific steps to clear the cache and reinstall without losing my niece’s saved baby—but waiting four days for a kids’ game fix felt slow. The developer, My Town Games, seems to have a few similar “My City” apps, so they’re not some tiny indie studio. That makes the long wait a bit disappointing. On the plus side, the support person was polite and didn’t ask for unnecessary info, just my device model and OS version. No pushy upsells.
Privacy & Safety
This is where I have the biggest issue. The app says it’s designed for kids under 13, so I expected it to follow COPPA rules strictly. But the privacy policy lists third-party services like Google Analytics and Crashlytics, plus advertising IDs. There’s also a section about sharing “non-personal information” for targeted ads. For a paid, kids-oriented app, that feels like too much. I disabled internet access for the app in my iPhone’s settings after reading that, and it still works fine offline—so the tracking is optional, but why is it there to begin with? If you care about your child’s privacy, I’d suggest doing the same. The app itself doesn’t have any chat features or social sharing, which I appreciate. But the data collection practices make me hesitant to recommend it without a warning.
What specific activities can my child do in My City: Newborn Baby?
Your child can dress up the baby, feed it, change diapers, decorate the nursery, and take the baby to locations like a park, toy store, or doctor's office. There are also mini-games like matching baby items, and the virtual city has interactive objects like a movable stroller.
Why does the app ask for access to my photos and storage?
The app requests access to photos and storage for features like saving screenshots or sharing creations, but the privacy policy also mentions third-party analytics and advertising identifiers. If you're concerned about data collection, you can deny these permissions and still play the core game without issue.
The app keeps crashing when I switch locations quickly—how can I fix this?
Crashes when switching locations too fast are a known issue on devices like the iPhone 15 Pro. To avoid this, try moving between locations more slowly, and make sure your app is updated to the latest version from the App Store.
How do I deal with the constant in-app purchase pop-ups for coins?
The app frequently prompts for coins to unlock new rooms or outfits, which can disrupt play. You can manage this by setting your device to require a password for all purchases, or by explaining to your child that some items require parent permission before buying.
How does My City: Newborn Baby compare to Toca Life World for kids?
Both apps offer open-ended pretend play, but My City focuses specifically on baby care with simpler tap-and-drag controls, making it better for younger kids like 5-year-olds. Toca Life World has more locations and characters, but it also relies on in-app purchases, while My City has a lower upfront cost.
