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Gaming and Your Kids
Filed under: Video Games, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Tweens, Expert Advice: Teens
Kids love getting their game on. Credit: Getty Images
But most of the favorites consist of kill-or-be-killed action. It's tough not to feel like an outsider when you watch your kids play some of the more advanced games.
What is gaming?
Games come from all directions. There are the hand-held devices such as Gameboy, the Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable, as well as consoles including Xbox 360, PlayStations 2 and 3 and Wii. Of course, online games can be found on kids' favorite websites, and there are downloadable games for the PC, iPhone, iPad and smartphones.
So, how do you know if games are OK for your kids to play? Hand-held and console video games carry age ratings from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, as do online games that require a software installation. But online games with no software remain unrated. Multi-player online games involve communicating with other people -- which raises the risk of inappropriate contact. The age ratings at the App Store can be unreliable, so use Common Sense App ratings instead.
The facts
- Seventy-eight percent of teens play online games (Pew, 2009).
- More Americans play video games than go to movies (NPD Group, 2009).
- In 2009, females comprised 28 percent of console-game players (NPD Group, 2009).
- National retailers enforced their store policies by refusing to sell M-rated video games to minors 80 percent of the time (Federal Trade Commission, 2008).
- Teens who played games with more civic learning opportunities are more likely to give or raise money for charity and to volunteer (Pew and Mills College, 2008).
Your kids love gaming -- it's likely one of their favorite pastimes, and it brings them together with friends to play. Electronic games grow more creative and sophisticated every year, but you should pay attention for two big reasons: violence and addiction.
As kids get older, games get more violent. They put young people behind the trigger and encourage them to cause as much damage as possible. The new Wii controllers work by motion sensor so your children actually make a stabbing or slicing motion to spear or slice someone on screen. This violent interaction affects kids. Studies have shown playing violent games increases aggression and decreases sensitivity to others.
Also, kids don't have "off" switches in their heads until their late teens, so they can -- and will -- play games for hours without stopping. Gaming addiction is very real and can harm kids' health, school performance and social maturity.
If that's not enough, gaming is not a cheap pastime. Online games have subscriptions (or lots of ads), and console and handheld games can cost up to $60 per game.
Tips for all kids
- Make sure games are age-appropriate. Know the content of what your kids play, both at home and at friends' houses.
- Establish limits. Be firm from the beginning about how much time kids can play. Some parents set an overall daily media usage time and let kids decide which of the many forms of media they wish to use on a given day. Of course, be very clear about what games your kids can play.
- Find good stuff. While it might seem like kids' video games are all about shooting, you can find games that provide rich, engaging experiences that broaden kids' horizons. Common Sense Media is a great place to start finding these games.
- Be aware of multi-player options. Games often involve some form of player interaction, multi-player gaming, or player-generated content that kids can upload and download. Watch out for open chat and user-generated content that isn't monitored.
- Talk about online ads. Most online games offer lots of free giveaways and downloads that are often full of spyware and malware and will crash your computer sooner or later.
- Get screen savvy. Games are available on every device that has a screen -- including phones. And screens are everywhere. Count that screen time toward your kids' total game playing for the day.
- Choose wisely. Look for games that are educational and stimulating.
- Be there for preschoolers. Sit alongside your preschoolers to help guide them and explain what the game is asking them to do.
- Restrict online communications. Many games for elementary-aged kids offer online components like chat. We don't recommend these features for young children. If they are offered, you can usually disable them.
- Carefully consider game site subscription fees. Many online games charge a fee instead of showing ads. There are pros and cons to paying, but either way your kids will beg to join if their friends use the site. It's your money, so check out the site yourself to see if it's worth the price.
- Set multi-player controls you're comfortable with. Preteen and teen games offer additional player interaction, multi-player action, or player-generated content that kids can upload and download. But these features can be controlled by the player, so set the controls you are comfortable with.
- Watch language. The language in multi-player games can get pretty intense. If you aren't comfortable with what you hear, use the parental controls that disable online play.
- Be on the lookout for violence. Violence ramps up quickly in these games. Check what your kids are playing and limit those games that you feel are excessively violent.
- Be aware of highly addictive games. Games like "Halo 3" allow kids to play against others anywhere in cyberspace. They are designed to take up tons of time, and it's up to you to curb it. As with any battle you may have with your children, you have your work cut out for you.
- Stay involved. Continue to talk to teens about their gaming lives and look for games that help reinforce your family's values.
- Watch spending. Games are expensive, and many offer in-game purchases. Talk to your teens about how much money they're spending on gaming, and whether that money could be better spent elsewhere.
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Get more information for parents on media and technology by checking out Common Sense Media.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-04-2011 @ 9:14PM
LorrieStevenson said...We've been letting the kids use the free games on HTtp://bIt.LY/coolflashgames The entire site is family friendly so all of the games are kid safe and cool for teens and us grown ups too. There's nothing bloody, violent or inappropriate so it's a good place to let the kids play. Some of the games are educational too.
Reply
5-05-2011 @ 8:51AM
Ben said...I am an early years teacher, upcoming parent, and avid gamer. This information is good for non-gamers but also needs a few things addressed.
1. Your kids can't just buy things on their consoles, a credit card number has to be linked to the account, so that can control what your kids can do.
2. The studies proving that playing violent games make you violent are spurious at best. Most are funded by groups looking for that answer, and I do t know how any could prove their findings. I once read a study that linked violent games to drug use, but their methods were ridiculous. Of. course you should control the o tent your hold has access to, but the games that kids at school play based on violent video games are no different than the games I used to play as a child, games that I'm sure you played as well, going back to days of The Shadow's radio shows.
3. While ratings are important, it is far more important to watch what your children are playing, play with them, and engage in real dialogue about what the game is asking players to do, what message it sends, and the difference between fantasy and reality.
I am always happy when someone tries to get informationoit about gaming and children to parents.