Making Sense

Parenting, media, and everything in between.

Parenting, media, and everything in between.

 

Choosing Good Video Games for Your Kids
• January 2, 2012 • Categories: Healthy media habits
Editor in Chief | Mom of two
  1. Think about your children's interests when looking for games. Are they interested in sports, fantasy, or strategy-style games?
  2. Talk to other parents for advice and suggestions of good games.
  3. Find games that have the appropriate Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for your child's age. But be aware that even games with the seemingly benign "Everyone" rating can still contain a great deal of violence.
  4. Look for games that are challenging and exciting without being violent. Video game manufacturers create violent games to satisfy children's need to feel powerful and in control. Try to find games that offer kids thrills and the chance to experience control in a non-violent way.
  5. Find games that require strategy and problem-solving skills. If they have an educational component, that's a bonus.
  6. When choosing games for girls, look for ones that have strong, non-stereotypical female characters.
  7. Video games are expensive, so make sure the game has good play value before you buy. Talk to other parents, read gaming magazines, and check out some of the great game review sites for parents on the Web. If possible, try the game first by borrowing or renting it. Ask for an in-store demo and make sure you can return the game if you are not satisfied with the content.
  8. Look for games that involve two players, to encourage cooperative play and to make game-playing a social activity.

    © 2006 Media Awareness Network, www.media-awareness.ca, reproduced with permission.

Related tags
video games

Related posts

Facebook Games for Kids?
How Video Games Helped My Kids Get Along
What We Love: Active Games
About Liz Perle

Liz is Common Sense Media's intrepid editor in chief -- read all about her here.
Google+

Add comment

Login or register to post comments

Comments

DennisToohey May 15, 2013
I concur E rated games are positively works for kids..They are specifically designed for tots..
TimTheTVGuy Mar 3, 2013
I'm a gamer,so I will help you choose good video games for kids.Just buy an E rated game.It's as simple as that! :D
JEDI micah Feb 13, 2013
Video games are really fun, and I don't know what life would be like without them. But it can be hard to find out which games might not be right for kids. Sometimes the E through M ratings on the cover of the game package may not be enough information for some parents. Which is why we should be thankful that Common Sense Media was born! But parents, when looking for reviews on video games for your kids, don't just look it up to see if it is age appropriate. Look to see if the game is worth buying. Games are expensive, and you should get the information to get your money's worth.

About our bloggers

See the full list

Stay connected to Common Sense

 

Browse More

By age

By topic