How To Choose Age-Appropriate Games For Kids
In an era where children spend a lot of time behind the screen, creating a safe digital environment for them has become essential. According to research, children aged eight and above spend 7.5 hours watching a screen daily for entertainment. They are either watching their favorite shows on TV, on their phone, or playing video games. Whatever they are doing, you have to ensure it is age-appropriate. There are currently many video games available, and below are some tips to help you choose the right ones for your children.
Choose games based on your child’s favorite cartoon show
This can be one of the easiest strategies to use when you feel at a loss on what game to choose. Children have favorite cartoon characters from the TV shows they spend time watching. So it is advisable to commit time to watch some with your little ones, to understand the content. This way, you will not try too hard to determine if the game version is appropriate for your child to play.
Cartoons like the Dinocore series have game versions that are largely appropriate for kids 5 years and above. In the same way, your toddlers can enjoy games based on the CoComelon cartoon series. This strategy is easy, stress-free, and may even be worth the money spent to purchase them.
Check the rating on the package
The game rating system primarily defines the age group for which the content is ideal and best suited. In the United States and worldwide, game creators must indicate ratings on their packaging. This is to make it easier for parents or adults who wish to buy such materials for youngsters. Even for games designed for children, age divisions still make things easier for adults.
There are those meant for toddlers (1 – 4 years), kids between 5 to 8 years, 9 to 13, and 13+. The rating system is categorized into the following seven divisions for easier identification. They are Early Childhood (EC), and Everyone over 10 (E10+), Everyone (E). The rest are Teens (T), Mature (M), Rating Pending (RP), and Adults Only (AO). In the children’s gaming industry, these strict categorizations are needed to differentiate what is appropriate for each age group. An example is the 13+ rating indicated on the Magic the Gathering game pack.
Read online reviews about these games
The internet is a reliable tool to employ for this purpose. Whenever you are unsure about the age appropriateness of a game, you can type the name into a search engine like Google. In the result list are reviews that may help in your decision-making process.
In many instances, these reviews are done by parents who have tried and tested these games for their kids. Other platforms like Common Sense Media aim to simplify the entire process for parents and families. Their main work is to provide reviews and ratings for child-focused media and technology. Hopefully, you will use these targeted reviews when looking for age-appropriate games for your kids.