13 Game On - Carrie Spencer looks into the world of online games

Game On

Carrie Spencer looks into the world of online games and with the festive season nearly upon us, here us a reminder on how to keep our kids safe.

Do your children enjoy playing video games? Are you planning to purchase one of the new game consoles for them this holiday season? If the answer is yes, you may find yourself occasionally worrying about their safety. Whether you’re wondering how to set screen time limits or make sure that the games they are playing are age-appropriate, these tips can help you ensure that your kids stay safe while gaming during the most wonderful time of the year.

Invest in Quality Equipment

First things first: you want to make sure that your child always has an enjoyable gaming experience, so you’ll need to invest in proper gear. Check out online retailers to score deals on popular gaming monitors and tablets - taking advantage of online deals and discounts can drastically reduce the expense. If you’re purchasing a tablet, protect it with a durable and attractive case. If you’re planning to purchase one as a gift, make sure you pay attention to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year.

Internet Safety

If your children enjoy playing online multiplayer games, you’ll need to make sure you have a strong Internet connection. Consider updating your service and going for a 5G connection, which will allow for noticeably smoother gameplay and allow your

children to download games at a significantly faster rate. When your children play online games, you’ll also have to consider Internet safety. After upgrading your Internet connection, you may want to set up parental controls for peace of mind. CNET recommends restricting certain websites by blocking them through your router if you have this functionality.

Monitor Game Content

Today, there are countless video games on the market - and more coming out every year. And as a parent, the choices may seem overwhelming, particularly when you’re faced with choosing which new game your child will like as a gift. There may be times when your children are interested in playing a game with content that you would be uncomfortable with them seeing. How can you tell whether or not a game is right for your kids? And how can you guide them towards educational video games over games that were designed solely for entertainment? In order to choose the right games for your kids, Common Sense Media recommends checking out the difficulty level of a game so that it won’t be too challenging for players their age. You can get a good idea of how tough a game will be for younger players by checking out its ratings. You can also read about the gameplay experience online to see what a game will focus on.

Screen Time Limits

Even if your children are playing age-appropriate video games with educational content, you may be worried that they’ll end up spending too much time gaming. What can you do to make sure that they get to enjoy their video games while maintaining healthy screen time limits? It’s important to be clear about your expectations. For instance, you might want to establish that your kids can’t play video games until after they’ve done their homework. You may want to set a one-hour limit, and when this limit is reached, get them to play outside or pick up a book. On weekends, it’s okay to let your kids have a little more time to play video games — just make sure they make room for other fun activities during the holidays, too

Playing video games can be a very enjoyable activity for people of all ages, regardless of the time of year. However, as a parent, it’s only natural for you to be concerned about your children’s safety while gaming. With these tips you’ll be able to give your children a safe and enjoyable gaming experience.