Parent guides
Games: practical guides for parents
Practical guides from the PARE Media Family Technology Desk. Each article offers a specific next step. Read our editorial approach to understand how the guidance is made.26 guides found
Before the first in-game purchase request
Explain currencies, urgency, and approval before the store screen becomes the argument.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should we check before sharing a child’s game clip?
Look beyond the action in the center of the screen.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I check before buying a game as a gift?
Confirm the version, device, account, and household rules.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I check before allowing a game mod?
Treat a modification as a new software and content decision.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I choose a fair stopping point for a game?
Understand the game’s natural breaks before setting the handoff.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I choose a cooperative game for children of different ages?
Check what each player actually gets to do.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should we check during a child’s first online game session?
Explore the parts that appear after installation, not just the store page.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I check before agreeing to a free game?
A zero download price may not describe the whole experience.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhich game accessibility settings should we explore first?
Start with the task that is difficult, then test the relevant control.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should we discuss before buying a game season pass?
Check both the purchase and the time commitment it suggests.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we share one game controller fairly?
Choose a turn rule that fits the game and everyone’s skill level.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we handle a game that asks for a daily check-in?
Decide whether the reward fits the day, instead of letting the streak decide.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I test before taking a game on a trip?
Try the actual travel conditions before leaving home.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow should we handle a friend request from another player?
A good match is a beginning, not enough context for every kind of contact.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should we agree on before giving a game gift card?
A balance is spending power, not automatic permission for every purchase.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we handle a game invitation just before a household cutoff?
Keep the social invitation and the schedule visible at the same time.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I explain before a randomized in-game purchase?
Discuss paying without knowing the exact result.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I plan a game session when my child has friends over?
Check everyone’s household boundaries and the shared setup.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I check before moving my child’s game to another device?
Protect progress by understanding the game’s own account and save system.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readIs watching someone play a game the same decision as playing it?
Review the commentator and audience as well as the game.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should we discuss before enabling game voice chat?
Decide who can speak, who can listen, and how to leave.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat should I read besides a game’s age rating?
Use the rating, content description, and online features together.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow should I review a user-created game world?
The platform name does not describe every experience inside it.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I explain virtual currency to my child?
Translate the purchase into the money the household actually spends.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat can I do when a game stops being enjoyable for my child?
Look at the particular obstacle before making a rule about all games.
Read guide →Games · For caregivers · 2 min readDo we need to review a game again after an update?
Focus on the parts that changed the family’s original decision.
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