Can’t keep up with the multitude of online games flooding the market? If you’re a bewildered parent who just wants a simple, straightforward guide on the popular games out there, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s a bite-sized summary of three popular games for kids, as well as guides on how to set up these games with parental controls. Let’s keep up with the kids, instil positive gaming and screen habits in them, and keep them safe in the digital world!
Content:
Parental Control Guide:
1.Roblox
2. Minecraft
3. Fortnite
Tips for Parents – What You Need to Look Out For:
2. Prevention
Parental Control Guide
1. Roblox
What it is:
Roblox is an online multiplayer game platform and creation system, popular among children and teenagers. Users from around the world can play together by designing their own games and also join in the games created by others. Players are given the opportunity to create an avatar and participate in games with different genres such as Adventure, Mystery, Battle and Real World Roleplay. The platform also allows them to communicate with other players and invite them to co-create experiences.
Do read through the Roblox Guide for Parents before starting.
Recommended age: 13 years old and above (Common Sense Media and ESRB)
Price: Free, with the option to purchase virtual currency called Robux for in-game items
Setting up an account with parental controls:
1. Sign up
Go to www.roblox.com. Enter your child’s accurate birth date and click the sign up button.
2. Add a parent’s email
Go to the top right corner, and click on the setting icon. Under Account Info, add your email address. A verification email from Roblox will be sent to this address.
3. Edit Settings accordingly
Some useful settings you might like to change:
Under the Parental Control tab on the panel on the left:
a) Create a pin: Click on ‘Parent PIN is disabled’, and create a four digit pin. You will be prompted to add your password to continue. Once the PIN is added, it is required to be entered before the Settings page can be accessed in the future.
b) Change the Allowed Experiences based on your child’s age. Do note that all experiences are still searchable. Monthly spend restrictions and notifications can also be changed.
Under the Privacy tab on the panel on the left:
a) Change the communication options according to your preference, to limit strangers communicating with your child.
b) Enable the ‘Account Restrictions are enabled’ slider to save the settings.
Monitoring
Check histories to find out what your child has been playing, creating, and purchasing, and who they have been chatting to.
Creations- Found under Create on the horizontal panel at the top of the homepage.
Recently played games- Go to Home, look for Continue or My Recent.
Direct and small group chat – Chat box can be found in the lower right corner of the app. This feature is limited to Friends, and Friends of Friends.
Private message history- Found under Messages on the vertical panel on the left-side of the homepage.
Friends– Found under Friends on the vertical panel on the left-side of the homepage. You will be able to see Friends, Followings, Followers and Requests. Do note that the friend’s request page cannot be disabled, so check in on the Friend Requests page on the website to ensure strangers are not being accepted.
Purchases- Click on Robux at the horizontal panel at the top of the homepage. My Transactions and other details related to purchases will be shown.
2. Minecraft
What it is:
This popular computer game is played as a single player or multiplayer game, and lets users create and explore block-based virtual worlds. Its open-ended gameplay with no set plot allows users to tap into their creativity and construct anything they want under the sun. Resources may be mined and used to construct structures, make tools, and produce goods. The game also features survival components, like fending off enemies and inventive construction.
Kids can play in five different game modes, with the two most popular modes being Survival and Creative. Combat is cartoonish and without blood, despite the fact that players may use swords, bows, and other basic weapons to battle enemies and one another. Players frequently just resurrect at the point where they first started the game after they die.
Recommended age: 8+ years old (Common Sense Media), 10+ years old (ESRB)
Price: Free limited version (Minecraft Classic); Full version (Minecraft), with option to purchase virtual currency called Minecoins for in-game items
Platforms: Minecraft Java Edition (PC, Mac, and Linux computers); Minecraft Bedrock Edition (Windows 10 and 11, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Fire OS/TV, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, and Samsung Gear VR)
Minecraft Education:
Minecraft has a special version made just for kids to support learning in a fun and engaging way. There’s a section just for parents, so you can discover and explore ways to play and learn with Minecraft at home. All you need is an Office 365 Education account. A free trial is available, after which it would cost USD12 per year.
Parents can create your own private server so your child can play with family and friends on Minecraft Realms and Realms Plus.
Setting up an account with parental controls:
Irrespective of the device you child is playing Minecraft on, you will need first need to create a free Xbox Live account to link a parent account to your Child Account, in order to set preferred privacy and multiplayer preferences. Only parent accounts can modify settings. Once you have your free Microsoft Account:
1. Set up a Family Group
Go to https://account.microsoft.com/family/, and create a Family Group. Child Accounts for under 13 year olds must be created by a parent or carer.
- Click Add a family member.
- Follow the instructions to create the account. If your child does not already have a Microsoft account, you will be prompted to create one.
2. Edit Settings accordingly
Two popular and useful settings you may like to change:
- Disable chat messages or invitations from other players
a) Go to your Xbox Account Settings. Click on your child’s Account.
b) In the navigation tabs at the top, click Privacy. Scroll down to the Others can section. Toggle the slider to ‘Block’ to block Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites.
Note: Minecraft: Java Edition has no distinction between ‘Friends’ or ‘Everyone.’ Instead, you must choose between ‘Block’ to block all chat in Minecraft: Java Edition, or ‘Everyone’ to enable chat in the game.
- Disable multiplayer game settings
a) Go to your Xbox Account Settings. Click on your child’s Account.
b) In the navigation tabs at the top, click Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 devices Online Safety.
c) Select Block forYou can join multiplayer games.
In-Game Security
It’s possible to add, mute, block, or report players from the Minecraft Pause menu. It’s also possible to set player permissions from the Pause menu, so your children can invite friends to look at but not touch worlds, or help fight off zombies without attacking each other.
Check out the Minecraft official website for more information on Parental Controls on Java Edition and Bedrock Edition.
3. Fortnite
What it is:
Fortnite combines aspects of exploration, survival, and building. There are two modes to choose from, called Save the World and Battle Royale. Players are dropped onto the game to kill every other player in Battle Royale, or work together to defeat ‘husks’ (zombie-like creatures) in Save the World. This is an action game in which players build forts, gather resources, craft weapons, and battle hordes of monsters in frenetic combat.
Violence: The game includes a significant amount of fantasy-based violence, although it is not considered to be overly graphic. Characters are cartoonish, with fantastical weapons. There’s no blood, and defeated enemies simply vanish from the spot. Players use guns, swords, and grenades in combat and also employ various traps such as electric, spikes, poisonous gas to defeat enemies.
Do review the game’s content for suitability, based on your own personal values and beliefs.
Recommended age: 13 years old and above (Common Sense Media and ESRB )
Price: Free (Battle Royale); USD39.99, (Save The World); with option to purchase in-game items
Setting up an account with parental controls:
Option 1:
Parents can use a PIN to lock certain aspects of the game with an Epic Games Account. All communications regarding parental controls are sent to the email address associated with the account.
1. Sign up
Sign up for an Epic Games Account here.
2. Set up 6 digit PIN
Choose Parental Controls from the left horizontal navigation menu. Set up your six-digit Parental Controls PIN.
3. Edit Settings accordingly
You can change chat setting permissions, and turn on the slider to screen out mature language in Epic text chat.
Option 2:
You can also set up Parental Controls through Fortnite itself.
1. Launch Fortnite on your platform of choice.
2. Click on the account icon on the top right corner of the page. Choose Account.
3. Select Parental Controls from the left vertical panel.
3. You will be asked to confirm the email address linked to the account. If no email address is linked to the account, you’ll be guided to a web browser to create an Epic account and PIN using your email address.
4. Change settings accordingly .
Tips for Parents – What You Need to Look Out For
1.Signs of gaming addiction
Gaming definitely has its benefits and can serve as a great past time for our kids. But what happens when your kid can’t seem to stop? How can we draw the line between healthy enthusiasm and a gaming addiction or disorder?
Gaming addiction can certainly be a serious matter, with this being officially recognised by the World Health Organisation as a mental health condition. Here are some of the warning signs of video gaming addiction for you to look out for, based on the American Psychiatry Association’s manual.
A child would need to have five or more of these signs in one year to classify as an individual who has a problem with gaming:
- Thinking about gaming all or a lot of the time
- Feeling bad when you can’t play
- Needing to spend more and more time playing to feel good
- Not being able to quit or even play less
- Not wanting to do other things that you used to like
- Having problems at work, school, or home because of your gaming
- Playing despite these problems
- Lying to people close to you about how much time you spend playing
- Using gaming to ease bad moods and feelings.
If your child is letting their gaming habits get in the way of daily life, or are neglecting their relationships, exercise, schoolwork and personal hygiene in favour of playing games, it’s time to seek professional help.
2. Prevention
And of course, prevention is always better than cure. Let’s take charge and start laying down the foundations for healthy screen and gaming habits. We are all parenting in a digital age, and play a crucial role in helping our kids build a healthy relationship with technology.
Here are a few quick tips on how to foster positive gaming habits:
- Set (and stick!) to time limits for play
- Keep gadgets out of the bedroom, so your kids won’t play into the night
- Role-model healthy habits
- Utilise parenting tools and controls
As parents, we can do everything within our capabilities, but there are also so many factors that aren’t within our control. If you suspect your child is suffering from a gaming disorder, once again – do reach out for support from mental health professionals.
We hope this guide makes it easier for parents to help create a safer gaming environment for your children, based on your personal values and comfort level, #makchicmumsquad!
