Gaming and Young Kids

[bichael]

Hi

Figured there must be other parents here so interested to hear your approaches and any game suggestions...

My son is 5 and a bit now and I'm starting to play more PC games with him. I try to make sure I play together with him and make it a bit more social (it's a PC hooked up to a TV which works well for this). Just a weekend thing though still a challenge to keep it to just a couple of hours as he would happily play all day (and the peace is tempting!). I also try to involve him a bit in building and show him what some of the components are etc.

Main games at the moment are rocket league and forza horizon 3. We finished lovers in a dangerous space time which was great in terms of co-op team play. He's keen on minecraft but I'm worried that's the sort of game he will get too 'lost' in for hours at a time. Have been meaning to check out some of the lego games.

Phone games are reserved for cars and restaurants (pre food) only. He had a tablet when he was younger which started as a distraction for meal times but we "accidentally lost it" as he was getting way too hooked. Youtube was the worst.

 

[br3nd0]

Great topic!
I have an 8yo son and a 10yo son.
Youtube is the worst, basically have it blocked via OpenDNS now, lol, I feel your pain (occasionally I'll allow it with parental filter on)! I don't know how many times I've 'accidentally' lost game controllers or iPads etc. due to excessive screen time or general fighting / tomfoolery.
OK with occasional gaming on iPads, they also each have a Nintendo 3DS, both of which are only used during long trips / holidays.
We also have an XBox One and Wii U which they're allowed to play on weekends and some weeknights when homework is done or public holidays, stuff like that.
The boys play Forza Horizon, CupHead, TitanFall/TitanFall 2, Fortnite, Killer Instinct on XBox One and Rayman Legends, Splatoon & anything Mario on Wii U.
My PC is the only PC in the house, but I feel that's about to change as the boys' interest in gaming changes.
Although they're only 8 and 10, they've recently moved past mobile / iPad arena, thanks to Fortnite on XBox One and them watching me play on my rig (mostly CS:GO lol), to PC-oriented gaming.
I don't know how many cool indie platformers and other co-op games I have on my wishlist right now in Steam, but definitely enough to start speccing up another rig for them to game on.
I figure I can build another rig to totally replace both XBox One and the Wii U (which I can emulate on PC anyway) that the boys can use. I've been sharing my plans with them and they're super-keen to help build, and have been asking question after question each day about PC stuff and games - it's awesome!
They've seen PC games like CS:GO, Overwatch, TF2, Quake, Unreal Tournament, Tomb Raider and other cool FPSers and they're mad about it now which is cool, I've got them on the PCMR bandwagon lol.
Also keen to hear from other parent-gamers

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I have 2 daughters and started with emulators (NES, SNES, GENESIS/MEGADRIVE, NeoGeo).

Moved later to couch, co-op or not, games (Speedrunners, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Lovers in a dangerous space-time, Castle Crashers, critter crunch, Ibb and Obb, etc.)

They are also allowed to use their DS on their own ... But with the limit of single batterie charge per week. Up to them to manage their gaming time.

 

[wywywywy]

I only really let my 5 years old play Minecraft, and he learnt a lot of actual educational things from it.

Usually it's on my spare PC. But he has his own PC (Raspberry Pi) too if he wants to use Google or learn coding etc.

I found most other games too much of a time waster or too addictive for a 5 years old.

Phone games reserved restaurant too

He can use his tablet which is a gift from Santa, but it's time limited to 15 mins a day before school. Except for the phonics or addition/subtraction apps etc.

 

[Bshoults]

I'm sure we all played games a fair bit and we all turned out fine. That said, the realism of some games these days might confuse a young child (is this real?). I wonder more about movies that have special effects that are so incredibly real...Is my son going to be afraid of dragons? This wasn't an issue when we were kids. The lego games are excellent for younger kids. I'm careful not to introduce games with too much realism or violence (of course). My 4 yo LOVES Breath of the Wild. He spends most of his time just exploring...and destroying all my gear.

Obviously with kids, everything in moderation.

 

[Necere]

Don't have kids, but I would say on the one hand it's good to allow kids some space to pursue things that interest them, but on the other hand it's important for their imaginations to develop as well, which modern video games have the potential to inhibit. The graphics are often so good that there really isn't much "left to the imagination," as there was with the more primitive games we had as kids. And even then, the time spent immersed in a game world was time not spent creating a make-believe world in your own mind. So I'd say definitely try to limit screen time, and ideally get them outside and playing in nature when possible.

Outdoor play is also important for another reason: UV light exposure promotes proper develop of the eyes in younger children, reducing the need for glasses as teens and later.

 

[stree]

Being a touch older than most here, in my case it would be our Grandaughter (10) who lives nearby and spends a lot of time with us.
She loves Minecraft, also play a few free apps games on her phone, but spends most of her time at the stables, looking after or riding her pony. She and I go for walks identifying birds, plants and wildflowers, all aspects of nature.
I expect as she gets older the "screen" will become more and more a part of her life, so I am am glad of the time I can spend with her now and passing on what I know whilst I can.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Forgot to mention that I do not own a TV, that helps to prevent screen abuse. My daughters developped a real love for books and drawing.

When it comes to video games, I favor local multiplayer but they both have e their save on several RPGs (A link to the past, Ocarina of time and Chrono Trigger).

As with everything, it's all about moderation. This is our role as parents

 

[tinyitx]

My son is about to graduate from university. When he was a small kid, smart phones were not very popular but PCs were. What I did was to expose him to as many alternatives as possible, to divert his attention away. Sports, outdoor activities (eg hiking)...etc And I am glad to say he was never addicted to a 'screen'. For the past few years, basketball is his main hobby.

Another key factor is his peer group. I discovered that if his friends were PC gaming guys, then he would be a PC gaming guy. When his friends were into Yugioh cards, he would too. So, I tried to get him connected with other kids of similar interest. Brought him to a chess club and let him get mixed with other kids there...of course, chess is one of my hobby too.

 

[loader963]

My 4 year old knows that touching dadsy’s rig is the fastest way to get grounded . I bought him a nes mini and that has served him well. I occasionally will let him play rocket league on my rig but he doesn’t really get it. Also has trouble with all the buttons on a 360 controller, another bonus for the nes.

And what is it with kids and YouTube??? My son watche kids open and play with toys when he has them or even better ones? Also these weird videos where modders and amateur video makers haven’t like the avengers in gta with weird music... I don’t get it.

 

[Bshoults]

For what it's worth, we removed the YouTube Kids apps from my 4 and 9 year olds iPads. There's some WEIRD stuff on YouTube Kids intentionally created to scare kids. I implore you to do a Google search for "creepy youtube kids videos".