Buying games for your children can be both a blessing and a nightmare. I've read numerous articles about videogame violence and how they are affecting children. Being a conscious parent of two, I found myself in a dilemma. My children want to play videogames. To please my kids I began my little adventure for the perfect games.
For months now, I researched which games to buy and how to find them. Here are some great tips for picking the perfect game for your kids.
Look at the title – The title says a lot about the game. Key words like guns, combat, puzzle, etc… can tell you which genre the game belongs to. Titles are often the key selling point for a videogame publisher, so they tend to do a lot of research for both the title and the logo. For example: The title Smart Girl's Playhouse tells me the game will be both educational and playful for my daughter.
Package art – The packaging displays the key concepts or flare of the title. It can show you what type ofcontent is in the game. You should look for key elements that will appeal to your children. For example: if you want something educational, look for numbers, letters, books, etc…
ESRB – The Entertainment Software Rating Board is the only rating system for all videogames published in the United States. The rating displays what type of content is available in the game and the appropriate age range.
Companies and branding image – Almost every company has their branding image and gaming specialty. Companies like EA are known for making sports games while UFO Interactive Games specializes in educational titles for ages 3 and up. You should research the company before purchasing a title to see their lineup of games.
I hope you can find this information useful as it has helped me. My children are playing games that they enjoy and learning how to read in the process.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
