Video Games for Kids
Hundreds, if not thousands, of video games are published every year across a variety of platforms, from handheld and mobile to console and computer. Most of these are perfectly fine for almost everyone in the family to play, but let’s face it: It’s the mature games, the ones with lots of adult content — especially violence — that get the most attention. On our Common Sense parent blog, we’ve identified 10 of the most violent games from the past year and listed alternatives with each title from the same genre, so you have solid, less violent options for your kids.

Here are some other things to consider when deciding what the next video game for your child will be.

• Make sure games are age-appropriate. Know the content of what your kids play, both at home and at friends’ houses.
• Establish limits. Be firm from the beginning about how much time kids can play. And be very clear about what games your kids can play
• Be aware of multiplayer options. Watch out for open chat and user-generated content that isn’t monitored.

While it might seem like kids’ video games are all about shooting, you can find games that provide rich, engaging experiences that broaden kids’ horizons and Common Sense Media is a great place to start finding these games.

You can find more tips on how to approach this topic in our blog entries, 10 Most Violent Video Games of 2014 (and What to Play Instead) and Gaming Tips.