You won’t have to worry when your kids are playing these mobile games.
We already worry about kids and phones, and now add to that the worry over the games they’re playing on those phones. Keeping tabs on it can feel like a full-time job.
Tech expert Sarah Kimmel shared a list of mobile games that are kid-friendly and parent-approved.
The Shift to Mobile Gaming
Kids are increasingly spending more time on mobile games, with those age 8-17 spending about an hour and a half to two hours daily. For children under eight, the average is around 30 minutes a day.
There are a ton of inappropriate games out there, making it really hard to whittle down the options. One popular game that Sarah does not recommend for kids is Roblox. “People think it’s just a game, but it’s actually a collection of games, and anybody can upload their own game to it and it might not be appropriate,” she explained.
Understanding Age Ratings
Most mobile games have an age rating. On the Google Play Store, they have an ESRB rating, the same used for video games. “You see the E for Everyone or T for Teen, and that’ll be on the Google Play Store. Apple has their own, but it’s still an age-based rating,” Sarah explained.
“ The interesting thing is if you go into that rating on Google Play, [or] you can click the little information button on the Apple Store, it’ll tell you what went into that rating,” Sarah suggested. It’s important to look for things like ‘user interaction’ and ‘user-generated content.’ This means your kids will be able to interact with other people which can expose them to inappropriate material.
Recommended Kid-Friendly Games
Sarah shared a list of games that are both fun and safe for kids:
- Pokemon Go: “I really like it because it actually gets the kids outdoors and you can walk around the neighborhood to find Pokemon,” Sarah said. This game combines physical activity with screen time, making it a good mix.
- Crossy Road: “It’s just like Frogger. So you’re basically crossing a road. And, it’s endless crossing. At Frogger, you’ll reach the end, but with Crossy Road, you keep going until you die,” Sarah explained. She added that the different characters and various obstacles give it that extra fun factor.
- Block Blast: “It’s Tetris with a twist because it is more like a puzzle,” Sarah explained. Instead of one piece dropping down, you have the piece and are trying to fit it into the grid.
- Geometry Dash: “It’s… like Flappy Bird where you kind of press on it and it lifts it, and if you take your finger off, it will decrease.” This side-scroller game is fun and challenging, and requires kids’ quick reflexes.
- Hill Climb Racing: “It actually uses a lot of physics… So If the road is icy, it’s gonna be slippery, and if it’s a dirt hill, it’s going to have different interactions with that environment,” Sarah explained. This game teaches kids a little bit more about physics as they go through the side scrolling.
Dealing with Ads
Almost all of these games have ads, which can sometimes be inappropriate. “The best thing that I have found to do, especially for a really young kid, is to turn your phone into airplane mode,” Sarah recommended. “Then when they’re playing, they’re not going to get those ads.” This simple hack makes sure your kids have a safe gaming experience.
Resources for Parents
For more information on game ratings, parents can visit esrb.org. “They actually have a really great website that will go into detail on why it was rated what it was rated,” Sarah emphasized. Common Sense Media is another good resource, sharing reviews from other parents and kids.
Find more advice from Sarah on Instagram, @familytech, or at familytechzone.com.
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