Childnet Tips on Online Gaming
Childnet have some top tips for online gaming:
- Engage with the gaming environment and begin to understand what makes it is so attractive to young people as well as the types of activities that they enjoy!
- Talk with your children about the types of game(s) they are playing. Ask them to show you or have a go yourself.
- Some games may offer children the chance to chat with other players by voice and text. Ask them who they are playing with and find out if they are talking to other players. If chat is available, look at the type of language that is used by other players.
- Look out for age ratings and familiarise yourself with the PEGI icons on games. The PEGI classification gives you a clear indication whether a game is suitable for your child.
The childnet parent site includes a section on hot topics and information on parental controls and gaming. The hot topics section covers the issues that parents may be concerned about. http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
Childnet also have a skills school with online videos talking through the safety features of sites which parents can work through with their child.
The Childnet International – Know IT All for Parents site includes video guides for parents in a number of languages.
PEGI (Pan European Game Information) Web Site
The PEGI website contains information about games ratings and can be found at the following link.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/
Parents can search for a game to find out about online associated online safety issues as well as the age rating for the game.
Two examples of the information the site provides about games are shown below.
The government has launched a new online tool for schools across the country to give parents the best possible advice and tips on preparing their children for adult life. The site has been created by CEOP and parent zone and can be found at the link below.
http://parentinfo.org/article/three-top-tips-for-building-your-child-s-online-resilience
CEOP’s Thinkuknow website
This site gives lots of information for parents as well as games and quizzes for children to ensure they understand how to stay safe online.
NSPCC Online Safety
The NSPCC also provide a range of information and tips for parents and children about staying safe online and what to do if things go wrong online.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
How much screen time should I allow my child?
This is a question you may have asked yourself recently and not been sure of the answer. Being online is a big part of our children’s lives and it can provide an opportunity to enhance skills and gain knowledge. We need to not just consider the time children spend online but make sure it is purposeful time. Children have a way of making us feel like we are too strict and will tell you that their best friend Bob is allowed so much more time than them. Fear not, there is advice out there to help guide you on making a decision regarding screen time and to help you think of other things you should consider.
The Internet Matters site has produced some easy to read online guides for parents on screen time for 0-5 year olds, 7-11 year olds, 11-14 year olds and 14 plus. These guides give you five top tips, latest statistics and guide you in setting rules that suit your family.
A key quote from the guide:
“The truth about screen time – not all screen time is created equal, so it’s important to encourage children to have a healthy balance between passive screen time (i.e. watching YouTube) and interactive screen time (i.e. creating content or playing games online).
There is no safe level of screen time but it doesn’t mean that all screen time is harmful. Lack of evidence has meant that experts have found it hard to recommend a cut-off for children’s screen time overall.
One size does not fit all when it comes to screen time – it’s more about getting it right for your family’s needs.”
Below is a link to the guides
0-5 year olds https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/screen-time-tips-to-support-0-5-year-olds/
5-7 year olds https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/screen-time-tips-to-support-5-7-year-olds/
7-11 year olds https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/screen-time-tips-to-support-7-11-year-olds/
11-14 year olds https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/screen-time-tips-to-support-7-11-year-olds/
14+ https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/screen-time-tips-to-support-teens/
