Kids Learning Games » Playing Video Games

10 Guidelines for Parents of Kids Playing Video Games

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:15:58 +0000

Gaming is a part of modern life. Research shows that children young and old game for between 13 and 30 hours a week. It is near to impossible to keep children away from computer or video gaming.

When you cannot beat the system it is best to join it in a “safe” way. Parents can educate themselves on the varied aspects of video gaming by reading articles and tips on the World Wide Web. They can with knowledge make every effort to ensure that their kids receive a rounded upbringing.

Here are a few guidelines to help:

1. Always befriend your children and know the games they play. Study guidelines given by the Entertainment Software Board and lead the recommendations and appropriate guidelines given on the content label of games.

2. Store www.ESRB.com in your computer as a favorite and keep abreat of game reviews and ratings.

3. Network with other parents as well as school and Y teachers. Share information and observations on kids and gaming.

4. Have an open relationship with the child or children and promote a friendship and comfort level so that the child shares its experiences and fears.

5. Be an observant parent and note any behavioral changes shown by the child.

6. Be an informed and cautious buyer and question claims made by gaming companies. Feel free to voice your opinion if you feel any game has objectionable content.

7. Give your child a rounded upbringing and introduce many activities you can enjoy together like sports, hikes, sailing and so on. Outdoor activities benefit children and help limit computer time.

8. Ensure that the child grows up to be confident, understanding, curious, and a happy child. Keep a watch for unwarranted secrecy, aggression, or violence.

9. Use gaming to maximize your child’s interest and choose games that need strategies and decisions. Minimize games that are violent and just involve shooting, destruction, and attacks.

10. When you refuse to buy a game, explain to the child why and make them understand why you discourage playing certain games.

Gaming can be beneficial and introduce technology, problem solving, logic and spatial as well as motor skills. Games are known to heal too! Parents need to understand the pros and cons of gaming and allow children to play games that are beneficial.

Be wise and limit time of playing video games. Encourage children to play in groups. Make time to play the games with the children. Understand the games and use the rating system as a guideline when purchasing a video game. Discourage children to borrow games from peers. If they do then encourage them to share with you what they have borrowed. Always make the effort of knowing what the children are playing with.

The gaming industry cares about Genx and so has put into place testing systems and advisory systems to protect children from the detrimental effects of gaming. Use the internet to educate yourself on video and computer gaming and learn how to protect your children.

By: Timothy Rudon

Parenting: Kids Now Have a Variety of Ways to be Entertained

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:42:45 +0000

There are 24 hours in a day, anytime a child is not in school and properties don’t have homework they am able to be looking for something to do. As a parent you will have many, many opinions for keeping your children entertained. One of the main forms of entertainment for children is television. there are a variety of quality educational television shows which children can watch when they are becoming for something to do. Another form of entertainment is, of course, playing video games. If you are reluctant to purchase violent or controversial video games there are many places at which kid friendly games are sold. Another form of entertainment for children are DVD and CD titles targeted to children. Many productions companies make straight to video entertainment especially for children. This improve the ability of the child to be entertained when properties are away from home. A fourth option for entertainment are educational games like puzzles and producing block sets. Not only do they come up with entertainment properties additionally undergo an educational value. The best educational price level turn up when children can learn and build skills additonally undergoing fun. So whenever your child says which properties are bored, pull out this moment survey and inform them what they could be doing. Before buying your latest entertainment notebook in your local stores or online stores, it is good to checks whether your choice is the better entertainment notebook available that suits your needs. There are particularlly points need to think about before buying entertainment notebook.

Verizon FiOS TV – Keep Your Kids Learning All Summer Long With Verizon FiOS TV Service

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:41:06 +0000

When you get Verizon FiOS TV service, you can keep your kids busy and keep them learning all summer long. More than half of the kids who are high school age or younger don’t remember most of the things they learned the year before when they go back to school in the fall. That’s because over the summer they are too busy having fun to worry about learning. Verizon FiOS can help educate your children.

When it’s too hot to play outside and the kids are tired of playing video games you can turn to Verizon FiOS TV service to provide fun, entertaining and educational programs and activities for kids. There are lots of summer programs for kids like camps, sports lessons, and day trips but for most parents the cost of those types of programs make them impossible to afford.

If you are like most parents and have more than one child that would want to attend programs like that, the cost is usually enormous and not something that most parents can easily afford. But if you choose a world class TV service like Verizon FiOS you will be giving each child access to the type of programs and activities that interest him or her without taking on the huge cost of summer camps or other activities.

Verizon FiOS TV service offers one of the largest selections of children’s networks available on cable. All your child’s favorite cartoon characters are playing all day long, and many popular kids’ shows are available through Verizon FiOS On Demand so that your kids can watch their favorite characters when it’s convenient for you. With Verizon FiOS On Demand you can also pause, rewind, and stop a show that you’re watching. If you get interrupted you can go back and watch it again later.

Verizon FiOS TV Allows your Children to Learn

Verizon FiOS TV service has more for kids than just cartoons though. You can keep your kids engaged and actively learning by watching programs on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and other popular channels that feature shows on science, the environment, animals and wildlife, and other topics that kids are interested in. The family channels on the Verizon FiOS lineup have movies and specials like musicals and popular Hollywood kids movies that the family can watch together.

Another way that Verizon FiOS TV service helps you keep your kids learning over the summer school break is by giving you ideas, tips and instructions for great projects that you can do with your kids. Art projects, craft projects, science experiments, history dioramas and other educational projects combine children’s love of activity with their love of learning. Doing projects together is also a great way for you to get to spend some quality time with your kids.

Because Verizon FiOS service is affordable for almost any budget it’s the perfect tool to keep your kids learning without spending a fortune on summer camps, daycare, or other expensive kids’ activities. For one low fee each month you and your family will get access to thousands of fun and educational shows, movies, and events that will keep your kids interested in learning through the summer and into the school year.

By: Russell Blanc

Guidelines on Managing Video Game Playing

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:07:23 +0000

Video games are a part of life. And a child playing video games is no crime. Parents must learn that the world is changing and that children need to be brought up a little differently from a decade ago. Instead it is better if parent learn all they can about video gaming and allow their children to play video games safely.

Video games can be beneficial or harmful depending on which games are played. Many gaming associations, manufacturers and PTAs help parents learn all about video games and how to monitor gaming. There are magazines as well as online websites that have articles and reviews as well as tips on gaming. These are informative and act as guidelines for parents who are relatively new to the nuances of gaming.

• Games are mainstream now so teach the kids all about gaming taboos and safety rules.

• Choose games that are appropriate to the ages of the kids and be sure to read the ratings as well as reviews before buying any game.

• When buying a game system buy one that has extra controllers so that kids can play with friends and parental controls. This will enable you to control games being played and the children will become socially adept by playing with others.

• Always allow children to play video games in the family room or parlor. A social location for gaming is safer than in their own rooms out of sight of adults.

• Avoid encouraging children to play “bad” games. Games that are filled with violence and aggressions. Know the content of games by speaking to other parents and older children.

• Games are reviewed unbiased at sites like Playstation.about.com and Xbox.about.com.

• Monitor the distance at which the kids play games. There are several tips on how to play video games right on the World Wide Web which outline sitting posture, distance from the monitor or television screen, the number of hours one should play and so on.

• Set down the rules right at the beginning. Rules care simple and do able: limit the video gaming time; allow video gaming with local friends only; if children are small do not encourage gaming online, emphasize that the children are not to play with or chat with strangers.

• Befriend your child so that he or she will tell you if a game uses inappropriate language. And if they do play online to block unsavory characters form getting in touch with the kids.

• Emphasize that they are never to reveal their personal details, phone numbers, and addresses to strangers online or offline.

• Children must learn that they cannot borrow video games from friends without your knowledge.

Make time to play with the children and teach them how to deal with life and judge what is right and wrong. Gaming can be enjoyable if done right.

By: Timothy Rudon

What you Should Know to Prevent Overstressing your Kids

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:53:10 +0000

Many parents eagerly sign their kids up for extracurricular activities without stopping to ask if this is best for the health and well being of their children. Consider giving your time-starved kids and yourself a break.

A new poll by the National Association of Health Education Centers and its federal and university partners reports that 77% of kids ages 9 to 13 wish they had more free time. The trademarked KidsHealth KidsPoll also reports that having too much to do was leaving a substantial 41% of children surveyed feeling stressed “most of the time or always.”

Allowing children to skip after-school and weekend activities to spend more time in front of a computer, playing video games, or watching TV just for fun isn’t the answer either. These kids were nearly three times more likely to want free time than those who spend less than an hour in front of computers, video games or television sets, according to the poll.

Are your kids pressuring you to sign them up for extracurricular activities because they feel peer pressure? Are you driving your children from one activity to the next because you want to offer all those extras that other parents (your peers) are providing to their children?

Children of every age who are trying to cope with self-imposed or parent-imposed schedules that don’t allow them the free time they want can produce chronic fatigue, sour moods and poor eating and sleeping habits that will set them up for high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, obesity and other stress-induced conditions as adults.

Five Common-Sense Tips Toward Creating a Break for Your Time-Starved Kids:

One: Give Yourself a Break. Kids learn by example. If you’re over-stressed from too much work and too many responsibilities, start by achieving a better balance between your job and home life. You’ll need exercise, plenty of fresh food, solid sleep and some free time.

Two: Become a De-Stress Role Model. If you are rushing from work to home to drop-off and pick-up duties for your children without quality time for your family, you are a poor role model. If the health and well being of your kids is important to you, prove it by scheduling quality time for your kids each day.

Three: Listen to Your Kids. Forcing children to take extracurricular classes or participate in sports can backfire if they don’t want to become involved. If they are complaining about their hectic days and not showing up for activities you scheduled for them, pay attention to these important signs of stress.

Four: Let Your Kids Participate in De-Stress Decisions. Let your kids play an active role in determining how to set priorities for what they want to do, incorporating what they reasonably can accomplish. You can create a Pro or Con list for every activity together with your children. If you admit that you, too, experience peer pressure, you will inspire honesty so they can admit they let their peers push them into activities, too.

Five: Enforce Stress-Free Time. Have times during the day when there’s nothing in particular to do and you’re unplugged from computers, their cell phones, video games and the television. Read, walk, write, play. Free time allows you to become more creative, and also to refresh and re-energize your mind and body for the next day.

By: Ruth Klein