It’s all fun and games until you realize that your child hasn’t left the house in 10 hours because they’ve been playing video games all day. Nowadays, children are always in front of screens, whether it’s a TV, movie, tablet or phone. As parents, we get that you want your kiddos to enjoy themselves, but everything is good in moderation, right?
Luckily, there are ways to limit their game time but not limit their fun! Check out our five ways of making sure your kiddos are having fun – both with and without using video games.
1. Setting Parental Restrictions – Router
While your children can easily be in front of a TV screen playing video games for hours on end, we know that’s noooot what you want them to do. Setting parental restrictions allows your kids to play their games, but for a limited time. Check out this link to see how you can restrict internet access on your router. Bonus – this is good for limiting social media time as well!
2. Setting Parental Restrictions – Console
We get it – video gaming systems are a prized possession for kids. Unlike homework and studying, it’s the one activity they can spend hours doing. As a parent, controlling the console is a game-changer to make sure your kiddos get the amount of screen time you are comfortable with. Based on the console, modifying parental controls varies so here is an article to help!
3. No Console in Bedroom
Trust us, you really don’t want to keep your child’s video game console in their room. When the console is inside, they won’t make it outside (unless they need food). Keeping the console outside of the bedroom will make sure they spend their time sleeping and not staying up late playing games. So it will promote better habits as a whole!
4. 50/50 – Gaming and Being Active
Fun games don’t only have to be in front of a screen! Encourage your little ones to get outside; they can go for a bike ride, play tag or toss a frisbee around. Find a local playground so they can frolic on a jungle gym or enjoy the swings. Want to plan a get together? Get your children’s friends to meet up and have an outdoor playdate. Just make sure that the amount of time spent in front of a screen is at least equal to being out and about.
5. Parental Involvement
From characters to quests, your children are consistently embarking on adventures when they start playing video games. The best way to understand their gaming endeavors is to join them in the fun! If the game has a multiplayer option, face off against each other so you can see how the game works. Confused? Ask questions to understand how everything works – they will appreciate your enthusiasm and interest and, of course, love that they will know more than you!
