Start here
A Parents Guide to Video Games
A plain starting point for families new to games: how to pick titles, use ratings and controls, set routines, play together and talk openly about spending and chat.
Guides and Reference
Parents and Families
Ratings, controls, screen time and playing together.
Choosing Games for Different Ages
How to match games to a child's maturity and interests, with general guidance for young children, middle years and teens, and signs a game is the wrong fit.
Couch Co-op: Playing Together as a Family
What couch co-op is, the kinds of games that make shared play easy for mixed ages and skill levels, and simple habits that keep family game time fun for everyone.
Online Chat and Safety for Young Players
Understand the risks of voice and text chat in online games, which settings help, and calm talking points that let families discuss online safety without panic.
Parental Controls on Consoles and Phones
A general walk-through of the parental controls found on game consoles, phones and tablets: managing play time, purchases and contacts, plus their limits.
Screen Time and Games: Setting Healthy Limits
Practical routines for managing game time at home, focusing on context, sleep, natural stopping points and conversation instead of one fixed number of hours.
Talking About Violence in Games
How to talk with kids about fictional violence in video games, what research can and cannot tell us, and questions that help families judge content for themselves.
Talking With Kids About Spending in Games
Ways for parents to set game allowances, agree on spending limits and explain chance-based purchases like loot boxes in plain terms, with a note on risk.
Understanding Game Age Ratings
How game age ratings work, what the common categories and content descriptors mean, and where ratings fall short, such as online chat and in-game purchases.
Related topics