Gaming

Group Discussion Question:

Kids love to play games, especially on the computer, against an opponent.

How do you decide if a game is appropriate for your child to play?

What are the signs of gaming addiction?

More Group Discussion:

What guidelines do you have in place when your children are playing games?

Do games have educational value?

Resources:

Center for Internet Addiction - describes the growing epidemic and signs of Internet addiction

Common Sense Media - Learning with Technology - reviews of games based on their learning potential

Online Gaming Tips from Common Sense Media - tips for all ages from preschoolers through high school, includes the video viewed at Rally Night

ESRB Ratings for Computer and VIdeo Games - provides a rating symbol and content description for recently released games and more.

ESRB Resources for Parents - includes tips and tools to learn more about online safety when playing games

Understanding Online Gaming Addiction and Treatment Issues for Adolescents - research article about the extent of gaming addiction and impact on families. This article includes effective intervention efforts for parents to use.

Playstation Parental Controls - PS3 guidelines for using parental control settings

Wii Tools for Parents - includes information on how to block Internet use and set parental controls for Wii, Nintendo DSi, 3DS, DS Lite

Xbox 360 Parental Controls - learn how to turn on parental controls, set controls, timers and links to Xbox LIVE privacy and online settings.

Resources: Website, bookmark, other tools that parents can use to help keep kids safe online