Gaming is the most popular source of entertainment for parents and children. According to a recent survey, more than 2.9 billion gamers worldwide, and around 95% of the kids between 6-16 years old are directly engaging in some gaming. Parents are responsible to guide gaming safety and parental controls. 

Types of Gaming Devices

There are 4 types of gaming devices:

• Desktop 

The gaming platform where we play games through laptop and desktop computer are known as desktop gaming. Here we can play online games via the internet where we can chat and talk with other players.  This type of gaming can be apps and online games. For example, call of duty, cricket, Fifa, etc., are the gaming software for Desktop. Fortnite, Dota, google memory game, Warcraft, etc., are examples of online gaming where you can connect with other gamers. 

• Portable 

Gaming like PSP, Nintendo Switch is the best example of a portable device. This gaming device is designed with a compact screen and keyboard size to keep it in your pocket.  

• Mobile 

Player unknown’s Battlegrounds is famous for mobile gaming. It’s the most popular gaming device. We can download the application from Android and iOS. Many free and paid apps can be found on mobile. 

• Gaming Console 

The Console, which is specially built for entertainment or gaming purposes, is the gaming Console. An example of a gaming console is Xbox, PlayStation, etc.

Benefits of gaming

Gaming is a great source of learning. It is the overall development of children if used decently. Here we discuss some of the benefits of gaming.

• Cognitive Skill Development 

One of the key advantages of gaming is developing cognitive skills. It helps to enhance the learning skill of children. With the help of gaming, children will be able to solve the problem by themselves. Games provide a profound learning opportunity and help children acquire many of the skills employers look for today. Gaming helps to develop many skills like decision-making, multi-tasking, Enhance memory power, improve attention and concentration, etc.  

 Games like Minecraft can help to increase your problem-solving and decision-making ability. 

•  Mental Health Benefit

Gaming is the activity of exercising your brain. Many games give us instant satisfaction and mental growth. It’s a great source of relaxation and even helps to reduce the stress of children and adults.

The regular stresses we all have to deal with will help with video games. Games relax and place us in a comfortable environment, where we do not have to care about real life for that brief moment in time. It also provides a sense of achievement which is helpful for our mental well-being.

• Social Connections

Some kids face difficulties in making friends. Online gaming helps to connect with many peoples, which may be helpful to the kid to make new friends. Video games have developed a fun and enticing way to communicate with people and can be a vital tool for developing social skills. In several games, players will collaborate to form alliances and develop teams.

• Gaming Careers

Nowadays, the gaming industry is rapidly increasing all around the globe. With the rising number of gamers, there will also be a career opportunity. A 16-year-old Fortnite player who won the cash prize of 3 million is a recent example of excelling in a gaming career. 

Effects of Gaming

There is also a negative effect of gaming on children or adults. Excessive use of games leads to bad health and makes us lazy. Here is the negative impact of gaming. Parents should guide for gaming safety to prevent the negative effects on their children. 

• Age-inappropriate games

 Online gaming contains much harmful content like violence, gambling, racism, and adult content that your children shouldn’t watch or play. However, violent video games can be dangerous if young kids are exposed to inappropriate content. 

• Cyber Bullying 

Almost every child has access to the internet everywhere they go. Even in online gaming, most people are a victim of cyberbullying. Online gaming connects with the different players where they can play in multiplayer mode. Some games allow users to send text or audio messages to each other, and there will also be the possibility that players can be harassed and abused online by others. 

Read More: How to protect your kids from cyberbullying and harassment?

• Gaming Addiction 

Most of the children played the game for recreation purposes. Only one-third of the child who played games harms their lives. Children will focus on gaming only, which affects their physical health like back pain, decrease in their vision, and many more. Excessive gaming will also lead children to be depressed, and their academic performance will also be affected. 

• Grooming

You should be very careful about with whom they are talking, what type of friend circle they have, and mainly on what topic they chat about. Because sometimes they may get impressed by the strangers and share personal information which is quite dangerous. 

• Gambling

If your child plays the games like poker, blackjack then there may be the chance that your child will start to bet real money. Though these games don’t offer the chance to bet real money, they might get influenced by such games.

You need to guide and instruct them about the consequences of gambling.

 Measure on Gaming Safety

Every parent wants to keep their children secure from both the outer and inner world. There are many parental control features in the popular gaming platform to ensure that the children are safe. So, these are the major precautions to make gaming apps & consoles guarded and to make a positive impact on children.

• Set time limits: key for the guide on gaming safety

Parents should set the limit bar to play online and gaming consoles and make sure that their children obey the rules made by parents. Parents can take help from a third-party’s app to set time limits on mobile gaming. You also set a timer on tv while playing PlayStation and Xbox. It is a crucial role that parents should play and guide gaming safety.

• Be Involved: key for the guide on gaming safety.

As a parent, you should be involved while playing a game with your children. Online protection needs to be cautious and constructive.  Set up a continuous conversation with your children about what game they are playing and with whom. Review the game and check whether the game is age-appropriate or not.

• Educate: key for the guide on gaming safety

Parents should inform us about the threats and vulnerabilities of gaming in our daily lives. Better inform your child not to share personal information online or your profile with anyone. Educate your children not to see or use harmful content and make sure that your child is aware of reporting or blocking other players who engage in online abuse or other inappropriate content or behavior.

Parental Control on Gaming: How Parents can Guide on Gaming Safety

Different types of gaming devices like mobile gaming, desktop gaming, and gaming consoles have come up with extra solutions for parental control settings for children’s safety. The parental controls are widely used on every gaming platform and device. It’s easy and simple to enable the configuration. This helps protectively to stop your children from visualizing inappropriate content, uploading, or downloading.

Parental Control apps on Mobile gaming:

Mobile gaming is almost played by all age groups because it’s a more convenient and portable device. Mostly, children are addicted to this type of gaming. So, here we will describe the best parental control app to reduce the excessive use of mobile devices.

Bit Guardian 

It’s a user-friendly app where parents can remotely monitor and manage their children’s devices. Parents can track all the installed applications and block any inappropriate content and app that may harm their children. You can also monitor their online activities and browser history and aids for the guide on gaming safety. The system will provide a weekly or monthly reporting of their activities. 

Features 

• Schedule phone usage 

In this app, parents can set the bedtime and game time mode to play the game as per schedule. During Bed-Time mode, children can’t play the game whereas, In Game-Time mode, children can play the game but only for a limited time provided by their children. A parent can set the time limit of the screen and app also.  

• Block app 

This application provides a parent with a special feature to note down the inappropriate content, and the system will automatically block those content online. Parents can track the installed app on their child’s devices and can block the unsuitable app from their devices. You can also block the installing app. 

Compatibility

• Windows
• macOS
• iOS
•  Android 

Netsanity 

It’s a reliable monitoring app where parents can spy on all their children’s online and offline activities. Parents can manage all the activities through the control panel. You can manage their internet accessibility where they can enable or disable remotely. These apps provide a 14-day free trial. 

Features 

• Game Blocker 

It’s one of the best features of this app, where parents can block games with one simple click. Parents can block inappropriate or adult content with just one click function.

You can set the time limit on gaming to avoid addiction to gaming. If your kid excessively played the game, it allows parents to block those games.  

• Site Blocker

Parents can track every site they visited, and they can manage these sites. If your children are playing 18+ gaming online, The system will notify you. You can block that online gaming site after the notification alert. 

Compatibility 

• iOS
• macOS
• Android 

Parental control and Guide on Gaming Console

In old gaming consoles, there isn’t an in-built parental function compared to the modern gaming console. It’s only built for gaming purposes where all the aged group peoples from kid to adult played games. Here we will guide you through setting up parental control on gaming devices after the guide on gaming safety.

PlayStation 4’s

These are the steps to set up for parental control on PS4.

Creating account and sub-account

1: Firstly, you need to open the PS4. In settings, create your account and log in as a parent.

 2: Go to the setting, you will see the parental control section tap it, and see sub Account Management.

 3: Create a new sub-account for your children where they need to be under 18.

 4: Follow the link and log in online; the parent and your children’s account must be linked together.

 5: Once you agree to its term and condition your account and sub-account is created 

PS4 Parental Controls

 1: You need to log in from your main account (parent’s account). 

 2: Go to the setting > Parental Control > Restrict use of the PS4 feature section. 

Here you can choose many options to restrict your children from age-appropriate gaming.

 3: Enter the default passcode. 

 4:  And then enter > Restrict use of PS4 > Game.

5: Choose your children’s age level; as per the level, children can only access their age gaming. 

Here you can restrict access to the PS4 internet browser, block gaming, Block inappropriate gaming DVDs

Xbox 

These are the procedures to set up parental control on Xbox with Microsoft.

Creating Account

1: Firstly, go to the main menu > push on the left side control pad > select the top option > In the add & manage section, you can create your child account.

2: You can also create your child’s account from windows, and later,  you can add it to Xbox.

2: Step into the setting > Family, choose your child account, and ‘Add to this Xbox.’ 

3:  And the push left on the control pad, go to settings > all settings > family, enter your password. 

4: Then, tap on your child’s account, and now you can set parental control on Xbox.

Parental Control on Xbox

1: Firstly, you need to go to the Console setting from windows 

2: Select on the Family section, and you can see your child’s account and select that account.

3: And you will see the privacy and online safety for the Xbox section. You can select the option for your child.

4: After selecting the option, you will see the parental option in the left sidebar. 

5: At last, you can manage your children’s Xbox by accessing content, web filtering, and box explicit Tv.

Here you can block age-inappropriate gaming or content and set time limits. 

Conclusion

Parents should always be aware of the gaming that their child plays. Such habits of gaming can have positive and negative influences on children. For this reason, every parent should have a safety measure to protect their child’s from excessive gaming. In modern gaming consoles, parental control settings are built to ensure that children are safe from gaming risks and threats. Here are the benefits and effects of gaming and its safety measure to control excessive gaming.