In the fast-paced world that we live in, it can feel downright impossible to get the entire family together in the same room. Trying to find an activity that everyone can enjoy together is an even more improbable task. Yet, sharing experiences as a family and spending time together is necessary for creating close family bonds and maintaining a sense of connection. Today’s GKIS article covers the pros and cons of the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5, recommendations for games to play as a family, suggestions for appropriate games that your kid can play alone, and some brief tips to keep your kids safe and connected when it comes to gaming.
Yesterday versus Today
In today’s digital landscape, there is a generational divide when it comes to what is fun. While you may reminisce on the fun you had playing Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly with your family when you were a child, your memories are probably being affected by that funhouse mirror known as nostalgia. Even if those games were fun when we were kids (I am not so sure they were), your children are used to a much more technically advanced world where entertainment comes in the form of video games, social media, and streaming services. Therefore, adaptation may be needed to have a successful family night where everyone has fun.
Here are some reasons why video games are a great way to connect with your kids:
Can be accessed at any time
Can fit into the most restrictive of work schedules
No need for planning
Do not have to worry about losing game pieces
Do not have to explain a complex set of rules
Most games are highly intuitive requiring little explanation
Creating family cohesion and safely navigating the technological world we live in can be difficult at times. Our Connected Family Course gives expert advice and strategies to create a connected home environment without having to disconnect from the internet.
What is the PlayStation?
The PlayStation is a series of video game systems created by Sony. For this article, the focus will be on the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5, which are the current production models. The PlayStation 4 was released in 2013 and has sold over 114.9 million units worldwide, making it one of the most successful gaming consoles ever released.[1] The PlayStation 5 is the newest of Sony’s consoles, released in 2020, and is wildly popular and highly sought after. The PlayStation 5 has already sold over 10 million units and sells for a substantial mark up in the secondary market.[2]
The Pros and Cons of the Sony PlayStation
Pros
The biggest advantage of the PlayStation is that it is the most technologically advanced series of consoles on the market. Also, the PlayStation has a huge userbase so there will always be people to play with online. The PlayStation 4 and 5 are not solely game consoles. They have brilliant interfaces allowing the user to stream movies, television, and music from different apps, making them great choices for a one-stop entertainment hub.
Additionally, the PlayStation 5 is mostly backward compatible with the PlayStation 4. So, if you buy a game on the PlayStation 4 and later upgrade to the PlayStation 5, you can play most of your PlayStation 4 games on the new console. With a gigantic catalog of games, many of the games are family-friendly.
Cons
The PlayStation 5 is in such high demand that it is nearly impossible to get your hands on one. While you may be able to find some models of the PlayStation 4 for under $300, the retail price of the PlayStation 5 is close to $1000. But they sell for much more on the secondary market due to the high demand. Due to Covid, there is a huge supply shortage making these things harder to get than a Tickle Me Elmo back in the day.
Many parents don’t realize that kids can browse the internet through their PlayStation consoles. That means they can access anything or anybody through that browser. That means you MUST program parental controls if you don’t want your child exploring inappropriate online neighborhoods.
PlayStation Games to Play as a Family
With the PlayStation, there are a variety of interactive ways to connect with your family. You can play games together or use the console as a multimedia hub to stream a movie through your favorite streaming service.
Here are 4 fantastic PlayStation games for you and your kids to play together:
Just Dance 2021
Rock Band 4
Little Big Planet 3
Just Dance 2021
Just Dance is a motion-based rhythm game, which is a fancy way of saying that you dance to the beat of the music and try to perform choreographed moves. This game is a brilliant choice as it is a great way to exercise as a family. There are plenty of songs to choose from ranging from Lady Gaga to Billie Eilish. Each song has its own choreography and poses to learn as well.
This game has an ESRB rating of “E10,” meaning it has been approved for everyone ages 10 and up. The reason for the 10 and up age rating is that some of the songs have crude lyrics, though it is no worse than anything that they will hear on the radio. If you don’t want your children to hear these songs, there is a “kids mode” with songs that are more tailored for young children, like “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story 3.
This game is perfect for slumber parties and family reunions, as well as for any other occasions where you or your kids want to be active. We think this game is well designed, and the controls are intuitive making it a fun way to exercise and get your groove on.
Rock Band 4
Have you ever wanted to start a family band or be the Partridge Family? Rock Band is a game where you physically interact with video game controller versions of instruments. Up to 4 people can play at once, as there are drums, bass, guitar, and a microphone to choose from. The cool thing about this game is that it is very interactive and some of the skills learned from playing this game can be carried over to real-life when it comes to the drums and vocals. Like the previous game on the list, Rock Band 4 is also a great way to get some exercise in.
This game has an ESRB rating of T for Teen due to some of the song lyrics. Yet, like Just Dance 2021, there is nothing in this game that your kids won’t hear on the radio. Also, you can customize which songs come up in the playlist to avoid any songs that you find problematic.
Rock Band can be a great choice for parties and sleepovers as well. Kids can take turns on the different instruments and switch out after each song. It is also fun to be a spectator watching others play as well, so kids won’t get too frustrated waiting for their turn.
Little Big Planet 3
Little Big Planet 3 is an action platformer at its core. Up to 4 players can work together to take on each stage as an obnoxiously cute sack person. Browse “Little Big Planet images” to see what the cute little dude looks like. The game is massive and there are an immense number of levels to play through. On top of that, players can create their own levels and share them with other players. Having a huge creative community has made the replay value for this game limitless as players have created a ridiculous number of unique experiences.
Little Big Planet 3 has an ESRB rating of E, meaning it has been approved for children of all ages. This game also allows your children to utilize their creativity in a way that they will not get anywhere else. You and your kids can take the role of game creators and make your own levels and experiences to play, share, and show off to your friends and family.
PlayStation Games Your Kids Can Play Alone
Video games make great rewards for when your kid does something wonderful. There are an immense number of games to choose from. However, it can be overwhelming to find a game for your child that is age-appropriate. There are plenty of games out there that are excessively violent, have strong language, and have sexual situations in them.
Here is a list of 3 games that we recommend as rewards for your child:
Tearaway Unfolded
Rayman Legends
Ratchet & Clank
Tearaway Unfolded
Imagine this game scene, your face is the sun observing and interacting with a paper doll character. You explore vast paper environments and manipulate objects to solve puzzles to help your paper character throughout the adventure. This game design allows for a level of empathy and emotion rarely seen in video games, as the characters directly interact with you.
Tearaway Unfolded is rated E for everyone and has been deemed acceptable for all ages. There is little in this creative game that could offend or be seen in a negative light.
The most brilliant part of this game is the bonus stuff that allows the player to interact with the characters in the real world. There are templates that can be printed out and constructed so that your kid can have a physical version of his character to play with. The creativity and uniqueness involved in this experience of bringing the game characters to life and interacting with them offers a shared activity between you and your kid that is unlike any other and utterly priceless.
Rayman Legends
Here at GKIS, we think that the music levels in Rayman Legends are some of the most wonderful levels ever made in the history of video games. Rayman Legends is undoubtedly one of the greatest platformers ever made. The controls are extremely smooth, and the gameplay is spotless.
In this game, you play as the titular character and make your way through the many levels and challenges throughout the game. The game has a very playful art style and is very satisfying to play.
This game has an ESRB rating of E10 for everyone age 10 and up due to cartoon violence and comic mischief. The violence is very mild when compared to other games, and there is no blood or guts. For a single-player game, it has an incredible amount of replay value due to the vast number of things to do in its virtual world.
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank is an action-adventure game where the main characters are a “lombax” and his robot companion. In the game Ratchet and Clank, the goal is to navigate the world with the fox/human hybrid character and the robot to find new weapons and gadgets that will help to save the universe.
Ratchet & Clank has been rated E10 (for everyone 10 and up) due to the violence against animated monsters. Yet, the weapons used in the game are ridiculous and outlandish. There is little chance that your kid is going to get their hands on a “groovinator” or a “sheepinator” in real life unless they’re future genius inventors.
How To Keep Your Kids Safe Playing Video Games
Research the games before buying them
Check the ESRB ratings
Play with your children or check in on them
Talk to your children and maintain a close family bond.
To stay in the know about how to keep your kids and teens safe online, check out our weekly parenting and family coaching videos provided through the Screen Safety Essentials Course. This comprehensive program will help families to become informed by providing you with the tools and expertise to keep your family connected and safe while engaging online.
Doctor B’s parenting guide, Screen Time in the Mean Time, is a wealth of knowledge about screen safety and keeping your kids safe from the numerous dangers inherent in the world we live in.
Thanks to CSUCI intern, Michael Watson for researching family-friendly games for the PlayStation 4 and 5.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
I love playing video games! My first article discussed the benefits of gaming. But the truth is, most popular games aren’t designed for kids. They’re designed to attract us and keep us playing. The more we play, the more money the gaming industry makes. Violence and sex attract gamers. But research has demonstrated that exposure to this content can negatively affect a child’s brain. However, child development experts have not been able to pull violent games off the shelves. The best they’ve done so far is accept the game industry’s offer to develop their own rating system. Today’s GKIS article covers why experts are concerned about child exposure to video game violence and why the research hasn’t been enough to make a dent in the global game industry’s annual $183billion revenue.[1]
Most kids start playing video games before adolescence. Content, time spent playing, ability to be interactive, and player vulnerabilities must be considered when determining effect.[3] This makes for messy factors to control for quality research and controversial opinions about the risks of violent video games.
mental rotation, tracking, and toggling between tasks[5]
problem-solving
strategy building
goal setting
and increased confidence, social connection and networking, cooperation, and self-esteem.
Social benefits are particularly valuable for players who may be isolated in tiny towns or who have disabilities. Gaming can also teach important job skills and offer profitable e-sport tournament competition.
The Risks of Gaming
Research has demonstrated that gamers who play violent video games show more aggression toward others. It has also found that gamers show a decrease in friendliness, positivity, and helpfulness.[6] It’s also been demonstrated that gamers are less likely to emotionally react to violence over time. We call that sensitization to violence.
For example, a 2014 experiment also found that gamers were less likely to help and injured person, rated violent acts as less serious, and were less likely to respond to fights.[7]
Another study found that exposure to violence created the idea in children’s heads that violence is an acceptable form of problem-solving. It can also lead to a mean world syndrome, defined as a belief that the world is dark and dangerous.[8]
Video games are not designed for young kids.
Video game companies develop games for kids, but they amount to a small percentage revenue. The average age of gamers is 32-years-old.[14] Since 2009, the top-selling video games are rated mature.[15] Because of good marketing and pester power, a significant portion of those sales come from parents of young kids.
Young players are so common on video streaming sites and MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), they’re referred to as squeakers due to their child voices. Child predators hunt for victims on gaming platforms.
For example, in PokémonGo, predators have been reported to place lures, which are in-game items that spawn rare catches. Children close by will notice the new location and travel to catch the Pokémon unaware of the trap being set.[16]
Regulating Video Games
Attempts to block violent video game content from kids have been unsuccessful. Since the 1972 release of the first popular video arcade game, Pong, parents have worried about the impact of video gaming on their children. Just like our kids, we have largely become desensitized to its impact. From 1976, when parents succeeded in getting the video game Death Race pulled from the shelf due to the little gravestone that appeared when a character was killed, to now, we’ve come a long way. Or have we?
In response to video game players committing violence, several lawsuits have claimed that game manufacturers were negligent by selling violent content that is harmful to children. Few have succeeded due to first amendment (free speech) rights claims and insufficient evidence.
City ordinances attempting to limit gameplay by unaccompanied minors in public places have also failed. Law professors and psychologists argue that the evidence is too flimsy to make solid claims that video games cause violence. For instance, if video games cause aggression why is the rate of juvenile violent crime is at a thirty-year low?
A particularly impactful blow against state regulation was the United States Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association (2011). This ruling concluded that the California law restricting the sale and distribution of violent video games to minors was unconstitutional. The ruling stated that “speech about violence is not obscene” and is “as much entitled to the protection of free speech as the best in literature.”
Video Gaming Rating System
To counteract consumer complaints and stop legislation, the video game industry created the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in 1994. This voluntary and self-regulating board rates content and classifies video games based on the appropriate user age.
Most stores refuse to sell video games that don’t have an ESRB rating. Similar rating systems exist in other countries. Overall, ESRB ratings have been somewhat successful in limiting child access.
RP (Rating Pending) – this is placed on games that have not yet received a final ESRB rating
EC (Early Childhood) – suitable for ages 3+, these games tend to be educational and do not contain any inappropriate material
E (Everyone) – suitable for all ages, may contain mild fantasy or cartoon violence
E10+ (Everyone 10+) – suitable for ages 10+, may contain mild language, fantasy, or cartoon violence
T (Teen) – suitable for ages 13+, may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, blood, infrequent use of strong language
M (Mature) – suitable for ages 17+, may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, strong language
A (Adults) – suitable for ages 18+, may contain prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content, gambling with real currency
Tips for Parents
Check the ESRB ratings before purchasing.
Engage in video game play with your child to learn about the game’s content, and to model appropriate play.
Set clear rules as to how long play can be at home and away with your free GKIS Connected Family Agreement.
Monitor your child’s online gaming conversations to make sure there are not taken advantage of or threatened.
Set up gaming stations in a family community area (never the bedroom) to optimize supervision.
Encourage your child to engage in alternative activities for a healthy balance, learning, and enriched learning.
Thank you to CSUCI Intern, Dylan Smithson for providing us with an experienced and balanced perspective about gaming. If you missed his first article, Is Your Child a “Professional Gamer”?, it is well worth the read!
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
[5] Holfeld, B., Cicha, J. & Ferraro, F. (2014). “Executive Function & Action Gaming among College Students.” Current Psychology Curr Psychol 34.2: 376-88. Web.
[8] Justin C. (2015) The Problem with Exposing Kids to Sexual and Violent Content. https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-problem-with-exposing-kids-to-sexual-and-violent-content/
[9] Laura S. (2013) 8 Ways Violent Games Are Bad for Your Kids http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-st-john/8-ways-violent-games_b_3875846.html
[10] Petry, N., & O’Brien, C. (2013). Internet Gaming Disorder & the DSM-5. Addiction 108.7: 1186-187. Web.
[11] Petry, N., Rehbein, F., Gentile, D., et al. (2014). An International Consensus for Assessing Internet Gaming Disorder Using the New DSM-5 Approach. Addiction 109.9: 1399-406. Web.
[12] Kuss, D., Griffiths, M., Karila, L., & Billieux, J. (2014). Internet addiction: A systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20, 4026–4052. 10.2174/13816128113199990617
[13] Strittmatter, E., Parzer, P., & Brunner, R. (2016). “A 2-year longitudinal study of prospective predictors of pathological Internet use in adolescents.” Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 25(7): 725.
