Although some family fights may have broken out over Risk, there are a few more concerning things to keep in mind when your kids play apps.
As parents, we look at digital games and sometimes memories of playing Monopoly while sitting around the basement with our cousins until someone left the room crying come to mind.
Too often we place that same safe feeling we had of sitting around a board game as a child onto the digital game we have just downloaded.
It is easy to forget that the computing power we hold in our hand in the form of our smartphone is equal to or better than the desktop computers from just 10 years ago (Let’s not even start on the comparison with the technology it took in the 60′s to get a man to the moon).
Our kids do not overlook the power in these small devices. They don’t have the same nostalgia for these games and so they know that they can play this game as it is presented to them, but they might also be able to add to it in one way or another.
Its important to think about the various ways that digital games can be more than just a game whether on a console, PC, or in the version of an app.
1. Social.
Many games today are available in multi-player mode.
Players around the world play against each other. Most often you never know the person you are playing against but there is often a chat feature with most games that would allow you to talk online to these other players. If you are a regular player you can begin to recognize other regular players by their game tag (or online identity).
Kids may begin to feel like they know this other gamer because they share this common interest. It is a good idea to make sure your kids know that they should not be playing multi-player games with people they don’t already know in real life. If you are going to allow this kind of game play then it would be good to make sure the chat feature is disabled.
2. Leader Boards.
Even if you are not playing these games socially, you still want to watch your online profile.
I was sort of surprised to find my log-in name connected with an online reporting of people who played Sudoku on their phone. I had mistakenly thought that this game was just a game on my phone. It’s important to know what personal information might be attached to your “profile”.
3. Virtual Goods.
Watch out for in-app purchases!
The sale of virtual goods has become a billion dollar business. A virtual good can be anything you buy in the game to enhance your play. The only catch is that you use actual money to buy these game add-ons. In one particularly famous case a mother discovered her 4-year-old had racked up $80 worth of charges buying virtual wheelbarrows and hats for his avatars on what the mom believed to be a free downloadable game. Tap Fish in-app purchases are particularly notorious after the Jon Stewart segment on how a family accidentally charged $1,500 within the game.
Using the rating tools like the ones available on Famigo are a great way to find out whether the apps your kids want to download and play on their smart devices contain advertising, interact with strangers or are just good clean fun.
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Mary has recently joined the Famigo Parenting Advisory Board and is an enthusiastic proponent of using technology to bring families closer together. Blogging for over 15 years, Mary founded StayatHomeMom.com, was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and has spoken to several groups on Internet Safety, social media and connecting families through technology. Mary has volunteered with Wired Safety, the world’s first Internet Safety and Help group for over 10 years. Mary and her husband Tom have 4 amazing kids and have lived in 6 different states and 2 countries. They love travel, video games, reading and staying connected with friends from around the world.
Connect with Mary on Twitter @maryheston @wiredmom @sahm411
