[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"sanity-D2hJem-wC7TCZy0j5GI8XLPQ_cw3Yjudm0eJS-PbG6Q":3,"sanity-NSPECqc-yCE4mU_j_D6QR-40n2oC0Zt6Ld63fs1guR0":19,"sanity-UcthyQ8AaetXyAddc3R2diZhg_DUUJMLNHP8zzRMlRU":310,"sanity-HgmHwKk6nayWvm5KggA3w0nonjGROQHGp2iaKxWjUDY":1298},{"data":4,"sourceMap":-1},{"commentsEditWindowMinutes":5,"commentsGloballyEnabled":6,"cursorMode":7,"defaultOgImageUrl":7,"footerText":7,"homepageBlogFeatured":7,"homepageFeatured":8,"interactionMode":7,"missionPrompt":7,"navLinks":7,"organizationName":11,"personAuthorSlug":12,"personName":13,"reviewFaqIntro":7,"reviewSupportUrl":7,"reviewUpdateLogIntro":7,"siteDescription":14,"siteTagline":15,"siteTitle":11,"socialHandles":16},10,true,null,{"documentId":9,"kind":10},"e7e9709c-0cab-47df-a580-10abce45b631","overview","Mom Player Character","shannon-mpc","Shannon","Game reviews, parent guides, and notes from the desk on the digital world your kid already lives in.","For parents in the digital deep end",{"instagram":17,"twitch":18},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fmomplayercharacter","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.twitch.tv\u002Fmomplayercharacter",{"data":20,"sourceMap":-1},[21,48,62,75,130,154,163,175,189,208,236,247,268,293],{"_id":22,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":24,"excerpt":25,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":27,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":29,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":7,"quickAnswer":34,"slug":43,"timeToDo":7,"title":44,"topics":7,"updateNotes":45,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HFg","Shannon @ MPC",330,"Typing in a fake birthday isn't age verification — it's just a question. Here’s what real, working age-gating would need to look like, and what parents can do right now.",false,"Illustration of a sign-up screen with an age checkbox, overlaid with icons for ID cards, credit cards, and device settings.","guide",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":30,"settingsThatMatter":31,"shouldWorry":32,"whatToDoNow":33},"If your child says, “It just asked if I’m 13, can I click yes?” they’re telling you the system is easy to bypass. Use that moment to explain why the rule exists (content, data collection, contact with strangers), and decide together whether this app is appropriate now or later. If they say “Everyone in my class has it,” acknowledge the social pressure, but still base your decision on your child’s maturity, the app’s features, and the tools you have to supervise or limit use.","Focus on device and account settings you control: require approval for new app installs, restrict app store ratings by age, use kid or teen profiles where possible, and lock down browser access for younger kids. Inside individual apps, look for: private-by-default profiles, limits on DMs and friend requests, content filters, and purchase\u002Fcredit card controls. These do more for safety than any single age checkbox.","Be cautious, not panicked. Assume most age-gates your child sees are easy to bypass. The real risk is that you may think a space is age-limited and safer than it actually is.","Treat age-gates as a weak signal, not a safety guarantee. Check the app or site yourself, set your own minimum ages, and use device-level tools (family accounts, Screen Time, Google Family Link, etc.) to control what your child can install and when. Talk openly with your child about why age limits exist and make it clear that lying about age is a family rule issue, not just a ‘hack.’",{"headline":35,"keyPoints":36,"summary":42},"Real age-gating needs proof, not just a birthday box.",[37,38,39,40,41],"Birthday fields and “I’m over 13” checkboxes are not real age verification.","Stronger systems use ID, payment methods, third-party verification, or device-level controls.","Better age-gating always adds friction and can slow growth, so companies are reluctant to adopt it.","Platforms benefit from underage users even when policies say they’re not allowed, which reduces urgency to fix the gap.","Parents should not rely on app age-gates alone—use device settings, family accounts, and clear house rules together.","Most age checks on apps and websites are basically meaningless—kids can bypass them in seconds. Systems that actually work use some form of verified proof (ID, payment method, device-level controls, or a trusted third-party) and accept that sign-up will be a bit slower and more “frictiony.” As a parent, your best move is to combine device\u002FOS controls, family accounts, and your own rules, instead of trusting a single checkbox on a sign-up screen.","age-gating-that-actually-works","Age-Gating That Actually Works (Not Just a Checkbox)",[46],{"date":7,"note":47},"Initial guide created to help parents understand why most age-gates are weak and how to build stronger protections at home.",{"_id":49,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":50,"excerpt":51,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":52,"featuredImageUrl":53,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":54,"lastReviewedAt":55,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":56,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":57,"timeToDo":7,"title":58,"topics":59,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"b847fc27-9d47-4b47-94d3-e6bde2346593",1437,"F2P means free to play, but extras can cost money. Understand in-app purchases, battle passes and pay-to-win, with six game examples and practical checks for parents.","Three Fall Guys characters wearing knight, exercise and monster costumes in official Fame Pass artwork.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fe6390f9e37a9ec3d5ba1fa91b5e16bfc72cabb8b-1920x1080.jpg","explainer","2026-10-25T12:00:00.000Z","2026-10-25T22:06:00.000Z","free-to-play-games-explained-for-parents","What does F2P mean? Free-to-play games explained for parents",[60,61],"money-spending","getting-started",{"_id":63,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":64,"excerpt":65,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":66,"featuredImageUrl":67,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":68,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":69,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":70,"timeToDo":7,"title":71,"topics":72,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":74},"51f71dae-4c87-45b8-884a-cd20b612d91a",953,"Is Marvel Rivals appropriate for kids? After playing, the purchase prompts and voice chat being on by default put me off recommending it to families.","Official Marvel Rivals artwork showing a lineup of Marvel heroes beside the game's logo.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F40a35c7114fc3312d6c09061c42e870e9992a92f-3840x2160.jpg","essay","2026-10-25T04:26:16Z","why-im-not-recommending-marvel-rivals-to-families","Why I'm not recommending Marvel Rivals to families",[60,73],"chat-players","2026-10-25T17:57:23Z",{"_id":76,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":77,"excerpt":78,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":79,"featuredImageUrl":80,"gamePlacement":81,"group":83,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":84,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":85,"publishedAt":114,"quickAnswer":115,"slug":119,"timeToDo":7,"title":120,"topics":121,"updateNotes":123,"updatedAt":125},"8aI8S9xlkRICgxHcEveTRz",1169,"Get a first Minecraft world ready with this Windows walkthrough. Choose beginner settings, decide who can join, and check your child's chat and spending permissions.","Create New World screen with Creative and Peaceful selected and an achievements-disabled notice.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F9f9130eb30d57cebb52db6090d6db50a6394604d-2560x1440.png",{"groupKey":82,"order":7},"group-1","Getting started","setup",{"_id":86,"ageGuidance":87,"excerpt":88,"featuredImageUrl":89,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":91,"multiplayerOptions":92,"name":98,"parentBottomLine":99,"parentSafetyFacts":100,"platforms":106,"slug":113,"title":98},"game-minecraft","Single-player and family Realms are comfortable from 7+, younger with parent co-play. Public servers are the part where age fit depends on the server. Some of the largest (Hypixel, Mineplex) are heavily moderated; smaller ones vary.","The closest a modern, online-enabled game gets to default-safe. The risk surface is almost entirely in multiplayer, which is the part most under a parent's control.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fc82049962f769a74addd5d6f86a42ad216828f0f-1600x800.png","green-light",7,[93,94,95,96,97],"solo","couch-coop","local-multi","online-coop","cross-platform","Minecraft","Green light for playing alone or on a family Realm, a private online world you share by invitation. Public servers are online worlds run by other people, so check who runs one and who can join before saying yes.",{"_type":101,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"spendModel":104,"textChat":105},"parentSafetyFacts","2026-10-25","yes","one-time-plus","account-controlled",[107,108,109,110,111,112],"pc-mac","ios","android","xbox","playstation","nintendo-switch","minecraft","2026-05-26T00:00:00.000Z",{"headline":116,"keyPoints":117,"summary":118},"Get the world ready",[],"Start with Creative mode and Peaceful difficulty. Choose solo or family play, then check your child's account and spending permissions. You do not need a Realm or extra content to begin.","setting-up-minecraft-for-young-kids","How to set up Minecraft for a young kid: a parent's guide",[122],"setup-controls",[124,127],{"date":125,"note":126},"2026-10-25T00:00:00.000Z","Reorganised the setup walkthrough into clear steps, with screenshots beside the relevant settings and short highlights for quick reading.",{"date":128,"note":129},"2026-10-23T00:00:00.000Z","Added a Windows Bedrock walkthrough with original screenshots, clarified local family play versus Realms, and revised account and spending guidance.",{"_id":131,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":132,"excerpt":133,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":134,"featuredImageUrl":135,"gamePlacement":136,"group":83,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":138,"publishedAt":114,"quickAnswer":142,"slug":146,"timeToDo":7,"title":147,"topics":148,"updateNotes":149,"updatedAt":125},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0Ds0",931,"Help your child get started with simple controls, one small building idea, and time to explore. A practical first-session guide with screenshots from my own playthrough.","Third-person Minecraft character exploring a village beside farms and houses.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F967adeb31793f4a482ae1b886ec9021e7ae806ad-2304x1296.png",{"groupKey":82,"order":137},1,{"_id":86,"ageGuidance":87,"excerpt":88,"featuredImageUrl":89,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":91,"multiplayerOptions":139,"name":98,"parentBottomLine":99,"parentSafetyFacts":140,"platforms":141,"slug":113,"title":98},[93,94,95,96,97],{"_type":101,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"spendModel":104,"textChat":105},[107,108,109,110,111,112],{"headline":143,"keyPoints":144,"summary":145},"Start with one small thing together",[],"Start by moving around, choosing a block, and trying one small thing together. Follow what interests your child, and practise saving before you stop. You can learn alongside them.","introducing-your-kids-to-minecraft","Introducing your kids to Minecraft: the first session together",[61],[150,152],{"date":125,"note":151},"Added a clearer first-session sequence, instructions for selecting and placing blocks, screenshots beside each activity, and short highlights.",{"date":128,"note":153},"Reworked the guide around the first session, using original gameplay, keyboard controls, the tutorial fix, exploration and leaving the world.",{"_id":155,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":156,"excerpt":157,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":158,"featuredImageUrl":159,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":68,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":160,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":161,"timeToDo":7,"title":162,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"2a38baa3-4ddf-4dee-9f0c-e331810759dd",830,"Ten years after joining Tauren Where It Counts, I’m looking back at the raids, running jokes and friendships I still make time for, through marriage, two kids and a long break from raiding.","“10 years of TWIC” anniversary graphic for Tauren Where It Counts, with gold and orange lettering on a dark background.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F157247e786fe7c0cb06597407e57c15f349f81ca-1720x722.png","2026-10-22T10:55:35.625Z","ten-years-with-my-world-of-warcraft-guild","Ten years, two kids, and the World of Warcraft guild I never left",{"_id":164,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":165,"excerpt":166,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":167,"featuredImageUrl":168,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":169,"quickAnswer":170,"slug":173,"timeToDo":7,"title":174,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"8aI8S9xlkRICgxHcEveXqz",310,"Yes. Star Fox now supports four-player split-screen Battle Mode on one Switch 2. Here is what to update, which controllers work, and how it differs from campaign co-op.","Four split-screen views of Star Fox Battle Mode above a sunlit ocean and rocky islands.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fb89976e552bfa85a239d489774f0be8b31588e43-1080x603.webp","2026-10-10T18:31:00.000Z",{"headline":171,"keyPoints":7,"summary":172},"Four players in Battle Mode; two in campaign co-op.","Update Star Fox, then choose Battle Mode > Local Battle. You need one controller per player; a single sideways Joy-Con 2 or original Joy-Con works for split-screen Battle Mode.","star-fox-four-player-split-screen","Can four people play Star Fox on one Switch 2?",{"_id":176,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":177,"excerpt":178,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":179,"featuredImageUrl":180,"gamePlacement":181,"group":83,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":54,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":182,"publishedAt":186,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":187,"timeToDo":7,"title":188,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD1xB",254,"Already own Minecraft digitally on Switch? Check the limited-time Switch 2 upgrade before paying again, and know what it means for split-screen play.","Two black original Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers resting on a pale surface.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fef6192d51a34051774d15252bfdf7b16627c5c35-1600x1067.jpg",{"groupKey":82,"order":7},{"_id":86,"ageGuidance":87,"excerpt":88,"featuredImageUrl":89,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":91,"multiplayerOptions":183,"name":98,"parentBottomLine":99,"parentSafetyFacts":184,"platforms":185,"slug":113,"title":98},[93,94,95,96,97],{"_type":101,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"spendModel":104,"textChat":105},[107,108,109,110,111,112],"2026-10-10T15:34:00.000Z","minecraft-switch-2-free-upgrade","Do you need to buy Minecraft again for Switch 2?",{"_id":190,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":191,"excerpt":192,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":193,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":198,"quickAnswer":199,"slug":206,"timeToDo":7,"title":207,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD3JB",503,"Instagram changed substantially: under-18s now default into Teen Accounts (PG-13, private for under-16) they can't opt out of, and under-16s need permission to loosen them. The feed's pull stays a conversation.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":194,"settingsThatMatter":195,"shouldWorry":196,"whatToDoNow":197},"their friends are on it: the defaults make it more defensible than before, if the age is real and supervision is on.","The age on file (it sets Teen Account defaults) and parental supervision, which keeps approval for looser settings in your hands.","Less than its reputation now, on the contact and content side, which the defaults handle. The part that's unchanged is the feed's effect on attention and comparison.","Confirm the real age is on the account, then turn on parental supervision through Family Center so the protections can't be quietly loosened.","2026-06-08T09:00:00Z",{"headline":200,"keyPoints":201,"summary":205},"More locked down by default than its reputation",[202,203,204],"Under-18s default into Teen Accounts they can't opt out of","Under-16: private, strict messaging, sensitive content limited","Loosening settings needs a parent's permission via supervision","Instagram now places under-18s into Teen Accounts by default (PG-13, private for under-16, strict messaging) they can't opt out of, with under-16s needing a parent's permission to loosen them.","is-instagram-safe-for-kids","Is Instagram safe for kids?",{"_id":209,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":210,"excerpt":211,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":68,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":212,"publishedAt":233,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":234,"timeToDo":7,"title":235,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD281",892,"The hard part of keeping a kid off Roblox was never the blocking. It's the conversation, because saying no to the game is also saying no to where a chunk of their friendships currently live.",{"_id":213,"ageGuidance":214,"excerpt":215,"featuredImageUrl":216,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":218,"minimumAge":219,"multiplayerOptions":220,"name":222,"parentBottomLine":223,"parentSafetyFacts":224,"platforms":230,"slug":232,"title":222},"game-roblox","Use Roblox Kids for 5 to 8, Roblox Select for 9 to 15. For older kids on regular accounts, keep voice chat off and text chat at the most restrictive level until you've decided otherwise for this specific kid.","Roblox is unavoidable if you have a kid in the 6 to 12 range, and I no longer recommend it. The 2026 reforms are real, and they all operate inside Roblox while the pattern that keeps showing up runs outside it. Here's the reasoning, plus the setup that matters if it's staying anyway.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F7d6b2bc4ff3ba8011cc2a8656c691c47840f8ba3-1200x675.png","not-recommended",15,5,[93,96,221,97],"online-competitive","Roblox","MPC doesn’t recommend Roblox. Its safety controls help inside Roblox, but cannot protect a child when someone moves the conversation to another app.",{"canPause":225,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"lootBoxes":225,"parentalControls":226,"readingLoad":225,"recurringPass":225,"saveFriction":225,"spendModel":228,"strangerContact":225,"textChat":105,"userGeneratedContent":229,"voiceChat":105},"unknown",{"coverage":225,"inGame":225,"platformLevel":103,"url":227},"https:\u002F\u002Fabout.roblox.com\u002Fparental-controls","in-app","open",[107,108,109,110,111,231],"vr","roblox","2026-06-02T12:00:00Z","saying-no-to-roblox","Saying No to Roblox When Everyone Else Says Yes",{"_id":237,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":238,"excerpt":239,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":68,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":240,"publishedAt":233,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":245,"timeToDo":7,"title":246,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HWS",1428,"It's easy to file each Roblox horror story under awful but rare. Read a stack of them together and the same pattern keeps showing up, which is a lot harder to wave off.",{"_id":213,"ageGuidance":214,"excerpt":215,"featuredImageUrl":216,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":218,"minimumAge":219,"multiplayerOptions":241,"name":222,"parentBottomLine":223,"parentSafetyFacts":242,"platforms":244,"slug":232,"title":222},[93,96,221,97],{"canPause":225,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"lootBoxes":225,"parentalControls":243,"readingLoad":225,"recurringPass":225,"saveFriction":225,"spendModel":228,"strangerContact":225,"textChat":105,"userGeneratedContent":229,"voiceChat":105},{"coverage":225,"inGame":225,"platformLevel":103,"url":227},[107,108,109,110,111,231],"roblox-stories-arent-one-offs","The Roblox Stories Aren't One-Offs Anymore",{"_id":248,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":249,"excerpt":250,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":251,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":256,"quickAnswer":257,"slug":266,"timeToDo":7,"title":267,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhDChl",1145,"The idea is older than it sounds and the setup takes about ten minutes. The hard part is keeping the account alive long enough for it to matter, and not overthinking what to put in it.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":252,"settingsThatMatter":253,"shouldWorry":254,"whatToDoNow":255},"If a friend mentioned theirs and your kid wants their own email, that's a different conversation about supervised accounts and parental controls. This guide is for the version you run quietly, for them, not with them.","Two settings carry the whole thing: a recovery email pointed at your personal account, so inactivity warnings actually reach you, and the provider's beneficiary or inactive-account option if it has one. Gmail's Inactive Account Manager lets you set who gets access if you stop logging in, which is the closest thing to a backstop.","Not really. The worst case is a forgotten inbox, which is roughly what happens to most baby books too. It's more about whether the format will mean something to you than whether it's a risk worth managing.","Open any free account, set the recovery address to your own email, and send one thing today. The earlier you start the more it accumulates. The first email is the only one that's awkward.","2026-05-25T12:00:00.000Z",{"headline":258,"keyPoints":259,"summary":265},"Open a free email account, send things to it over the years, hand it over later.",[260,261,262,263,264],"The username barely matters; nobody else will ever see it","Log in once or twice a year or you risk losing the account to inactivity","Set your own email as the recovery address so warning notices reach you","Don't put videos in the inbox; use the provider's cloud drive or your own backup","Treat it as a supplement to a physical record, not a replacement","Pick any provider. Send photos, voice notes, and the small stuff that won't survive a phone upgrade. Log in once or twice a year so the account isn't deleted, and back up the important pieces somewhere you control.","email-address-for-your-newborn","Why I made an email address for each of my kids when they were born",{"_id":269,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":270,"excerpt":271,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":28,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":272,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":277,"quickAnswer":278,"slug":287,"timeToDo":7,"title":288,"topics":7,"updateNotes":289,"updatedAt":7},"RT5gHQWRhYDhfTp0YGrgbo",689,"Most screen-time advice is written for parents preventing a problem. This is for the rest of us. The families already in it, who need a real plan for walking it back without burning the house down.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":273,"settingsThatMatter":274,"shouldWorry":275,"whatToDoNow":276},"Meltdowns about losing screen time are the predictable middle of the curve, not a sign you broke something. Ride it out without giving back what you cut. The protest phase usually settles in a few days to two weeks.","Charging station outside bedrooms. Notifications off on every app that isn't human-to-human. Family account so app installs need approval. Bedtime mode set to actually shut things down. Architecture before policing.","Not in the way the rest of the internet wants. You didn't fail, you adapted. The conditions made it necessary. If they've changed, the screen time can too.","Do two things in the next 48 hours. Move device charging out of any bedroom to a central spot. Turn off notifications on everything that isn't a person talking to your kid. Don't cut screen time yet. That comes later.","2026-05-13T16:53:00.000Z",{"headline":279,"keyPoints":280,"summary":286},"Climbing down from a lot of screen time is a recalibration, not a rescue mission.",[281,282,283,284,285],"You didn't fail. You adapted. The necessity period was correct at the time, even if you want a different shape now.","Start with environmental changes (where the device lives, notifications off) before reducing any time.","Taper roughly 30 minutes per week rather than going cold turkey. The slow climb-down sticks in fragile households.","Don't aim for zero unless you want zero. Most families land around an hour a day with shape, and that's fine.","Genuine-need screen hours (work crunch, sick parent, no childcare) are the last hours to touch, not the first.","You didn't fail. You adapted. The move from a lot of screen time back to a little is a recalibration, not a rescue mission. Environmental changes first, slow taper second, no judgment about how you got here.","climbing-down-from-a-lot-of-screen-time","Climbing Down From a Lot of Screen Time",[290],{"date":291,"note":292},"2026-05-13T17:31:00.000Z","Initial draft. Written for parents climbing down from a heavy screen-time period (COVID, career, caregiving) without judgment about how they got there.",{"_id":294,"answerFallback":295,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"bodyWordCount":296,"excerpt":297,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"kind":298,"lastReviewedAt":299,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":299,"quickAnswer":300,"slug":308,"timeToDo":7,"title":309,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HnE","A small kid-proof box next to your TV. The kids turn it on, pick a game from a menu of consoles you've set up, and play. Works for everything from NES through PlayStation, all on a single wireless controller.",2276,"Build a kid-proof retro gaming console with a Raspberry Pi and your old cartridges. Plays NES through PlayStation. Around $80 to $130 in parts, a weekend of setup, no Linux experience required.","build","2026-05-07T00:00:00Z",{"headline":301,"keyPoints":302,"summary":307},"A weekend project to play your old game cartridges on a Raspberry Pi",[303,304,305,306],"Total cost: $80 to $130, depending on what you have lying around","Plays everything up through PlayStation","Setup takes a weekend; no Linux experience required","Kiosk mode keeps kids out of system settings","Build a small kid-proof retro gaming console using a Raspberry Pi and RetroPie. Works for everything up through PlayStation. Total cost: $80 to $130 depending on what you already own.","retro-gaming-pi-build","Bringing Your Nostalgia Home: Building an Affordable  Retro Gaming System Your Kids Will Love to Use",{"data":311,"sourceMap":-1},{"_id":49,"affiliateLinks":7,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"body":312,"bodyWordCount":50,"build":7,"commentsEnabled":7,"excerpt":51,"faqItems":1203,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":52,"featuredImageUrl":53,"gamePlacement":7,"gameTypes":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"keyTakeaways":7,"kind":54,"lastReviewedAt":55,"mediaSources":1212,"nextInGroup":7,"parentBottomLine":7,"parentDecision":7,"partnerLinks":7,"platforms":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":56,"quickAnswer":7,"relatedGames":1251,"seo":1294,"slug":57,"timeToDo":7,"title":58,"topics":1297,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},[313,337,353,362,378,398,409,428,436,463,471,487,500,512,524,536,548,556,568,584,592,608,617,625,666,673,709,731,739,768,789,797,816,836,844,862,884,892,929,949,957,965,977,989,1001,1013,1039,1047,1063,1071,1091,1103,1111,1124,1136,1148,1160,1172,1195],{"_key":314,"_type":315,"children":316,"markDefs":335,"style":336},"f3","block",[317,323,327,331],{"_key":318,"_type":319,"marks":320,"text":322},"ftp-seo-f2p-definition","span",[321],"strong","F2P means free to play",{"_key":324,"_type":319,"marks":325,"text":326},"lead0",[],". These games have ",{"_key":328,"_type":319,"marks":329,"text":330},"lead1",[321],"no upfront game price",{"_key":332,"_type":319,"marks":333,"text":334},"lead2",[],". Your child can download or access the free part and begin playing without buying the game.",[],"normal",{"_key":338,"_type":315,"children":339,"markDefs":352,"style":336},"f7",[340,344,348],{"_key":341,"_type":319,"marks":342,"text":343},"f4",[],"That means your child can be right when they say, “It’s free.” You can also be right to ask what happens after they open it. ",{"_key":345,"_type":319,"marks":346,"text":347},"f5",[321],"Free access does not mean every item or activity is included.",{"_key":349,"_type":319,"marks":350,"text":351},"f6",[]," It also tells you nothing about the age rating, who can talk to them or how easy it is to stop.",[],{"_key":354,"_type":315,"children":355,"markDefs":360,"style":361},"f9",[356],{"_key":357,"_type":319,"marks":358,"text":359},"f8",[],"Are free-to-play games really free?",[],"h2",{"_key":363,"_type":315,"children":364,"markDefs":377,"style":336},"fd",[365,369,373],{"_key":366,"_type":319,"marks":367,"text":368},"fa",[],"Often, yes. A free-to-play game can offer substantial play without a purchase. The useful question is ",{"_key":370,"_type":319,"marks":371,"text":372},"fb",[321],"what a non-paying player can actually do",{"_key":374,"_type":319,"marks":375,"text":376},"fc",[],": join friends, choose characters, reach later stages or enjoy the same activities.",[],{"_key":379,"_type":315,"children":380,"markDefs":394,"style":336},"fi",[381,385,390],{"_key":382,"_type":319,"marks":383,"text":384},"fe",[],"The answer varies. Some games sell appearance changes. Others sell extra content or resources that help players progress. ",{"_key":386,"_type":319,"marks":387,"text":389},"fg",[388],"ff","Steam’s explanation of free-to-play games",{"_key":391,"_type":319,"marks":392,"text":393},"fh",[]," makes the basic distinction: access can be free while purchases remain available inside. An account, compatible device and internet connection may still be needed.",[395],{"_key":388,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":397,"target":7},"link","https:\u002F\u002Fpartner.steamgames.com\u002Fdoc\u002Fstore\u002Ffreetoplay",{"_key":399,"_type":400,"alt":401,"caption":402,"children":7,"image":403,"imageUrl":408,"markDefs":7},"ftp-epic-free-store","figure","Epic Games Store lists Fortnite, Rocket League, Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero as free base games.","Free describes the entry price. Epic Games Store catalogue, captured October 25, 2026. Shown games are examples, not recommendations. Screenshot: Epic Games Store \u002F MPC.",{"_type":404,"alt":401,"asset":405},"image",{"_ref":406,"_type":407},"image-37b06f99ff71a63d4ca6e8fe1207327935f90bb4-1388x675-jpg","reference","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F37b06f99ff71a63d4ca6e8fe1207327935f90bb4-1388x675.jpg",{"_key":410,"_type":315,"children":411,"markDefs":425,"style":336},"ftp-epic-store-credit",[412,416,421],{"_key":413,"_type":319,"marks":414,"text":415},"ftp-src-label",[],"Source: ",{"_key":417,"_type":319,"marks":418,"text":420},"ftp-src-link",[419],"ftp-store-source","Epic’s Top Free To Play collection",{"_key":422,"_type":319,"marks":423,"text":424},"ftp-src-stop",[],".",[426],{"_key":419,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":427,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.epicgames.com\u002Fcollection\u002Ftop-free-to-play",{"_key":429,"_type":315,"children":430,"markDefs":435,"style":361},"fk",[431],{"_key":432,"_type":319,"marks":433,"text":434},"fj",[],"How do free games make money?",[],{"_key":437,"_type":315,"children":438,"markDefs":460,"style":336},"f19",[439,443,447,451,456],{"_key":440,"_type":319,"marks":441,"text":442},"f13",[],"Free-to-play games can make money from purchases inside the game, advertising or both. Some players buy extras while others keep playing without paying. ",{"_key":444,"_type":319,"marks":445,"text":446},"f14",[321],"Not every free game uses ads",{"_key":448,"_type":319,"marks":449,"text":450},"f15",[],", and the examples below use different ways to earn money. ",{"_key":452,"_type":319,"marks":453,"text":455},"f17",[454],"f16","ESRB’s mobile-game guide",{"_key":457,"_type":319,"marks":458,"text":459},"f18",[]," explains the mixture of advertising and purchases.",[461],{"_key":454,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":462,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.esrb.org\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-parents-need-to-know-about-mobile-games\u002F",{"_key":464,"_type":315,"children":465,"markDefs":470,"style":361},"ftp-seo-in-app-heading",[466],{"_key":467,"_type":319,"marks":468,"text":469},"ftp-seo-in-app-heading-text",[],"What does in-app purchase mean?",[],{"_key":472,"_type":315,"children":473,"markDefs":486,"style":336},"ftp-seo-in-app-definition",[474,478,482],{"_key":475,"_type":319,"marks":476,"text":477},"ftp-iap-1",[],"An ",{"_key":479,"_type":319,"marks":480,"text":481},"ftp-iap-2",[321],"in-app purchase",{"_key":483,"_type":319,"marks":484,"text":485},"ftp-iap-3",[]," is something you buy from inside an app or game, after downloading it. It might be game currency, an outfit, extra content or a subscription. In a game, you may also see it called an in-game purchase. Here are some common examples.",[],{"_key":488,"_type":315,"children":489,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":499,"style":336},"fn",[490,494],{"_key":491,"_type":319,"marks":492,"text":493},"fl",[321],"Game currency:",{"_key":495,"_type":319,"marks":496,"text":497},"fm",[]," coins, gems or other units used in the game’s shop. V-Bucks and Robux are examples. Some can be earned and some bought with real money. Before a purchase, translate the amount back into dollars and check whether you have to buy a larger pack than you need.","bullet",[],{"_key":501,"_type":315,"children":502,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":511,"style":336},"fq",[503,507],{"_key":504,"_type":319,"marks":505,"text":506},"fo",[321],"Skins and other cosmetics:",{"_key":508,"_type":319,"marks":509,"text":510},"fp",[]," an outfit, decoration or animation that changes how a character or object looks. “Cosmetic” describes what the item changes. It does not mean a child will care less about having it.",[],{"_key":513,"_type":315,"children":514,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":523,"style":336},"fw",[515,519],{"_key":516,"_type":319,"marks":517,"text":518},"fu",[321],"Subscriptions:",{"_key":520,"_type":319,"marks":521,"text":522},"fv",[]," recurring payments for a package of benefits. Fortnite Crew is one example. Check the renewal date, how to cancel and what happens to benefits after cancellation.",[],{"_key":525,"_type":315,"children":526,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":535,"style":336},"fz",[527,531],{"_key":528,"_type":319,"marks":529,"text":530},"fx",[321],"Upgrades, resources or access:",{"_key":532,"_type":319,"marks":533,"text":534},"fy",[]," purchases that help a player improve something, progress faster or enter extra content. These affect more than appearance. What is sold depends on the particular game.",[],{"_key":537,"_type":315,"children":538,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":547,"style":336},"f12",[539,543],{"_key":540,"_type":319,"marks":541,"text":542},"f10",[321],"Random rewards:",{"_key":544,"_type":319,"marks":545,"text":546},"f11",[]," a purchase that gives a chance at an item instead of letting the player choose exactly what they get. Check whether the screen promises a specific item or only a possible result.",[],{"_key":549,"_type":315,"children":550,"markDefs":555,"style":361},"ftp-seo-pass-heading",[551],{"_key":552,"_type":319,"marks":553,"text":554},"ftp-seo-pass-heading-text",[],"What is a battle pass?",[],{"_key":557,"_type":315,"children":558,"markDefs":567,"style":336},"ft",[559,563],{"_key":560,"_type":319,"marks":561,"text":562},"fr",[321],"A battle pass",{"_key":564,"_type":319,"marks":565,"text":566},"fs",[]," is a set of rewards unlocked through play, often with a free path and extra paid rewards. Some games call it a reward pass. Buying the paid pass may give access to rewards you still need to earn by playing, rather than give them all immediately.",[],{"_key":569,"_type":315,"children":570,"markDefs":583,"style":336},"ftp-seo-pass-check",[571,575,579],{"_key":572,"_type":319,"marks":573,"text":574},"ftp-pass-check1",[],"Before buying one, check ",{"_key":576,"_type":319,"marks":577,"text":578},"ftp-pass-check2",[321],"the play required and any deadline",{"_key":580,"_type":319,"marks":581,"text":582},"ftp-pass-check3",[],". Your child may need more time in the game to unlock the rewards they want.",[],{"_key":585,"_type":315,"children":586,"markDefs":591,"style":361},"f1b",[587],{"_key":588,"_type":319,"marks":589,"text":590},"f1a",[],"Six free-to-play examples you may recognise",[],{"_key":593,"_type":315,"children":594,"markDefs":607,"style":336},"f1f",[595,599,603],{"_key":596,"_type":319,"marks":597,"text":598},"f1c",[],"These are examples of how free access and spending work, ",{"_key":600,"_type":319,"marks":601,"text":602},"f1d",[321],"not a list of games MPC recommends for children",{"_key":604,"_type":319,"marks":605,"text":606},"f1e",[],". The linked reviews discuss the wider family decision.",[],{"_key":609,"_type":315,"children":610,"markDefs":615,"style":616},"f1h",[611],{"_key":612,"_type":319,"marks":613,"text":614},"f1g",[],"Fortnite",[],"h3",{"_key":618,"_type":315,"children":619,"markDefs":624,"style":336},"f1j",[620],{"_key":621,"_type":319,"marks":622,"text":623},"f1i",[],"Fortnite contains several different games and activities. Battle Royale, where players compete to be the last player or team left, and Zero Build, a version without building structures, are free to play. Optional purchases include outfits, passes and the recurring Crew subscription. 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Many are free to enter, while Robux can buy clothing for a player’s digital character and extras within individual games. ",{"_key":681,"_type":319,"marks":682,"text":683},"f1y",[321],"The costs and benefits vary from game to game.",{"_key":685,"_type":319,"marks":686,"text":687},"f1z",[]," Roblox explains its ",{"_key":689,"_type":319,"marks":690,"text":692},"f21",[691],"f20","platform",{"_key":694,"_type":319,"marks":695,"text":649},"f22",[],{"_key":697,"_type":319,"marks":698,"text":700},"f24",[699],"f23","Robux currency",{"_key":702,"_type":319,"marks":703,"text":424},"f25",[],[705,707],{"_key":691,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":706,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fabout.roblox.com\u002Fwhat-is-roblox",{"_key":699,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":708,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fen.help.roblox.com\u002Fhc\u002Fen-us\u002Farticles\u002F203313200-Ways-to-Get-Robux",{"_key":710,"_type":315,"children":711,"markDefs":725,"style":336},"f2b",[712,716,721],{"_key":713,"_type":319,"marks":714,"text":715},"f27",[],"MPC does not recommend Roblox. Read the ",{"_key":717,"_type":319,"marks":718,"text":720},"f29",[719],"f28","Roblox review and parent guidance",{"_key":722,"_type":319,"marks":723,"text":724},"f2a",[]," for the reasons beyond spending.",[726],{"_key":719,"_type":727,"blank":7,"href":7,"reference":728,"target":729},"internalLink",{"_ref":213,"_type":407},{"_type":730,"hubSlug":7,"kind":7,"overviewOnly":26,"slug":232},"game",{"_key":732,"_type":315,"children":733,"markDefs":738,"style":616},"f2d",[734],{"_key":735,"_type":319,"marks":736,"text":737},"f2c",[],"Rocket League",[],{"_key":740,"_type":315,"children":741,"markDefs":763,"style":336},"f2l",[742,746,751,754,759],{"_key":743,"_type":319,"marks":744,"text":745},"f2e",[],"Rocket League is a free game of soccer played with cars. Optional purchases include vehicle customisation and the paid Rocket Pass reward path. Its currency is called Credits. 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Players can buy Show-Bucks, its shop currency, and use them for the Fame Pass, which offers costumes and other rewards unlocked through play. There is also a free reward path. The ",{"_key":805,"_type":319,"marks":806,"text":808},"f2v",[807],"f2u","Fame Pass page",{"_key":810,"_type":319,"marks":811,"text":812},"f2w",[]," shows how the two paths work.",[814],{"_key":807,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":815,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fallguys.com\u002Fen-US\u002Ffame-pass",{"_key":817,"_type":315,"children":818,"markDefs":830,"style":336},"f32",[819,822,827],{"_key":820,"_type":319,"marks":821,"text":774},"f2y",[],{"_key":823,"_type":319,"marks":824,"text":826},"f30",[825],"f2z","Fall Guys review",{"_key":828,"_type":319,"marks":829,"text":424},"f31",[],[831],{"_key":825,"_type":727,"blank":7,"href":7,"reference":832,"target":834},{"_ref":833,"_type":407},"game-fall-guys",{"_type":730,"hubSlug":7,"kind":7,"overviewOnly":26,"slug":835},"fall-guys",{"_key":837,"_type":315,"children":838,"markDefs":843,"style":616},"f34",[839],{"_key":840,"_type":319,"marks":841,"text":842},"f33",[],"Marvel Rivals",[],{"_key":845,"_type":315,"children":846,"markDefs":859,"style":336},"f39",[847,851,856],{"_key":848,"_type":319,"marks":849,"text":850},"f35",[],"Marvel Rivals is a free team game featuring Marvel heroes and villains. The developer describes heroes, maps and gameplay as free, with optional paid outfits and other appearance changes. See its ",{"_key":852,"_type":319,"marks":853,"text":855},"f37",[854],"f36","explanation of cosmetic purchases",{"_key":857,"_type":319,"marks":858,"text":424},"f38",[],[860],{"_key":854,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":861,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.marvelrivals.com\u002Fdevdiaries\u002F20241205\u002F40954_1198123.html",{"_key":863,"_type":315,"children":864,"markDefs":878,"style":336},"f3e",[865,869,874],{"_key":866,"_type":319,"marks":867,"text":868},"f3a",[],"MPC does not recommend it for family play. Read the ",{"_key":870,"_type":319,"marks":871,"text":873},"f3c",[872],"f3b","Marvel Rivals review",{"_key":875,"_type":319,"marks":876,"text":877},"f3d",[]," for the spending, chat and stopping concerns from my own sessions.",[879],{"_key":872,"_type":727,"blank":7,"href":7,"reference":880,"target":882},{"_ref":881,"_type":407},"63ff923b-b314-49e7-bac0-ea08bec2e552",{"_type":730,"hubSlug":7,"kind":7,"overviewOnly":26,"slug":883},"marvel-rivals",{"_key":885,"_type":315,"children":886,"markDefs":891,"style":616},"f3g",[887],{"_key":888,"_type":319,"marks":889,"text":890},"f3f",[],"Clash Royale",[],{"_key":893,"_type":315,"children":894,"markDefs":924,"style":336},"f3q",[895,899,903,907,912,916,921],{"_key":896,"_type":319,"marks":897,"text":898},"f3h",[],"Clash Royale is a free competitive game in which players use cards to send characters into battle. Purchases can include currency and resources used to improve cards. ",{"_key":900,"_type":319,"marks":901,"text":902},"f3i",[321],"Spending can affect progress",{"_key":904,"_type":319,"marks":905,"text":906},"f3j",[],", so this is a different decision from buying a new outfit. See ",{"_key":908,"_type":319,"marks":909,"text":911},"f3l",[910],"f3k","Supercell’s parent guide",{"_key":913,"_type":319,"marks":914,"text":915},"f3m",[]," and its ",{"_key":917,"_type":319,"marks":918,"text":920},"f3o",[919],"f3n","card progression explanation",{"_key":922,"_type":319,"marks":923,"text":424},"f3p",[],[925,927],{"_key":910,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":926,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fsupercell.com\u002Fen\u002Fparents\u002F",{"_key":919,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":928,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fsupercell.com\u002Fen\u002Fgames\u002Fclashroyale\u002Fblog\u002Frelease-notes\u002Fdecember-update-2025\u002F",{"_key":930,"_type":315,"children":931,"markDefs":943,"style":336},"f3v",[932,935,940],{"_key":933,"_type":319,"marks":934,"text":774},"f3r",[],{"_key":936,"_type":319,"marks":937,"text":939},"f3t",[938],"f3s","Clash Royale review",{"_key":941,"_type":319,"marks":942,"text":424},"f3u",[],[944],{"_key":938,"_type":727,"blank":7,"href":7,"reference":945,"target":947},{"_ref":946,"_type":407},"game-clash-royale",{"_type":730,"hubSlug":7,"kind":7,"overviewOnly":26,"slug":948},"clash-royale",{"_key":950,"_type":315,"children":951,"markDefs":956,"style":361},"f3x",[952],{"_key":953,"_type":319,"marks":954,"text":955},"f3w",[],"Free to play, free trial or included with a subscription?",[],{"_key":958,"_type":315,"children":959,"markDefs":964,"style":336},"f3z",[960],{"_key":961,"_type":319,"marks":962,"text":963},"f3y",[],"The word “free” can describe several different offers. Check which one you are looking at before downloading.",[],{"_key":966,"_type":315,"children":967,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":976,"style":336},"f42",[968,972],{"_key":969,"_type":319,"marks":970,"text":971},"f40",[321],"Free to play:",{"_key":973,"_type":319,"marks":974,"text":975},"f41",[]," ongoing access to the free part of a game, with possible purchases or other ways the company earns money.",[],{"_key":978,"_type":315,"children":979,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":988,"style":336},"f45",[980,984],{"_key":981,"_type":319,"marks":982,"text":983},"f43",[321],"A demo or free trial:",{"_key":985,"_type":319,"marks":986,"text":987},"f44",[]," a sample of a game or access for a limited time. It may stop at a certain point. A subscription trial may also start charging when it ends, so read the terms.",[],{"_key":990,"_type":315,"children":991,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":1000,"style":336},"f48",[992,996],{"_key":993,"_type":319,"marks":994,"text":995},"f46",[321],"Included with a subscription:",{"_key":997,"_type":319,"marks":998,"text":999},"f47",[]," access paid for through a membership. Apple Arcade is one example. The game may have no separate price, but the membership still costs money.",[],{"_key":1002,"_type":315,"children":1003,"level":137,"listItem":498,"markDefs":1012,"style":336},"f4b",[1004,1008],{"_key":1005,"_type":319,"marks":1006,"text":1007},"f49",[321],"A giveaway:",{"_key":1009,"_type":319,"marks":1010,"text":1011},"f4a",[]," a normally paid game offered at no charge under a particular promotion. Check the claiming deadline and whether you keep access afterwards.",[],{"_key":1014,"_type":315,"children":1015,"markDefs":1034,"style":336},"f4i",[1016,1021,1025,1030],{"_key":1017,"_type":319,"marks":1018,"text":1020},"f4d",[1019],"f4c","Steam’s demo documentation",{"_key":1022,"_type":319,"marks":1023,"text":1024},"f4e",[]," describes playable samples. ",{"_key":1026,"_type":319,"marks":1027,"text":1029},"f4g",[1028],"f4f","Apple Arcade",{"_key":1031,"_type":319,"marks":1032,"text":1033},"f4h",[]," illustrates a separate subscription model, with no additional in-app purchases or ads in its included games.",[1035,1037],{"_key":1019,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":1036,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fpartner.steamgames.com\u002Fdoc\u002Fstore\u002Fapplication\u002Fdemos",{"_key":1028,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":1038,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.apple.com\u002Fapple-arcade\u002F",{"_key":1040,"_type":315,"children":1041,"markDefs":1046,"style":361},"f4k",[1042],{"_key":1043,"_type":319,"marks":1044,"text":1045},"f4j",[],"Optional purchases can still be hard to ignore",[],{"_key":1048,"_type":315,"children":1049,"markDefs":1062,"style":336},"f4o",[1050,1054,1058],{"_key":1051,"_type":319,"marks":1052,"text":1053},"f4l",[],"During my first few days with Marvel Rivals, I kept encountering invitations to buy things. After a couple of games, I also found it difficult to get back to playing more. ",{"_key":1055,"_type":319,"marks":1056,"text":1057},"f4m",[321],"I could play without buying outfits",{"_key":1059,"_type":319,"marks":1060,"text":1061},"f4n",[],", but the experience still felt too focused on spending for me to recommend it to families.",[],{"_key":1064,"_type":400,"alt":1065,"caption":1066,"children":7,"image":1067,"imageUrl":1070,"markDefs":7},"f4p","Marvel Rivals costume bundle with a Purchase button, showing an optional paid extra inside a free game.","An optional costume bundle in my October 22, 2026 recording. The displayed price is one offer on my account. Screenshot: Shannon \u002F MPC.",{"_type":404,"alt":1065,"asset":1068},{"_ref":1069,"_type":407},"image-65b6cb6af3f1ebfa877dcd8f0784d0ccf255faa3-2560x1440-png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F65b6cb6af3f1ebfa877dcd8f0784d0ccf255faa3-2560x1440.png",{"_key":1072,"_type":315,"children":1073,"markDefs":1086,"style":336},"f4u",[1074,1078,1083],{"_key":1075,"_type":319,"marks":1076,"text":1077},"f4q",[],"That is my experience with one game. It does not describe every free-to-play game or every child’s reaction. The fuller account is in ",{"_key":1079,"_type":319,"marks":1080,"text":1082},"f4s",[1081],"f4r","Why I’m not recommending Marvel Rivals to families",{"_key":1084,"_type":319,"marks":1085,"text":424},"f4t",[],[1087],{"_key":1081,"_type":727,"blank":7,"href":7,"reference":1088,"target":1089},{"_ref":63,"_type":407},{"_type":1090,"hubSlug":7,"kind":68,"overviewOnly":26,"slug":70},"article",{"_key":1092,"_type":315,"children":1093,"markDefs":1102,"style":336},"f4x",[1094,1098],{"_key":1095,"_type":319,"marks":1096,"text":1097},"f4v",[],"For your own decision, watch what happens when purchases are declined. Is the free part still enjoyable? Does the game keep interrupting with offers? Does a reward deadline make stopping harder? ",{"_key":1099,"_type":319,"marks":1100,"text":1101},"f4w",[321],"Optional spending can still become a regular family conversation.",[],{"_key":1104,"_type":315,"children":1105,"markDefs":1110,"style":361},"f4z",[1106],{"_key":1107,"_type":319,"marks":1108,"text":1109},"f4y",[],"Five checks before your child starts",[],{"_key":1112,"_type":315,"children":1113,"level":137,"listItem":1122,"markDefs":1123,"style":336},"f52",[1114,1118],{"_key":1115,"_type":319,"marks":1116,"text":1117},"f50",[321],"Choose the exact game or activity.",{"_key":1119,"_type":319,"marks":1120,"text":1121},"f51",[]," On platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite, the name alone is not enough. Look at what they will actually play and its content rating.","number",[],{"_key":1125,"_type":315,"children":1126,"level":137,"listItem":1122,"markDefs":1135,"style":336},"f55",[1127,1131],{"_key":1128,"_type":319,"marks":1129,"text":1130},"f53",[321],"Decide the spending rule in real money.",{"_key":1132,"_type":319,"marks":1133,"text":1134},"f54",[]," A zero-spend rule is a valid choice. If purchases are allowed, agree on a budget and ask to see the item, full cost and whether it renews before approving it.",[],{"_key":1137,"_type":315,"children":1138,"level":137,"listItem":1122,"markDefs":1147,"style":336},"f58",[1139,1143],{"_key":1140,"_type":319,"marks":1141,"text":1142},"f56",[321],"Check both the game account and the store taking payment.",{"_key":1144,"_type":319,"marks":1145,"text":1146},"f57",[]," Use the purchase approvals available for the account and device. Check existing currency balances too; blocking new payments may not stop spending currency already in the account.",[],{"_key":1149,"_type":315,"children":1150,"level":137,"listItem":1122,"markDefs":1159,"style":336},"f5b",[1151,1155],{"_key":1152,"_type":319,"marks":1153,"text":1154},"f59",[321],"Check who can contact them.",{"_key":1156,"_type":319,"marks":1157,"text":1158},"f5a",[]," Voice chat means talking through microphones; text chat means typed messages. Review both, along with friend requests and who can join their group. A spending limit does not control conversation.",[],{"_key":1161,"_type":315,"children":1162,"level":137,"listItem":1122,"markDefs":1171,"style":336},"f5e",[1163,1167],{"_key":1164,"_type":319,"marks":1165,"text":1166},"f5c",[321],"Find a comfortable stopping point.",{"_key":1168,"_type":319,"marks":1169,"text":1170},"f5d",[]," Try ending a session before relying on a timer. Check whether a match needs to finish, whether leaving has consequences and whether a paid reward encourages another round.",[],{"_key":1173,"_type":315,"children":1174,"markDefs":1192,"style":336},"f5k",[1175,1179,1184,1188],{"_key":1176,"_type":319,"marks":1177,"text":1178},"f5f",[],"For a concrete example of purchase-control limits, ",{"_key":1180,"_type":319,"marks":1181,"text":1183},"f5h",[1182],"f5g","Epic says its payment PIN",{"_key":1185,"_type":319,"marks":1186,"text":1187},"f5i",[]," applies to its own real-money payment service. It does not cover other platform checkouts or spending an existing V-Bucks balance. There is a separate permission for paid random items. ",{"_key":1189,"_type":319,"marks":1190,"text":1191},"f5j",[321],"One payment setting does not cover every purchase path.",[1193],{"_key":1182,"_type":396,"blank":26,"href":1194,"target":7},"https:\u002F\u002Fsafety.epicgames.com\u002Fen-US\u002Fparental-controls",{"_key":1196,"_type":315,"children":1197,"markDefs":1202,"style":336},"f5m",[1198],{"_key":1199,"_type":319,"marks":1200,"text":1201},"f5l",[],"Open the exact game together, try a session without buying anything, and look at the first purchase screen before deciding what spending, if any, belongs in your family’s plan.",[],[1204,1208],{"answer":1205,"featured":6,"intent":1206,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":1207},"Pay to win describes purchases that give a player an advantage over other players. It is different from free to play, which describes the cost of starting the game. Some free games sell only appearance changes; others sell upgrades or resources. ","money","What is pay to win, and is it the same as free to play?",{"answer":1209,"featured":26,"intent":1210,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":1211},"Free to play describes a payment model, not child suitability. Check the exact game’s content, online contact, purchase options and stopping behaviour. Use its age rating and a parent review alongside those checks.","safety","Are free-to-play games safe for children?",[1213,1216,1218,1220,1222,1224,1226,1228,1230,1234,1236,1238,1240,1242,1244,1246,1248],{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1214,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":397},"How free-to-play games work","website",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1217,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":661},"Fortnite: free experiences",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1219,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":663},"Fortnite Crew subscription",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1221,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":665},"Fortnite: purchases inside creator-made islands",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1223,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":706},"Roblox: platform and games",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1225,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":708},"Roblox: Robux",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1227,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":765},"Rocket League: free game listing",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1229,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":767},"Rocket League: Credits",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1231,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":1232,"url":1233},"Fall Guys artwork: Mediatonic \u002F Epic Games","Featured image: official Fame Pass costume artwork. Sourced October 25, 2026. Illustrates optional costumes; not a claim about current rewards or prices.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fallguys.com\u002Ffame-pass?lang=en-US",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1235,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":861},"Marvel Rivals: optional cosmetic purchases",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1237,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":926},"Supercell: parent guide",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1239,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":928},"Clash Royale: progression and upgrades",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1241,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":462},"ESRB: mobile games and advertising",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1243,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":1036},"Steamworks: game demos",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1245,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":1038},"Apple Arcade: subscription access",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1247,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":7,"url":1194},"Epic Games: parental controls and payment limits",{"clipTopics":7,"featuredClip":7,"label":1249,"platform":1215,"transcriptSummary":1250,"url":427},"Epic Games Store screenshot: free-to-play listings","Genuine storefront screenshot captured for MPC on October 25, 2026. Illustrates Free base-game labels, not recommendations for children.",[1252,1264,1269,1278,1286],{"_id":881,"ageGuidance":1253,"excerpt":1254,"featuredImageUrl":67,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":1255,"multiplayerOptions":1256,"name":842,"parentBottomLine":1257,"parentSafetyFacts":1258,"platforms":1263,"slug":883,"title":842},"The ESRB rating is Teen (13+); the UK Xbox listing shows PEGI 16. Those are official ratings, not an MPC recommended starting age. I don't recommend this for family play, and I haven't tested a child's reading, controls or independence.","A parent's Marvel Rivals review covering spending, chat, age ratings and stopping between matches, based on Shannon's first few days on Windows PC.",13,[96,221,97],"I don't recommend Marvel Rivals for family play. After a few days on Windows PC, the frequent invitations to spend and voice chat being on by default on my account were enough to put me off. This review is based on my own play, without child testing.",{"_type":101,"canPause":1259,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"lootBoxes":103,"parentalControls":1260,"readingLoad":225,"recurringPass":103,"saveFriction":225,"spendModel":228,"strangerContact":1262,"textChat":225,"textPace":225,"userGeneratedContent":225,"voiceChat":225,"voiceover":225},"no",{"_type":1261,"coverage":225,"inGame":225,"platformLevel":225},"parentalControls","likely",[107,111,110],{"_id":213,"ageGuidance":214,"excerpt":215,"featuredImageUrl":216,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":218,"minimumAge":219,"multiplayerOptions":1265,"name":222,"parentBottomLine":223,"parentSafetyFacts":1266,"platforms":1268,"slug":232,"title":222},[93,96,221,97],{"canPause":225,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"lootBoxes":225,"parentalControls":1267,"readingLoad":225,"recurringPass":225,"saveFriction":225,"spendModel":228,"strangerContact":225,"textChat":105,"userGeneratedContent":229,"voiceChat":105},{"coverage":225,"inGame":225,"platformLevel":103,"url":227},[107,108,109,110,111,231],{"_id":786,"ageGuidance":1270,"excerpt":1271,"featuredImageUrl":1272,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":1274,"multiplayerOptions":1275,"name":737,"parentBottomLine":1276,"parentSafetyFacts":7,"platforms":1277,"slug":788,"title":737},"8 is the floor for Rocket League because the car physics take some practice and the competitive pace is fast. Up through teen, the appeal holds steadily; older players find the ranked mode and tournaments. Cabined Accounts are the real gate for under-13 players.","Rocket League is cars playing soccer. Often dismissed as 'fine' because there's no shooting. Now an Epic title with cabined accounts, voice chat tiers, and Quick Chat that some lobbies abuse.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F234c229eeca507a626da8c9a7a8a54680a4e1911-1536x1024.png","cautious-yes",8,[93,94,96,221,97],"Cautious yes for ages 8 and up on a Cabined Account with voice chat off or limited. Rocket League's parent conversation is about Quick Chat behavior in lobbies, not the gameplay itself.",[107,112,110,111],{"_id":833,"ageGuidance":1279,"excerpt":1280,"featuredImageUrl":1281,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":91,"multiplayerOptions":1282,"name":795,"parentBottomLine":1283,"parentSafetyFacts":1284,"platforms":1285,"slug":835,"title":795},"7 is the floor for Fall Guys because the controls are simple, the matches are short, and the failure state (falling off a course) is comically anticlimactic. Up through 11 or so, the appeal holds. By 12 to 13, kids tend to move on to harder competitive games.","Fall Guys reads like a low-stakes party game and that's mostly accurate, but it shares the Epic ecosystem with Fortnite. Account setup, cosmetic pressure, and event tie-ins surprise families.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdc335fa006efa27f6195eeb107a14781bba6bf82-1920x1080.png",[96,221,97],"Cautious yes for ages 7 and up with age-appropriate Epic account controls. Fall Guys is gentle to the point of being slapstick, but the Epic ecosystem and the Show-Bucks pressure are the parent setup work.",{"_type":101,"checkedAt":102,"inAppPurchases":103,"spendModel":228},[107,112,110,111,108,109],{"_id":946,"ageGuidance":1287,"excerpt":1288,"featuredImageUrl":1289,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasOverview":26,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":1290,"multiplayerOptions":1291,"name":890,"parentBottomLine":1292,"parentSafetyFacts":7,"platforms":1293,"slug":948,"title":890},"Roughly twelve and up for kids who play it as one of several games and can hold the pay-to-win frame. Younger kids can absolutely understand the gameplay, but the spending pressure plays harder on a nine-year-old's relationship to losing than on a twelve-year-old's.","Rated E10+, App Store 9+, but the economic shape of the game in 2026 feels closer to 12+. The question isn't whether the game is appropriate, but whether the kid is ready to play a game with this monetization model.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5b9746f1addf2e699403544ee239d16d319a01e4-1152x648.png",12,[221,97],"Cautious yes for roughly 12+ who can hold the idea that the game wants their money. For younger kids, not yet. Less because the game is unsafe and more because the spending conversation is harder to have at nine than at twelve.",[108,109],{"canonicalUrl":7,"metaDescription":1295,"metaTitle":1296,"metaTitlePrefix":7,"noIndex":7,"ogDescription":7,"ogImageUrl":7,"ogTitle":7},"Learn what F2P means, how free games make money, and what in-app purchases, battle passes and pay-to-win mean for your family.","F2P meaning: Free-to-play games explained for parents | MPC",[60,61],{"data":1299,"sourceMap":-1},{"articles":1300,"authors":1315,"games":1320,"lists":1499,"overviews":1532},[1301,1302,1303,1304,1305,1306,1307,1308,1309,1310,1311,1312,1313,1314],{"_id":155,"excerpt":157,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":158,"imageUrl":159,"kind":68,"publishedAt":160,"slug":161,"title":162,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":63,"excerpt":65,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":66,"imageUrl":67,"kind":68,"publishedAt":69,"slug":70,"title":71,"updatedAt":74},{"_id":76,"excerpt":78,"gameSlug":113,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":79,"imageUrl":80,"kind":84,"publishedAt":114,"slug":119,"title":120,"updatedAt":125},{"_id":164,"excerpt":166,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":167,"imageUrl":168,"kind":28,"publishedAt":169,"slug":173,"title":174,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":176,"excerpt":178,"gameSlug":113,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":179,"imageUrl":180,"kind":54,"publishedAt":186,"slug":187,"title":188,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":209,"excerpt":211,"gameSlug":232,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":68,"publishedAt":233,"slug":234,"title":235,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":190,"excerpt":192,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":28,"publishedAt":198,"slug":206,"title":207,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":248,"excerpt":250,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":28,"publishedAt":256,"slug":266,"title":267,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":269,"excerpt":271,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":28,"publishedAt":277,"slug":287,"title":288,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":49,"excerpt":51,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":52,"imageUrl":53,"kind":54,"publishedAt":56,"slug":57,"title":58,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":131,"excerpt":133,"gameSlug":113,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":134,"imageUrl":135,"kind":28,"publishedAt":114,"slug":146,"title":147,"updatedAt":125},{"_id":22,"excerpt":25,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":27,"imageUrl":7,"kind":28,"publishedAt":7,"slug":43,"title":44,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":237,"excerpt":239,"gameSlug":232,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":68,"publishedAt":233,"slug":245,"title":246,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":294,"excerpt":297,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":26,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":298,"publishedAt":299,"slug":308,"title":309,"updatedAt":7},[1316],{"_id":1317,"credentials":7,"creditCount":1318,"imageUrl":1319,"name":23,"role":7,"sameAs":7,"slug":12},"bda9c6d1-b71c-4038-8f63-ad1641a55152",45,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fb3149ab50bd82f2fc9bbca6533a22f7b46efa8bc-502x508.png",[1321,1330,1332,1341,1349,1357,1365,1372,1379,1381,1390,1392,1399,1406,1413,1420,1427,1434,1437,1444,1451,1458,1462,1464,1471,1478,1485,1492],{"_id":1322,"excerpt":1323,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1324,"imageUrl":1325,"menuLabel":1326,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":7,"publishedAt":1328,"showInNav":7,"slug":1329,"title":1326,"updatedAt":7},"21e5d368-ebb7-401e-a906-d43478150866","A lovely first game for young children and Sesame Street fans. My four-year-old loved Tango's guidance and Grover's puzzles, with very little help from me.","A pink player character stands beside Tango on Sesame Street, with Find the Keys displayed at the top right.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F77886956181c808c0ff65ac2b7f710a99a78b62a-2560x1440.png","Sesame Street: Friends & Fun",0,"2026-10-13T18:55:11Z","sesame-street-friends-and-fun",{"_id":881,"excerpt":1254,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":66,"imageUrl":67,"menuLabel":842,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":7,"publishedAt":1331,"showInNav":7,"slug":883,"title":842,"updatedAt":7},"2026-10-25T23:26:36.897Z",{"_id":1333,"excerpt":1334,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1335,"imageUrl":1336,"menuLabel":1337,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1338,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1340,"title":1337,"updatedAt":1339},"game-among-us","Among Us looks innocent but chat is the entire game. A kid in public lobbies will be in chat with strangers, and Innersloth's under-13 parent-permission flow is the safety surface most families never set up.","Among Us crewmate characters in a meeting voting on who the impostor is.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdfd663dee7aee63d3a5af569452fe1ceece593c1-2400x1350.png","Among Us","breakout-hit","2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z","among-us",{"_id":1342,"excerpt":1343,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1344,"imageUrl":1345,"menuLabel":1346,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1348,"title":1346,"updatedAt":1339},"game-animal-crossing-new-horizons","Animal Crossing: New Horizons is often called the holy grail of safe multiplayer for younger kids. You only visit islands of people you have exchanged friend codes with. That's why it earns the reputation.","Animal Crossing: New Horizons player customizing their cozy island, with cartoon animal villagers in the background.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdf5cb2a6685ec164d89e59c2be6774d9da8e2d1b-1920x1080.png","Animal Crossing: New Horizons","mainstream","animal-crossing-new-horizons",{"_id":1350,"excerpt":1351,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1352,"imageUrl":1353,"menuLabel":1354,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1338,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":7,"slug":1356,"title":1354,"updatedAt":1339},"game-astro-bot","The full standalone follow-up to Astro's Playroom. Same studio, same gentle posture, much more content. Still single-player, still no online stuff to manage, still safe for a three-year-old with help.","Astro Bot Cover Art","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F86f70a980bdcae0e652163723347096ee55d5bfb-1920x1080.png","Astro Bot","2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z","astro-bot",{"_id":1358,"excerpt":1359,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1360,"imageUrl":1361,"menuLabel":1362,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1363,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1364,"title":1362,"updatedAt":1339},"game-astroneer","Astroneer is the Minecraft-but-calmer recommendation. Cooperative sandbox on procedurally generated planets. No combat, no enemies, just exploration and base-building.","Astroneer scene with a colorful astronaut character exploring a procedurally generated alien planet.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F44eb9c249a0d13347e16a0f1ce9530afcccd492b-616x353.png","Astroneer","niche","astroneer",{"_id":1366,"excerpt":1367,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1368,"imageUrl":1369,"menuLabel":1370,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":7,"slug":1371,"title":1370,"updatedAt":1339},"game-astros-playroom","The PS5 ships with Astro's Playroom already installed. We've used it as the on-ramp for our kids, including the three-year-old. Single-player, offline, no purchases, no chat.","Astro's playroom cover art from Playstation.com","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F29ba61cfe4ca81a8e13cba5e9e22d71ded0ef289-3840x2160.png","Astro's Playroom","astros-playroom",{"_id":1373,"excerpt":1374,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1375,"imageUrl":1376,"menuLabel":1377,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1378,"title":1377,"updatedAt":1339},"game-bluey-the-videogame","Bluey: The Videogame is a calm, character-led mini-game collection for ages 4 to 7. No chat, no online play, no purchases. The kind of first-game pick that doesn't demand anything of a parent.","Bluey and Bingo from the Bluey TV show in the Heeler family frontyard, the setting of Bluey: The Videogame.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F307c8a57f091ab9c409e7aae6d8a069c4ff73880-1920x1080.png","Bluey: The Videogame","bluey-the-videogame",{"_id":946,"excerpt":1288,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1380,"imageUrl":1289,"menuLabel":890,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":7,"slug":948,"title":890,"updatedAt":1339},"Clash Royale characters",{"_id":1382,"excerpt":1383,"finalRecommendation":1384,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1385,"imageUrl":1386,"menuLabel":1387,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1388,"showInNav":7,"slug":1389,"title":1387,"updatedAt":7},"game-disney-dreamlight-valley","A Disney game with plenty of appeal for older kids and adults: outfits to collect, a character to customise and some moderately challenging puzzles. My provisional fit is around 10+ for independent reading.","under-review","My character in Dreamlight Valley beside Disney characters, with the village and game interface visible.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F776b0eaa52878bfe0db57b7e534c898cae03917b-2560x1440.png","Disney Dreamlight Valley","2026-10-13T00:00:00Z","disney-dreamlight-valley",{"_id":833,"excerpt":1280,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1391,"imageUrl":1281,"menuLabel":795,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":835,"title":795,"updatedAt":1339},"Fall Guys Game, dozens of colorful blob characters racing through an obstacle course.",{"_id":1393,"excerpt":1394,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1395,"imageUrl":1396,"menuLabel":614,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1398,"title":614,"updatedAt":1339},"game-fortnite","Fortnite in 2026 is a launcher with a battle royale, a music game, a racing mode, and a Lego survival mode all behind one icon. The age question matters less than the account-setup question.","Fortnite Battle Royale match in progress, characters in colorful skins on a cartoon island.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fe7b9e128ea2e9bec4a9af698022a5428a68b5342-1000x1500.png","mega-hit","fortnite",{"_id":1400,"excerpt":1401,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1402,"imageUrl":1403,"menuLabel":1404,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1405,"title":1404,"updatedAt":1339},"game-it-takes-two","It Takes Two is the two-player parent-and-kid story everyone recommends, and the divorce framing is the conversation. Rated T. Wrenching moments parents should know about before the first scene plays.","It Takes Two co-op scene with the two parent-doll characters in a fantasy world setting.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F138602ec21aba7e6f91889a01b4cb06c5ce0d8b6-2400x1350.png","It Takes Two","it-takes-two",{"_id":1407,"excerpt":1408,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1409,"imageUrl":1410,"menuLabel":1411,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1412,"title":1411,"updatedAt":1339},"game-kirby-and-the-forgotten-land","Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the entry-level 3D platformer for kids who can't yet handle Mario Odyssey. Two-player mode lets a parent jump in as Bandana Waddle Dee for support.","Kirby and the Forgotten Land scene with Kirby exploring an abandoned cityscape with Bandana Waddle Dee.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F02a69fe855232049350df6c3d546ab59a0760f29-1920x1080.png","Kirby and the Forgotten Land","kirby-and-the-forgotten-land",{"_id":1414,"excerpt":1415,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1416,"imageUrl":1417,"menuLabel":1418,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1419,"title":1418,"updatedAt":1339},"game-lego-games-series","The LEGO games series is the reliable family co-op catalog. Drop-in\u002Fdrop-out couch co-op, forgiving checkpoints, and a generation of kids who learned 'collect everything' here.","LEGO Batman","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fcc4a2bad83002beb75bc54e782a73be6ce2bf41a-1600x700.png","LEGO Games (Series)","lego-games-series",{"_id":1421,"excerpt":1422,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1423,"imageUrl":1424,"menuLabel":1425,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1363,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1426,"title":1425,"updatedAt":1339},"game-lil-gator-game","Lil Gator Game is the open-world game without open-world problems. No combat, no fail state, just a gator with cardboard armor doing quests for friends.","Lil Gator Game scene with the gator protagonist wearing cardboard armor exploring a small island with animal friends.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fd72cb138b44e5dd5eee0a2529a6142a7b808e745-1920x1080.png","Lil Gator Game","lil-gator-game",{"_id":1428,"excerpt":1429,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1430,"imageUrl":1431,"menuLabel":1432,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1433,"title":1432,"updatedAt":1339},"game-mario-kart-8-deluxe","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the default Switch family game. Everyone names it. Worth a review anyway because parents ask about online lobbies, smart-steering options, and whether five-year-olds can keep up.","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe race in progress, four karts driving on a Rainbow Road circuit.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Ff4f3bf28a7de97d539b2e08cbe0dcca0995576c0-1240x698.png","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe","mario-kart-8-deluxe",{"_id":86,"excerpt":88,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":6,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1435,"imageUrl":89,"menuLabel":98,"pageCount":1436,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":6,"slug":113,"title":98,"updatedAt":1339},"Minecraft Cover Art",3,{"_id":1438,"excerpt":1439,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1440,"imageUrl":1441,"menuLabel":1442,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1443,"title":1442,"updatedAt":1339},"game-nintendo-switch-sports","Nintendo Switch Sports is the grandparent-visit default. Motion controls let preschoolers join in without learning a controller. Multi-generational family gaming.","Nintendo Switch Sports characters in a tennis match, Sportsmate avatars on a colorful court.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F8ff1de7dc81656c329a1b2f7f7b9867fe22b77f0-1920x1080.png","Nintendo Switch Sports","nintendo-switch-sports",{"_id":1445,"excerpt":1446,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1447,"imageUrl":1448,"menuLabel":1449,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1450,"title":1449,"updatedAt":1339},"game-overcooked-2","Overcooked 2 is the co-op cooking game everyone recommends as the parent-and-kid pick. Realistically, it can frustrate younger kids and parents need to know which levels actually work for mixed ability.","Overcooked 2 Official Cover Art","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fa338d062128e95a5a07d7d37ef957d68fc607561-2400x1350.png","Overcooked 2","overcooked-2",{"_id":1452,"excerpt":1453,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1454,"imageUrl":1455,"menuLabel":1456,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1457,"title":1456,"updatedAt":1339},"game-pokemon-scarlet-violet","Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the current Pokemon generation. The single-player core is the appeal. Tera Raids and Union Circle pull kids into casual online play with strangers, which parents rarely notice.","Pokemon Scarlet and Violet open-world scene with a trainer and starter Pokemon exploring the Paldea region.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5971b4f0d4231128d9dbdbfb90e7f83947a98610-500x430.png","Pokemon Scarlet & Violet","pokemon-scarlet-violet",{"_id":213,"excerpt":215,"finalRecommendation":217,"hasGuide":6,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1459,"imageUrl":216,"menuLabel":222,"pageCount":1460,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":6,"slug":232,"title":222,"updatedAt":1461},"Roblox Cover Art",2,"2026-07-14T12:00:00Z",{"_id":786,"excerpt":1271,"finalRecommendation":1273,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1463,"imageUrl":1272,"menuLabel":737,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1338,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":788,"title":737,"updatedAt":1339},"Rocket League video game, two rocket-powered cars chasing a giant soccer ball on a stadium pitch.",{"_id":1465,"excerpt":1466,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1467,"imageUrl":1468,"menuLabel":1469,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1355,"showInNav":7,"slug":1470,"title":1469,"updatedAt":1339},"game-sackboy-a-big-adventure","A 3D platformer with up to four-player local co-op. The one to reach for when the whole family is in the room at the same time. Cute, no violence, very forgiving when you turn the assist on.","Sackboy a Big Adventure","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fa01a9bd95055deded54d1eb6ce2e325726f4a8fd-2560x1440.png","Sackboy: A Big Adventure","sackboy-a-big-adventure",{"_id":1472,"excerpt":1473,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1474,"imageUrl":1475,"menuLabel":1476,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1363,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1477,"title":1476,"updatedAt":1339},"game-snipperclips","Snipperclips is the quietly perfect co-op puzzle game. Two players cut paper characters into shapes to solve problems together. No reading required. No fail state.","Snipperclips characters as paper cutouts working together to solve a shape puzzle.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F8ac0e396d236b910c05d3384177377cc58c2a23d-1280x720.png","Snipperclips","snipperclips",{"_id":1479,"excerpt":1480,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1481,"imageUrl":1482,"menuLabel":1483,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1347,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1484,"title":1483,"updatedAt":1339},"game-splatoon-3","Splatoon 3 is the rare kid-facing online shooter built without in-game voice chat. The chat surface is two preset phrases. Most parents dismiss it for the wrong reason.","Splatoon 3 Turf War match in progress, four squid-kid players covering the map in opposing-team ink.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F821cd9c20be43a72c2d26cc120d3a06c85b76238-2400x1350.png","Splatoon 3","splatoon-3",{"_id":1486,"excerpt":1487,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1488,"imageUrl":1489,"menuLabel":1490,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1338,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1491,"title":1490,"updatedAt":1339},"game-stardew-valley","Stardew Valley is the cozy farming sim parents love and underestimate the reading load on. For a fluent-reader kid who likes routine, it's a long, calm hit. For younger kids, it's a wall of menus.","Stardew Valley farm scene with crops, fences, and the player character watering plants in the early morning.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F7afc7f30d6a0acb1c8fe968e771214f1a9aeb014-1917x1078.png","Stardew Valley","stardew-valley",{"_id":1493,"excerpt":1494,"finalRecommendation":90,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1495,"imageUrl":1496,"menuLabel":1497,"pageCount":1327,"popularityTier":1397,"publishedAt":1339,"showInNav":7,"slug":1498,"title":1497,"updatedAt":1339},"game-super-mario-bros-wonder","Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the current 2D Mario. The badge system and difficulty options scale to mixed-ability play; four-player local co-op chaos is the family default.","Super Mario Bros. Wonder scene with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy in a colorful 2D platformer level.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fda6fbf18e5c69cb2c764623b87f7cf5070bb9aeb-2000x1000.png","Super Mario Bros. Wonder","super-mario-bros-wonder",[1500,1522],{"_id":1501,"_type":1502,"ageBandMax":91,"ageBandMin":1503,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"axis":1504,"entryCount":1505,"excerpt":1506,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":1507,"featuredImageUrl":1508,"forWhom":1509,"gameTypes":1510,"introText":1516,"lastReviewedAt":1517,"platforms":1518,"publishedAt":114,"slug":1519,"title":1520,"updatedAt":1521},"2e14a885-41f6-4200-8bd8-b696a9f431ac","gameList",4,"age",16,"A tiered first-games list for the four-to-seven stretch: what each game actually asks of a kid, and which one to hand them depending on where they are.","Astro's Playroom is Free with every PS5","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5ea80572204a807bea980f62eee17c83242d0fa6-1000x563.png","Parents of kids roughly four to seven, looking for a first real video game on a Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC. Not a phone, not a tablet. Less useful if you want an exhaustive directory of every kids' game ever made.",[1511,1512,1513,1514,1515],"platformer","party-family","creative-sandbox","cozy-life-sim","adventure","A four-year-old picking up a controller for the first time is learning two things at once: the game in front of them, and what gaming itself feels like. The second one is what lingers. A first game that fights them, or that is obviously cheap, teaches a lesson about the whole medium that takes a while to undo.\n\nMost of what comes up when you search for games for young kids has one of two problems. A lot of it is licensed shovelware tied to whatever cartoon is currently in rotation, and the rest is games built for older kids, recommended on the theory that a four-year-old will grow into them. What both versions miss is that four-to-seven is not one age. A four-year-old needs assist modes, soft fail states, and a game where mashing every button at once cannot break anything that matters. A seven-year-old can read, can lose without the evening ending, and can carry a save file across weeks. Those are different players.","2026-10-13T19:04:00.000Z",[112,111,110,107],"best-games-to-introduce-kids-ages-4-7","The best video games to introduce your kid to gaming (ages 4-7)","2026-10-13T19:03:00.000Z",{"_id":1523,"_type":1502,"ageBandMax":1290,"ageBandMin":219,"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"axis":1524,"entryCount":5,"excerpt":1525,"featured":26,"featuredImageAlt":1526,"featuredImageUrl":1489,"forWhom":1527,"gameTypes":7,"introText":1528,"lastReviewedAt":7,"platforms":7,"publishedAt":1529,"slug":1530,"title":1531,"updatedAt":7},"dd35299d-db2b-411d-998d-cfe3f0535841","coop","A r\u002Fgaming thread asked parents which game they like playing with their kid. Almost three hundred answers later, the same handful of games keep coming up, often with the same warnings attached.","A screenshot of Stardew Valley","If you have a kid roughly five to twelve and you want a parent-tested list of co-op games to play together. Less useful if you came in looking for picks for teenagers, because most of the answers in this thread are about younger kids, which is its own interesting signal.","The thread was straightforward. A parent looking for games to play with his friend's teenage boys, ages thirteen and fifteen, both with a PS5 and an Xbox Series X. What came back was almost three hundred replies, most of them about playing games with much younger kids.\n\nThat gap is worth pausing on. The Reddit hive mind on co-op with your kid lives somewhere around ages five through ten. The games that get named over and over are not the obvious teen-leaning shooters. They are chaos co-op, builder games, and a small group of titles by one studio that have basically become a genre of their own. The fifteen-year-old gaming PC adjacent multi-platform demographic the original poster asked about is largely absent from this thread, which is its own answer.","2026-05-22T16:00:00.000Z","reddit-co-op-games-parents-play-with-kids","The games parents on Reddit actually play with their kids",[1533],{"_id":9,"esrbRating":1534,"hasGuide":26,"hasReview":26,"multiplayerOptions":1535,"name":1536,"overview":1537,"pegiRating":7,"platforms":1543,"publishers":1544,"releaseDate":1546,"slug":1547},"e",[93,94],"Bluey's Happy Snaps",{"authorName":23,"authorSlug":12,"excerpt":1538,"featured":6,"imageAlt":1539,"imageUrl":1540,"noIndex":7,"publishedAt":1541,"title":1542,"updatedAt":7},"A new Bluey game about taking photos, exploring and playing together. Here are the official details for families, including prices, platforms and how two-player mode works.","Bluey holds a camera beside Bingo, with their family and familiar places behind them, in official Bluey's Happy Snaps artwork.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fd38d02dac70317c3c0682b873cb9a303c462e6be-1920x1080.png","2026-10-17T18:31:55.408Z","Bluey's Happy Snaps: what it is and what it costs",[112,111,110,107],[1545],"Gameloft","2026-10-15","blueys-happy-snaps"]