> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://idleweekend.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # A Parent's Guide to Video Games: Ratings, Limits and Play - URL: https://idleweekend.net/parent-s-guide-to-video-games/ - Published: 2026-10-11T19:59:32.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T00:45:04.000Z - Description: A parent's guide to video games starts with three questions: what the game contains, how long your child plays, and who they talk to while playing. This overview answers each one. - Author: Alex Morgan - Tags: parenting, video games, family gaming, ESRB ratings, screen time, #gce-bc866e4d Start your parent's guide to video games with three checks: what is in the game, how much time your child spends on it, and who your child talks to while playing. Those three cover most situations, from a first purchase to a new online friend. Video games are not all alike, so the same rules will not fit every age or game. A limit that works for a six-year-old playing a puzzle game may be too loose for a teen in an online shooter. The Axis.org guide is built to help parents talk with teens about game slang, why games appeal to them and common struggles [\[1\]](https://axis.org/resource/a-parent-guide-to-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net). It also helps to read [Best Video Games for Kids by Age](https://idleweekend.net/best-video-games-for-kids-by-age/). This overview points you to the details in each linked topic. Use it to see the big picture, then open the topic that matches your next decision, such as a rating, a time limit or a console setting. ## What does a game's rating tell you? [ESRB ratings](https://idleweekend.net/how-to-read-esrb-ratings/) tell you what is in a game, so check them before your child plays. The Entertainment Software Rating Board describes its ratings as information about what's in a game or app, so parents can decide which games suit their family [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). Every rating has three parts: Rating Categories, Content Descriptors, and Interactive Elements. Ratings have 3 parts: Rating Categories, Content Descriptors, and Interactive Elements [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). The category is the quickest guide, since rating categories suggest age appropriateness [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). You can find the rating printed on the box, or search the game on the ESRB website at esrb.org before you buy or download it. A rating tells you what is in a game, but not how it feels to play. Say your child wants a shooter with a teen rating. The label tells you the category, but it doesn't show whether the action is cartoonish or gritty, or how much the game pushes you to talk to strangers online. For that, read a Common Sense Media review. It gives a parent's take on what the game is like to play, which fills the gap the rating leaves. Read the review and the rating together, and you'll have a clearer picture before you say yes. Use the rating as your starting point, and the review as your second opinion. ![Several boxed video game cases stand upright on a wooden shelf, their front covers facing out toward the viewer.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=stack%20of%20video%20game%20cases%20on%20wooden%20shelf&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## How do you pick games that fit your child? Start with the rating, then use the content descriptors to see why the game received it. ESRB ratings give information about what is in a game so parents can decide which games fit their family [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). Each rating has three parts: Rating Categories, Content Descriptors and Interactive Elements [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). The rating category suggests age appropriateness, so it is the place to start [\[2\]](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net). The content descriptors name the content behind the rating. If a game carries a descriptor, you can judge whether that content fits your child before you buy it. ### Read a parent-focused review A parent-focused review shows what playing the game is actually like. Common Sense Media publishes video game reviews written for parents [\[3\]](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/video/game-reviews?ref=idleweekend.net). Use one to see the pace, the story and whether the game has shops or chat, since those are the features you will need to manage. ### Let an older child choose, with rules first An older child can pick some of their own games, which helps them learn to judge what they play. Before the game is installed, agree on the rules: how long they can play, whether they can spend money in the game and who they can chat with. A parent's guide such as the Guardian's piece on children and video games covers which games kids should play and how long they should play for [\[4\]](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/11/children-video-games-parents-guide-screentime-violence?ref=idleweekend.net). Tie the limits to a routine, such as after homework, so the rules are easy to follow. For more detail, see [Co-op Games to Play with Kids](https://idleweekend.net/co-op-games-to-play-with-kids/). ![A parent kneels beside a young child in a store aisle, the two of them looking together at video game boxes on a low shelf.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=parent%20and%20child%20shopping%20for%20video%20games%20in%20store%20aisle&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## How much gaming time is healthy for kids? For most families, the right limit depends on age. For children under 6, one guideline sets gaming at 30 minutes a day [\[5\]](https://childmind.org/article/healthy-limits-on-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net). That is short enough to fit into a single play session, with plenty of time left for reading, outdoor play and sleep. For older kids, the same guideline allows no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on weekends [\[5\]](https://childmind.org/article/healthy-limits-on-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net). Those numbers give you a ceiling, not a target. Many families choose less, especially on school nights. ### Set the limit before play starts Decide the limit before your child asks to play, not in the middle of a match. A limit agreed in advance is easier to keep than one you argue about each evening. Say it once, clearly: "On school days you get one hour, and weekends allow up to two hours." ### Tie play to a routine Attach gaming to something that already happens each day. For example, make it come after homework. Your child then learns that finishing homework unlocks the hour, and the game does not push schoolwork aside. On a weekend, you might place the session after lunch, so it has a clear start and end. A set routine also makes it easier to stop, because the session has a natural finish. ## Which parental controls should you turn on first? Turn on the [parental controls on each console](https://idleweekend.net/how-to-set-up-parental-controls-on-consoles/) your child uses. Each one can cover spending, playtime and chat, so you set limits once per device rather than game by game. ### Start with spending Set a spending limit before your child opens the in-game shop, not after the first purchase. A limit is much easier to set on day one than to undo once your child has bought something. For example, a younger child might get a lower spending limit than a teen. ### Set playtime and chat Set a daily time limit that matches your child's age. Then turn on chat controls so you decide who can message your child. You might allow chat with friends your child knows in real life and block everyone else. Ask your child to tell you about any message that upsets them. The controls and that conversation work best together. ### On PC, try Steam Families On a PC, look at Steam Families. It lets a family share a library, with age-appropriate limits on what each person can play. Set it up before your child installs their first game, so the limits are in place from the start. For more tools, the Videogames and Esports Foundation's parents' guide offers 5 tips for parents to manage video gameplay [\[6\]](https://www.vef.gg/parents-guide?ref=idleweekend.net). ## What should you talk about when your child plays online? Talk with your child about online play before you worry about settings. Learn the words they use, agree that they will tell you about anything upsetting, and keep the device where you can see and hear it. Start with slang. Chat in [online games](https://idleweekend.net/are-online-games-safe-for-kids/) is full of shorthand, and many terms are hard to decode if you did not grow up with them. A parent's guide to video games from Axis.org is built to help with this, since it empowers parents to talk with their teens by understanding terms and slang [\[1\]](https://axis.org/resource/a-parent-guide-to-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net). Ask your child to teach you a few phrases from their favorite game. Once you know the words, you can tell what they are actually seeing in chat. Next, agree on what your child should bring to you. Say clearly that they will not be punished for telling you about a message that upset them. Tell them that a stranger asking personal questions, such as their school or home address, is also something to report. Your child is more likely to speak up if they expect a calm, fair response. Finally, keep the console or computer in a shared room if you can. A kitchen or living room makes it easier to notice when a conversation turns tense or a player seems upset. You do not need to hover. Being nearby simply makes it natural to ask, "Who are you playing with today?" ## How can you join in your child's gaming? The easiest way to join in is to let your child be the expert. Ask them to show you a game they play and explain how it works, what the goal is and who they play with. You learn more from their explanation than from a store page, and they get to teach you something. Listen for the slang they use, too. A parent's guide to video games focuses on helping parents understand terms and slang, the appeal of a game and common struggles, so you can talk with your teen about them [\[1\]](https://axis.org/resource/a-parent-guide-to-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net). Ask open questions like "What do you like about this one?" and let them answer without correcting them. Next, play a short session together with your child as the guide. Use it to see the story, how fast the action moves and what the chat options are. If the game has chat, try sending a message yourself so you know how it feels from the inside. For more ideas, look at the tools and guides from gaming and esports groups. The Videogames and Esports Foundation keeps a list of tools and guides to help parents in the gaming and esports industry [\[6\]](https://www.vef.gg/parents-guide?ref=idleweekend.net). It also offers tips for managing video gameplay [\[6\]](https://www.vef.gg/parents-guide?ref=idleweekend.net), which becomes useful once you know what your child plays. Use these together. Your child's explanation tells you what the game is, your own session shows how it plays, and outside guides help you decide what to do next. ## What is a simple next step for your family? Your one thing to remember is that a few small settings do most of the work. Before your child starts a new game, check its rating and what it contains. Then pick a single time limit that suits their age, and stick to it. Next, turn on spending and chat controls on the device your child uses most. That is usually the console or computer they reach for first, so start there. Spending limits stop surprise purchases, and chat controls shape who can message your child. Then adjust your other devices the same way. ## Sources 1. [A Parent's Guide to Video Games - Axis.org](https://axis.org/resource/a-parent-guide-to-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net) 2. [ESRB Ratings | Entertainment Software Rating Board](https://www.esrb.org/?ref=idleweekend.net) 3. [Video Game Reviews](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/video/game-reviews?ref=idleweekend.net) 4. [Children and video games: a parent's guide](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/11/children-video-games-parents-guide-screentime-violence?ref=idleweekend.net) 5. [Healthy Limits on Video Games](https://childmind.org/article/healthy-limits-on-video-games/?ref=idleweekend.net) 6. [Parents' Guide — Videogames and Esports Foundation](https://www.vef.gg/parents-guide?ref=idleweekend.net)