While game ratings can provide some guidance on what games are generally acceptable, every child and teen is different and it is ultimately up to each family to decide what’s best.* Here are some sample discussions to have with your family to set comfort levels and boundaries around playing our games.
- What are some examples of safe and unsafe ways of playing?
- What are some ways you can pay attention to the outside world while playing?
- What is a safe distance to travel from home while playing?
- What are some things that you do or say if you saw someone putting themselves in danger while playing?
- How often do games ask you to spend money?
- Let’s think about how much you can spend in the game, are there other ways that you would like to spend that money? If you could only spend the money in one place, where would you spend it?
- What is, if any, an appropriate amount of money to spend on the game?
- How much time do you think you spend playing in a week?
- Some people find that games become less fun after playing for a few hours. Does that ever happen to you?
- How do you know when it is time to take a break from playing?
- When it is time to stop playing, does it ever feel hard to stop? Why or why not?
We know talking to the child or teen in your life about online safety can be uncomfortable, but doing so educates them on the subject and empowers them to reach out when they need help. Our partners at Thorn have created discussion guides for children ages 7-17 to help get you started.
*Note that all children under 13 or the digital age of consent in their jurisdiction, must use a Niantic Kids account.