Parents' Guide: Start Kids Off Right in 2025…by Resetting Their Gameplay

Parenting is always a challenge, and perhaps never more so than today. Technological changes in recent years, especially with the availability of websites, apps, and games that kids can access—and parents may not even know how their children are spending their time...or with whom. For example, some games designed “for kids” have content or features that allow children to play and “chat” with strangers…who may not be who they claim to be. Some allow in-app purchases or upgrades that not only increase the cost but also the dangers. And many kids are learning questionable and even hurtful things as they play.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

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Start the conversation

Start 2025 with an open dialogue with your kids about the games they’re playing. Express an interest and ask them to show you the games they spend the most time on. Ask them about the features of each game they find the most entertaining and absorbing. Depending on the age of your kids, discuss with them how the game aligns (or doesn’t) with your family’s values, and whether the gaming experience includes exposure to violence, inappropriate language, sexual activity, occult themes, etc.

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Educate Yourself

Parents of gameplaying children can reduce some risks by taking the following measures.

● Read the free article, “Safe Games for Kids: Ensuring a Secure and Fun Online Experience.”

● Read reviews from other parents and trusted sources (usually not found on the game’s official site or where the game is sold and downloaded). Recommended sites that evaluate games and give detailed reviews so you can make informed decisions include the following:

○ Common Sense Media

○ AskAboutGames

○ PluggedIn

● Familiarize yourself with the game’s Privacy Policies to learn at least what they say they do to protect children and children's data.

● Make sure your kids’ accounts use accurate birthdates for the platform’s content filtering features.

● Play the game yourself. Even if it’s not your go-to leisure activity, it’s in your family’s interest for you to spend time playing the game to understand its content and features. Free trials offer an opportunity for you to do this before making the purchase and handing it over to your child.

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Activate and Adjust Parental Controls and Monitoring

Various games’ parental controls don’t always offer full protection for children on the platform; at the very least, however, parents should set up parental controls while also monitoring their children's activity. The game’s website may offer directions for parental controls, which can also be activated in the game app itself.

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Why TruPlay Games Might Be a Better Fit for Your Family

The more you know about the games your children are playing, the more you may long for a simpler and safer alternative. That’s why the TruPlay mobile app—a platform of multiple games, yet with none of the concerning content or vulnerabilities of some other games—was created.

The TruPlay app offers many hours of games, comics, and animated shorts that feature high quality art, action-packed games, and thoughtful storytelling. Each offering is infused with God’s Truth. It is a Christian resource for all ages, but especially for children. It is sometimes referred to as “the Netflix of Christian mobile games for children.” But it's intentionally structured to avoid the dangers of other games that are out there.

TruPlay employs a subscription-based model, which allows children and adults to play, read, and have fun in an environment with no in-app purchases, no ads, and no in-app texting or chats. This means, of course, that kids can't spend money, buy "loot," click to go to outside and unknown sites, and "chat" with possible predators.

Beyond that, however, TruPlay offers even more than safety; its ever-expanding selection of games includes Bible stories, Christian themes and values, and many, many hours of engaging content for children, youth, and adults.

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Explore TruPlay Games

TruPlay's website (TruPlayGames.com) clearly details the app's offerings, and free downloads and trials are available in both the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. Explore the following links to unlock a safer gaming experience for your kids:

● https://www.truplaygames.com/games-more

● https://www.truplaygames.com/user-registration

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