Disclosure: I did not receive anything for this post but couldn’t pass up the opportunity for my readers.
Technology is something that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love how it can benefit my kids by being both fun and educational at the same time but I hate how it can overwhelm them. It can be tricky to find games that are educational though. Well Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, a child developement and learning expert, was interviewed to give parents some tips on ensuring games are age appropriate, educational, and more!
WIN IT: (1) US winner will receive a $170 Value LeapPad Prize Pack: LeapPad2 Power, 2 games and app card ($20)
Need help entering a giveaway? Check out my blog post for some help!
GIVEAWAY ENTRY:
Alex Roach says
only after they finish their homework
callie snowden. jones says
No Video games on school night at all. And 6. Hours on the weekend it works
Melissa Moreno says
They are only allowed to play video games during certain times of the day.
abedabun dawn says
Play games on the weekends only. Week days are for school work.
Allison says
We only provide games that are approved so not much to concern me
Brittni says
Trying out new things!
Vikki Billings says
My grandson earns all of his game time. We have him on a point system and we give him poker chips in a jar for doing well at school, with cleaning his room and things like that. He can earn up to 3 hrs of game play each week.
Judy Chapin says
I don’t have kids, this would be for my niece, and I know her parents encourage her to spend time on a variety of things 🙂
Mary Withrow says
Abagail is too small yet but Austin is allowed to play games for 30 minutes after homework and allowed to read for 30 minutes before bed.
Trevor Oestreich says
Awesome Gift!!
Tara says
I set a timer and when it dings, he’s done!
Candace says
My son gets to play his mobigo in the car.
Beverly Metcalf says
They can only play video games after their schoolwork and chores are done and for only a certain amount of time each day. Thanks for this contest.
azalea says
they can only play their games once chores are done and only in the shared space so I can keep an eye on them!
Pam Schad says
Time playing games depends on a lot of things. They mostly have to earn the time.
Danielle Wood says
They get an hour on the weekends and holidays
amber johnson says
They can only play games after school/chores are done and give them a time limit.
Tara V says
I have a small kitchen alarm I use to monitor how much time they spend.
Vicki D. says
My boys are grown, so they monitor themselves. If I were to win this, I’d give these to my niece’s kids. They just got a divorce, so maybe these games would help brighten their day.
Jeanine Turner says
I let both of my kids have an hour each night on educational games.
Mihaela Day says
We use timers…not more than 1 hr a day
Lisa Fonseca says
I always set my microwave timer to limit the amount of time they do either.
Rachael B says
My son only plays online games on our computer about once a week. We log him into sesamestreet.org.
Michelle Tucker says
Use parental controls and timers.
Teresa Thompson says
Normally an hour a day, supervised. More on special occasions.
Jessica Lodge says
I don’t have set restrictions other than content. Time wise I go more by if I feel they’ve been on too long I tell them it’s time to do something else.
Dusty Schnur says
My kids are not allowed to play anymore than an hour a day.
Trenda T says
I usually let him have a certain amount of time and then the game “goes to sleep”
Danielle Jones says
We have a two hour a day screen time limit. Also all games and computers must stay in the living room or kitchen so I can monitor what their doing.
melina r says
My son is allowed to play online but I am close by watching to see what he is doing.
Amber Carter says
She is only allowed 1 hour a night
Dorothy Walters says
My kid is 46. This would be for either my great niece or my great great niece or nephew.
rose paden says
Just make sure they are monitored on how long they can be on games.
Judith says
I let my son and daughter in law make the call when they are over but when I am babysitting my grandson, I make sure he has some physical activity or hand dexterity activity (puzzles, legos etc.) before he is allowed to use my iPad
Ed Nemmers says
Time limits and transparency!
Samantha Daleo says
I always have my daughter play her things with me so I can pa attention to what she is doing and how much time she is spending. On the occasion that she plays while in her room, I check on her every 20 minutes.
Kelsey says
I set a timer and only allow that much time
Kelsey says
I set a timer and only allow that much time per day.
Jason M says
I play with my son to watch how much he plays.
Leslie L Stanziani says
I only allow approved games and only when home work and chores are done.They get any where from 15 to 30 mins a day just depending.I do allow a little more time occasionally if they go above and beyond on school work or do something around the house they is not expected of them.
Heather S says
limit to 1 hr
Julie Hawkins says
I always check on their usage and limit their time
susan smoaks says
we use a timer and we take the games up when time is up!
Brianna says
We set a timer and when his limit is up, he owes me the same amount of reading time.
Melinda P. says
I have a timer set and once it goes off, the games get turned off for the day. They have to balance their time between gaming systems, handheld devices, and computer.
Stacey Stanley says
My son is just under 4 years old. He’s only allowed to play educational games under parent supervision. It helps make learning more interactive and we can easily monitor the time spent in front of the device.
Paula Tavernie says
They normally get 1 hour each on the weekdays and about 2 hours on the weekend!
Paul K says
Homework and chores must be completed first and then I send them outside to run around a little bit.
McKim says
My grandson’s game is kept in a cabinet where he can’t reach it, so he has to task for it to play with it. They then know how long he is playing with it.
Nicole D. says
I monitor by watching what she’s playing, asking questions, and placing internet settings specifically for her.
Bernadette @ Aimless Moments says
I am usually in the same room as the kids so I just keep an eye on things.
Tara C says
Games are played in the living room where everyone can see what’s being played and what’s happening on-screen.
jessica hager says
My daughter isn’t old enough to do much but she does play my kindle and I only let her on for a little bit at a time.
Erica C. says
We only let them use it an hour a day at the maximum.
Georgia Beckman says
We monitor WHAT they play according to the game ratings. We allow 1 hour on weeknights & up to 3 hours on the weekend.
taryn says
Set Time limits and put it out of reach/site when time is over.
Melinda Stephens says
My son has to get any electronic device from me, so he can’t start playing without me knowing.
kathy pease says
he is allowed to play a few hours a day after homework and chores are donea
Gennie Lancaster says
We set a timer for 30 mins once a day and my daughter knows when the timer goes off her game time is over.
Katie Marks says
She can only have a certain amount of time per day to play.
sam southard says
limiting games is a must
Allyson Bossie says
My kids have specific games they are allowed to play, and they have an allotted amount of time they are allowed to play. The rest of the time they play outside or in their rooms!
T.h.Ransom says
I only purchase age appropriate games and allow her to play her games for a designated time after school work and chores are completed.
Tim says
All the games are played in the family room where they can be watched to make sure it is not too time consuming.
Heather K says
I give them a certain time limit and a five minute warning when the time is almost up.
Danielle Lindquist says
I either watch what they are doing on games or I set a time limit on the router for the internet to shut off.
Jenna says
They are allowed a certain amount of time each day for computer or tv, and only after their work is done
krystal wethington says
supervise them.
amy deeter says
i keep track of the time and i peak over at them every so often
Holli G. says
I try to balance time between fun time and educational. I think it can be beneficial for there to be a little bit of both.
Patrice says
I download software that only allows for a set amount of game time.
Jennifer sorenson says
We keep the kids from using it excessively. Most of the time they are playing educational games or reading books or doing puzzles 🙂
kristy balser says
I set a timer
Richard Hicks says
Always play them the first time with them to make sure they are ok
April Edens says
I constantly check the internet history and don’t allow usage after certain times.
Sherry S. says
I limit their time and watch what they are playing.
Michele C. says
I only allow them to play games in the family area.
Denise Dunn says
My daughter is only allowed on the computer while I’m around to see what she is doing
Carolyn Daley says
Let them play for an hour or two each day after they have completed homework.
Kate Newton says
I let them play an hour a day and sit by them while they play.
Shauntea Crutcher says
My children have activities outside of the home that keep them occupied.
Peggy Rydzewski says
Games only after homework and reading time.
Paula Michele Hafner says
They have to earn it through good behavior. Then they get only 30 minutes at a time. I keep all the game systems in the livingroom so they can be monitored.
Laura Unger says
He’s only allowed to play during a certain time period each day and that’s it.
Tanya White says
My kids have to earn gametime and when they do they play next to me and for 1 hour only.
leah wall says
we have a certain amount of screen time per week.
Cristi says
My kids are only allowed to play games that I purchase or that I allow them to play,
Mya Murphy says
I don’t have children, but my niece only gets 20 minutes daily.
MARTHA says
Timers are set…..TY
Kimberly Kihega says
They have a set time limit during the week. On weekends I am a little more lenient.
Denise Donaldson says
she sits next to me when she plays
Zoey Smith says
I monitor the old-fashion way; I watch the clock.
sarah tracey says
we use a timer
Bobbi Dempsey says
They’re limited to a certain limited time per day, after they’ve done homework.
Beckie says
My son is only allowed a certain amount of time to for any games about an hour.
Britty Brannon says
Have a set amount of time after chores are completed.
karen dwight says
My kids each get 45 minutes each per day. I also have parental blocks on the computer they use so they can only use “approved games”.
Theresa says
The computer stays in a monitored area. We also have parental controls set.
Kelly H. says
My son doesn’t play video games yet, but he has tv time. If he’s behaving, he’s allowed some more time.
Sara Duff says
I think the kids need to be monitored and given a certain amount of time. Kids really do adjust well, if they know what the rules are!
Asimina Kaminis says
Only a couple hours a day to play
Cálaeb Temple says
supervised downloads and limited game play.
Shayna says
I would only allow my son to play video games for about an hour or so a day 🙂
[email protected]
Roxann says
I have a timer on my phone.
Jill Rivera says
The ipad mini has a parental password time limited. I allow my child to us e with the time limit.
Lindsey Adams says
when I want to read it’s time for her to stop (she plays on my kindle)
Toni Sprouse says
My three year old granddaughter use game time to interact one-on-one, therefore she plays for a limited time and balance that with outdoor activity.
Lesley F says
I set a timer so when they hear it goes off, there is no arguing
Karen Drake says
I give my grankids a certain amount of time each day to play video games and they can earn more time by completing tasks such as homework.
Andrea Perra Hadfield says
They are each allowed a set time to play. I also check the history on each device regularly.
Stephanie Larison says
We have a little pink timer, my daughter knows once it goes off, she’s done.
Linda Meyers-Gabbard says
I don’t have children. I was never blessed. I was entering in hopes to win this for my niece Stella for Christmas.
Brittney House says
I put time limits on their gaming.
karen a. says
We set the kitchen timer 2 times a day for 15 minutes each time. When he has used them then he knows he’s done for the day.
Sonya says
They play with me (or next to me) and are restricted to a certain amount of time
Angela Cisco says
I don’t really monitor the time to closely. Just make them get up go outside and play every once in a while.
Sarah Marshall says
They have specific times that games are allowed.
Douglas Wood says
I am a firm believer that children need imagination to grow and thrive in this hectic world. Sitting in front of a television for hours on end does not offer an outlet for their imaginations. I like to see children be children.
Michelle Burkle says
perfect gift for the little man in my life!
Kellie Conklin says
The girls I watch only get “plugged in” time if their chores are finished and it’s only for an hour at most. They know that they are making the choice to use their electronic time and so for the most part they are wise about choosing when to use it and what to use it on. If they are practicing math or reading they can have their time extended 🙂
Amylynn H says
I set a time limit for game playing. They must have school work done first! I also encourage them to take breaks, so their eyes can rest.
Heather B says
After they earn (by doing their chores) my kids have an hour a day, internet games can only be played in the dining room where I can see what they are doing.
Tabitha says
My kiddos would love this package!
Krystal T says
Limit their time and what sites they can go to.
Kandi Spencer says
They only have a very few games and are limited on time.
Rebecca Lock says
They ask before they play and have to take turns within a certain amount of time.
melissa teears says
My son can only play the for a small period of time one the weekend. A little bit longer for learning games. This would be perfect for him.
Gianna says
They have time limits.
Christine Treece says
We use it together so I know exactly how long he’s playing and what.
Kim says
There is very little gaming time for my boys, so I monitor it by limiting and knowing what games they are playing and when.
Kacee Nunez says
We set the parental controls and use timers
Ashli DiPrete says
I have a time limit on how long my son can play video games and then it gets put up for the day.
liz says
My sister in law only allows 30 mins of tv or gaming
Lisa V. says
I limit their time usage and check to see what they are playing.
Michelle S says
Age restrictions on apps.
Tara says
My daughter only plays for 30 minutes a day and that’s while my husband and I watch Jeopardy.
BusyWorkingMama says
I only let my 6 year old use the internet when I’m next to her.
Katie Morris Crider says
My daughter is in the room w/ me if she is on the computer, or if she is using her Leapster, I know those games are for kids. But they don’t play a lot of games, so it’s not something I have to monitor about the amount of time spent playing.
Becca Wilson says
This would be my son’s first gaming system but I would make sure that he was not on it more than an hour a day 🙂
nadine m says
I limit their time playing, no game playing during the week. the weekends I allow 1hr increments if it was up to them he would play all day long.
Sharon c says
Some games I refuse to buy or allow my children to buy and I set time limits and introduce outside alternatives
Jill Myrick says
We set a kitchen timer for each of my children and when it goes off there is no arguing as it’s the other child’s turn.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
xty cruz says
There is a set time and day when to play with games
AndreaH says
Only games played are ones that are approved and then with supervision at this age.
Bertha Brown says
I give them a time limit and only on the weekends.
meme says
set a timer for an hour when it goes off time to do something else.
Karen says
She is still young anytime she plays I am right there with her.
Kristan Price says
My daughter is allowed to use her electronics after lunch for an hour, and also on road trips to keep the kids busy.
Stephanie says
After school is over, he gets to play some games for about half an hour.
Sarah Harding says
My son only gets an hour a day to play games.
Melissa Hartley says
My sons who play video games are adults now so I don’t monitor them anymore 🙂 If I won this prize, it would be a Christmas present for my son’s 2 y/o son J.J.
Thank you
Felicia says
Best educational toy ever.
Beth says
We hide they’re game toys and once homework and chores are done they get the toy to use for a certain amount of time. After theyre done it goes back in the drawer.
Erica H says
I put a timeline on how long he can play per day and I pick the games that are age appropriate.
Heather says
My kids play on their game systems as rewards. I usually allow them 30 minutes.
kristine eckman says
I don’t really have to monitor with my daughter but my son wants to be like his cousin and play or watch non age appeopriate games. i just know what he’s got and we play together
Jackie says
I limit their game play to an hour a day… During weekdays.. And o the weekends they earn it… With chore work or good grades
Ashley h says
They only play games I pre approve and as long as I allow.
Shannon says
They are allowed a certain amount of time and I monitor and check histories.
Sheila A says
i schedule a certain time period.
Jill says
Visual monitoring, and games as a reward, not a right.
Will R says
She only plays games while being monitored.
Dan D says
I would use a timer. See if there is any apps that have a time limit on them.
Davis P says
I try to limit the amount of time and currently they are only allowed to play games I have downloaded, I plan to look at other’s comments for suggestions once kids get older and have web access
Teh Doll says
I use video games a a reward. They only get to play if they get A+’s at school.
Krystyna Watson says
My kids are only allowed to play educational apps on the ipad. No other games are downloaded, and restrictions are enabled to prevent them from accessing other apps. They can play the apps as long as chores and homework are done. If they get in trouble, they lose game playing privileges.
Rosanne says
I never did that very well. I had 4 sons and the tv and video games kept the peace. My son’s are better about their children not watching tv or only getting a short time with the ipad to play games
betty wojnar says
My boys have a time limit and they have to do some work to earn that time.
Jessica Schultz says
We typically use it together and/or set timers. My kids are autistic so it helps to have a timer to let them know when their time is up and to set limits with most things.
Ashley C says
My kids aren’t allowed to have electronics in their room for quiet time/bed time so we can monitor how much they are using their electronics
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
danielle johnson says
I have to set a timer to make sure they dont stare at the scree for too long which can be difficult. thanks for the giveaway.
Carrie says
We use a timer and they only have access to games that are appropriate – ex: a leap pad or an ipod with age appropriate apps and no way to purchase more
Stephanie MacDonald says
We like to use a 1 hour timer!
Doreen Mannion says
I am with them when they are playing
Dawn Monroe says
I just moniter the clock. It amazes me that even the little ones want to use my phone and ipad.
Diana B says
They only play the playstation if we are in the room, and we use freetime on the kindle to limit their time.
Rebecca Orr says
My son has certain “electronics” time limits to start with. I won’t give that mount because I am sure for some it is too much and for others it isn’t enough. I don’t want to start a debate! I also make sure I know what his playing and/or watching, he does not have internet access yet since he six and I don’t feel it is necessary yet.
Denise M says
she always plays games sitting next to me, never in another room
Laura J says
A 45 min timer a day!
Jeanette Ardiente says
I have parental controls enabled on all the electronics.
Jessica Cox says
My kids only can go to a few preapproved websites to play educational games they are only allowed 30 min.
megan says
this would be great!!!!
Katy says
I set a timer when my kids are playing and they know that when it goes off they’re done. And when they start obsessing about playing video games, I generally distract them with suggestions of other things to do and we try to take a few days off.
Lynette says
We only allow so many minutes a day on video games and have passwords for access to other parts of the computer.
Susan Chester says
When my grandchildren visit, I set a timer for 30 minutes to limit their use.
christy garrett @ uplifting families says
We typically allow the kids a certain amount of time when they want to play video games. During the school year, homework and chores have to be completed first.
lydia goodman says
When my kids were younger I would give them a specific amount of time
Dena M Furgason says
I monitor my kids usage by limiting the time spent onlin.
crystal smith says
Honestly Im lucky and my boys are usually much more interested in playing outside or doing something else rather than playing video games- so the time that they do play I dont feel like I need to strictly monitor them…the most I have to do is referee a fair amount of time for each if they both want to play the same thing at the same time 🙂
Sharon Kaminski says
I monitor him by keeping track of all the games he has and how long he is on at night (after school work is done).
amy williams says
I get on whatever electronic they have and make sure everything they are doing is safe even if I have to go through the history they do not have an account that I don’t have the password to and while they are playing I ask them to show me the game and watch for a bit to make sure it is ok.
Nikki says
She normally only plays games in the car, we have at least a 30min drive each way… At home she rarely uses electronics, but when she does I’m the right in your space MOM NOT HER FRIEND monitoring….. And most games are educational… If not a educational, she must complete something educational first before gaming…. Gaming isn’t more than 30min consecutively either… Things are earned not given around here (-:
Julie My... says
I have grandkids who play games. I sit by them or am in the same room while they play.
melodi mance says
we play together
Kimberly says
My kids use iPads and I am always with them. I try to limit their screen time and only I can download apps. I try to make sure they are age appropriate and educational.
maria says
I don’t do too much to monitor my kid’s game usage. Then again, he doesn’t really play with electronic games very much, so when he does play with them, I am not too concerned about the time.
Joyce Harrell says
We only allow 1/2 hour on school days and 2 1/2 hour times on weekends.
Addison Kat says
I usually monitor them by only allowing them to play next to me. They can’t have it in their rooms by themselves.
shaunie says
I monitor them right in front of them with time and whether they have completed the neccessary things I had advised them to do
Linda Bradshaw says
Cut them off after a certain amount of time.
Carla C says
Only allow them to play in the same room that I am in or closely by
Gayle S says
Thankfully my granddaughter is still at the stage of needing a little help. She rarely plays unless someone is there to “play with her”. When the time comes that she plays alone she will have an allotted amount time. Technology does have its limits.
Sarah Cass says
The games aren’t allowed to be kept in the kids room…the electronic ones, that is. I have access to everything always. 🙂
Melissa P. says
I monitor my son’s game time by getting him out of the house. I set time limits on his laptop.
Pauline Milner says
Our Son can have two hours of time each day either playing games or watching TV. He chooses how he spends his time. Thanks for the awesome giveaway opportunity. Keep up the terrific blogging.
Tina says
We have her in the room with us. We limit the time.
bianca roman says
i have parental controls set on my kindle fire…so my 4yr old can’t buy anything..and i try to ‘pop in’ to see what/how he’s doing every 15 mins
Debbie Flood says
WE LIMIT TIME WITH A TIMER AND THEN GAMES ARE PUT UP
heather baker says
I only allow her to be on for a limited amount of time.
Tiffany P says
We set time limits.
Denise C says
I only let them play for a certain amount of time, and I always remind them of that before they start. I find that helps a lot.
Charlene S says
I set the timer for how long they can play.
Karen Matlock says
I don’t have to monitor… I’m grandma 🙂
Tamara B. says
I allow them to play 1 hour a day and I normally will sit with them while they are playing
Kim J says
My son is limited to an hour a day and that depends on how he did at school each day.
Faye Mc says
I believe on setting an example when setting limits. We limit time, but when we do, it goes for everyone including adults/parents which makes it an ideal time to do something as a family/group.
Amy W. says
They always play in the same room as me and their time is limited.
becky fluff says
I set a visual timer and only allow him a little bit of time at once.
Barbara Butler says
love to win this for my granddaughter for christmas
kim burnett says
we use timers
Kathleen Downes says
My son usually plays games for an hour or two everyday. I just make sure he is playing age appropriate games and if he hasn’t stopped playing on his own after two hours then I tell him to stop.
Jennie Swencki says
They can’t play games until chores and homework are done and for no longer than an hour.
Rachel V says
To limit their game time I will take them to the park or do a fun craft with them
Linda G. says
They are timed when playing games and I watch what games they are playing
Aesha says
My kids always ask before they start playing.
Denise B. says
Our children don’t play video games.
Ambrielle Bender says
My kids are on a 1 hour schedule, during the school week it gets knocked down to 45 minutes and has to be done before dinner but after homework.
angie pruden says
he gets an hour per day, if he was good 🙂
Emily cotton says
We also use a timer usually to limit time on video games. My husband and I are always with them when they play video games, too.
mommasbacon says
Right now our older daughter only uses specific apps….but we’ll have to look into parental controls when she gets older and wants more access.
Kelli Wood says
My son is 6 so the only thing we allow him to do on the computer is educational games. Since we home school he is also allowed to do typing games that teach him to type. I give him 30 mins in the morning and if he asks he is allowed 30 more in the evening but it takes the place of his movie time.
Jackie says
My kids play in the room I’m in or in an adjacent room.
melissaandkeith miller says
I limit the amount of time they can play
Sarah says
My son pretty good about staying within “his” apps on the iPad. I put them all on one screen so he doesn’t search around and stays within what is allowed. A definite help when I’m trying to get dinner started!
Jmstrunk (Sybille) says
I actually sit with him while he plays. He likes being able to get help and I like being able to talk about what’s going on and make every moment a teaching moment.
Kris Garvey says
My son is almost 2 and doesn’t play any games yet, I try not to let him play with our phones or anything at all. This year I may start allowing him an hour or so a day to play electronic games, especially if they’re educational like these.
Cindy Ray says
I monitor it by only allowing so much time and they can only play games I approve of.
jose benavides says
I don’t I like them play whatever they want when they want except for bedtime
Renee Walters says
I set a timer.
Melissa Gonick says
I love to allow me son to explore on my tablet. I allow him to do so as often as he likes. He is always doing educational games and has learned so much from it already!!
Julia Cosgrove says
All games are blocked until unlocked by our parent password which changes monthly.
Penny Hlavna says
knowing what educational toys to get the grandkids is so important. Don’t want to waste money on something they won’t use
Jennifer T. says
I have a Kindle Fire and my daughter uses the Kindle FreeTime “app” so I control the apps and time she’s on it.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
Carol says
My grandson just has an allotted time with games.
Di says
I use timers & keep time limits
1955nurse says
Right now, my grandson doesn’t have a tabley/pad to play on, so he only gets to play IF his Mom or other Grandma lets his use their phone/Kindle…. so not toohard to monitor how much time he spends! He would love this – giving it to him would be sooo great!!!! Thanks for the chance…. Great review!
Hannah Fischbach says
My daughter doesn’t have anything to play games with yet! If we were to win this she would get a certain amount of time per day or get to play as a reward for good behavior/chore help 🙂 Also would be fantastic on roadtrips!
BreeAnna McManus says
The computer is in my bedroom with my hubbies so there is normally someone else in the room to keep an eye out..
Allen says
This is so great and educational
Chavonne H says
Playing with your kids is a great way to manage their usage of games.
katy P says
I only let them play for a certain amount of time and we use timers.
Glenna F says
My kids are allowed to only play their games in the living room so I can monitor how much time they are spending.
Lisa @ Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy says
I limit the amount of time played especially for none educational games
Stevie says
Since my daughter will soon be 3, we haven’t had an issue yet with playing games for a extended period of time. I’m figuring I’ll do what I do w/ limiting TV watching, keeping track of how long & setting timers.
ruth nangle says
my kids and grandkids were and are only allowed a certain amount of time via internet for games and social activities. i am constantly either playing along with the grandkids or in and out and ALWAYS around with the older kids to make sure they are on appropriate sites.
Victoria Carlson says
We have the computer in the livingroom so whenever they play games we know exactly what they are playing and when!
Cynthia Sizemore says
My daughter is only allowed to play games after her homework and chores are done and then she can play till supper,that is all the time she is allowed.
Casandra says
I thin I’m exceptionally lucky when it comes to my little one playing games. He’s quickly taking after his daddy, they love going to the climbing gym together and camping. He’d much rather be outside than playing a game:)
Christina Howell says
I set time limits for game usage. Also before any games are played, homework, chores, etc. have to be done.
Athena S says
I usually only let her play learning games on the computer, she dont have any other electronic games like playstation or anything
Andrina G says
My daughter hasnt had any fame time yet
Jennifer says
They can only play after homework and only an hour a day!
Kyl Neusch says
set a timer
tina reynolds says
They earn time with rewards coins and there is a limit too how much time
Anna Hammes says
He sits next to me while playing and he is limited.
Michelle S says
Family activities help to reduce game time.
Evelyn says
I only allow them to play a few minutes a day because I rather them read books and I moniter it and give the game
melikegarfield says
We monitor our kids by giving them their games for a certain amount of time per week. They can “earn” more time when they complete extra chores (or if they do something out of the ordinary and positive)
Erika Messer says
I just set the parental controls and she can’t get past those 🙂 She doesn’t play video games she just likes to watch her shows on YouTube and also loves to watch like halloween light shows/Christmas light show videos.
Jessica says
My daughter is only allowed 1 hour worth of electronics a day..this includes tv and games
Wendy Schueman says
I only allow at this time learning game, my 4 Grandsons are all under the age of 4. So the games they play are all educational and fun. The game usage time each day is during quiet time(mid afternoon and half hour before bed around 7:30).
Holly C says
Limit the amt. of plugged in time a day and keep track via a timer. Frequent over the shoulder checks to see what they are accessing!
Angel G says
Setting a timer for the alloted time he has to play games
betty moreno says
we use time 🙂
greg says
only allow them a certain time to play games
Michelle F. says
My daughter is only allowed to play a couple of hours a day.
Monique Rizzo says
We set a timer.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
Amanda says
My daughter would enjoy this so much
Elena G says
I tell my son how long he is allowed to play before he starts playing.
kristina snyder says
i limited by only letting them play for so much time
Kirsten says
Chores, responsibilities first. Earn game time.
Claire Rheinheimer says
My son is only 2, but he does like to play games on our phones. We can easily distract him at this age, and he’s very active and doesn’t like to sit still long anyways. As he gets older we will be setting time limits on games!
socratesjr says
We give them a specified amount of time per week. They can also earn some addition time with chores.
Dani Osenbaugh says
It’s on a reward system. They can save up their time or use it in little bits.
Wendy M says
My guys are still little enough that the only media time they get is what I let them have.
Heather Lawson says
I love the the new LeapPad is designed to look more like a tablet….it could make my little ones interested in using one without having to worry that they would drop my tablet.
Rebecca says
My husband and I have been promising one of these to our three year old and every time we go to buy it something happens and we end up not being able to purchase it, we would love to win this to be able to surprise him with it on his Birthday!
Mandy B. says
I let him play for limited amounts of time. Kids need to play with other things too.
Katie Bellamy says
Only a certain amount of time in one setting!
Kaci Guisinger Harrison says
All of my kids (three of them) get an hour of game time on any system or computer every other day as long as they have their chores done from the day before. My oldest daughter gets to be on Facebook as long as I have the password and monitor it once a week, I go on and check msg’s and friends and make sure everything is good, same with email. You can never be to careful esp. when theres a lot of weirdo’s out there!! lol
debbie jackson says
They are young enough that they play in the living room with us.
ANN*H says
I make sure they are not playing violent games . I prefer them to play games they can learn from.
beth m says
he isn’t too interested in gaming right now so it isn’t a problem
Breanne Stickley says
My child only has access to certain apps and games, I also have a time limit per day on how long she can play on it.
michelle oakley warner says
i monitor my kids by being right there at all times and limiting to an hour or so a day, not to much more than that
Kathie Craig says
My boys do not have any games like this yet. This would be perfect for them!!
Samorjj says
I watch, try and play everything before they do so I can ensure it is safe and appropriate.
Tiffany Schmidt says
They have a set amount of electronic time, which included TV, they choose how to spend it.
Chandra says
I watch what they do…they are still young.
Stephanie says
I just use my best judgement and a sharing timer app when we only have 1 of something.
Ciji Murphy says
I let my son play on the computer or tablet for 1-2 hours a day.
brianne m says
my kids are 3, 2 and 5 months so they don’t really play games yet, only watch tv a bit…..
Lindsey G says
My daughter plays wii on the weekend with her sister. They usually get bored and end up playing dress up or barbies instead.
Laura Miller says
My kids earn time slots by doing good deeds!
Tiffany O. says
My daughter LOVES her Mobigo 2 but I feel like she is outgrowing it already. She only is allowed educational games and luckily only has the attention span right now to stay on for about 30 minute intervals. I have been looking at these leappads for a Christmas purchase. Love the leapfrog brand and what they are about.
bonnye sensenig says
right now she only plays while I am there.
Kelly Amos says
I monitor my son’s game usage by always being in the same room and paying close attention to the content he views.
Francine Anchondo says
Time limit how long they can play a day
Angela Y says
My daughter only plays next to me, maybe half hour a day.
Beanybopp says
Time limits 🙂
TrippyCusp93 says
I always make sure their game time is balanced with play time, nap time, and meal times. I usually let them play for an hour at a time.
Kristen H says
I monitor my kids game usage by keeping track of the time and only allowing my kids to play on computers or tablets for an hour at a time. Then I tell them it’s time to play with something else.
Ronnie Owens says
I check history
Sarah Vegetabile says
I like to sit with my kids when they are playing when I can. We have a timer and set it when they are playing. The key I find is when it is time for the games to be done, find either another interesting and stimulating activity for them to go to. Or engage them in conversation about what they where just playing.
sandra davis says
we play together
Natalie says
I make sure I only know the pass codes and I’m in the room when they are online
Jennifer Marie says
We have used timers before to limit the amount of game time.
Sara says
We use a timer and he knows when it goes off, he doesn’t get more time that day
ghassan alsaleh says
I monitor my kid’s game usage by sit beside him and let him play but my eyes on his screen>
Colleen Boudreau says
I don’t have any kids.
Heather Baker says
I stay right next to her the whole time watching everything she is doing, she is the age I can still do that 🙂
Gina H. says
30 min/day but only after homework is done.
christine mondy says
I only allow them to play on weekends, and at that, only a couple hours at a time.
tls simms says
I make sure that I pic t he games or learning games that my sons play. thanks
Judith S. says
We only allow educational games in our home.
Stephanie Ann says
we make sure to limit their times for only a certain amount on weekdays and weekends
Stephanie Gossett says
We use parental controls and we allow 15 minutes of play after each 2 hours of homeschooling they do. It is educational, and it breaks up the day! Thank you for this chance! My little girl would LOVE this!
[email protected]
Kendra says
My child earns time to play on devices by doing chores, using manners, good behavior, etc. Then he can play after dinner until his time is up.
Tamera Westhoff says
They have to do chores before they can even touch anything and I keep it by me, so they can’t have it whenever they want.
Natalie J Vandenberghe says
My kids are older now, so I don’t have a pertinent answer. I want to win this for my grandson and I hope his Mom (my oldest daughter knows how to monitor his activity!) Thanks for the giveaway.
Julie says
my daughter is not really a gamer she loves to do all the math apps on the ipad ..We do have about a 30 min window that she gets to use it for
lana says
only allow 30 minutes a day
carolyn says
He only gets it a limited amt of time.
Wanda Clark says
As long as it is geared for their age I just limit the time to an hour.
Mia Dentice Carey says
He only gets to play when he has EARN time to play and I put it up where he cannot reach it
Tara O. says
I don’t really have a way to monitor her game usage besides making sure I’m close by!
sandra davis says
i just keep track of when they start playing and only allow a hour of game play.
Amy Cates says
I set a timer for time he can play.
fancygrlnancy (Nancy Partin) says
I only allow a certain number of games and/or time to play. Video games on the wii are only allowed on the weekends. Learning games I let him do more.
carol roberts clark says
well the other day for example i gave my childs father money said yall go pick a game for his new xbox any ways he came back with a army game i paid no attention and the next day i was watching and it was so bloody and then i heard him say ill kill you and that right there was enough i told him take it and its not coming back in this house hes 7 not 17 i just have this fear that if u play things like that and talk like that that is not good hes not mentally there to cope with that it was call of duty i know my son so i monitor his playing games to what can suite him he plays sometimes an hour or sometimes hell play till he can beat it but i dont let him sit there all day and play it unless its summer and he gets bored and says ok this is enough so hell go and play outside
Jean says
My girls don’t really have access to many games. We use a few educational apps at home and my oldest uses some at school. It’s always supervised, either way.
Sweta Sonulkar says
My son’s target goal is leapad
Karen F says
They are not allowed to play on school days.
Tarah says
My kids are still pretty young that I”m right by them when they’re playing.
Nikki Elkins says
I put her on a timer and when the times up she knows she has to take a break.
megan cantrell says
After he has outside play he can play a limited time on electronics or watch TV
Wendy c g says
Only on weekends if been good all week, school grades are good
KATIE KLEIN says
They are always playing games when I am present.
james young says
i let them play only 2 days a week
Katrina J says
My daughter really doesn’t have that much game usage. Maybe 10 minutes, 3 times a week, and that’s on Dads iphone with prescreened apps.
April says
Only allowed so much a day, with certain times.
Steve Kuntz says
My daughter plays online games 1/2 hour everyday while I watch Wheel of Fortune. She either sits on my or my wife’s lap and plays.
Amanda says
Not an issue with the games – my little one is just 18 months old 🙂
Michelle S says
We have to approve the purchase/download of the game first. Then, we only allow games on weekends – no longer on school nights.
JP says
These are great for car rides! If I feel my daughter has been playing games for too long it is very easy to distract her with a different project. Usually all I have to do play a board game with her or get out her crayons
Chris DeHart says
My kids ain’t in school yet so I let them play all they want
Mary Diehl says
My boy is 5 and hasn’t been playing games yet except on his cousins leappad and I’d love to win one for him. thank you for the chance
christine k says
My child hasn’t had video games or electronic toys yet, so I haven’t really decided how I’d monitor that. I know that I’d allow extended play on long car rides, though.
melissa williams says
we monitor my daughters game usage by only allowing her to play devices that we have loaded apps/games on. We block it so she can’t add other ones on and we keep track of how long she plays at a time by taking the device away if she is playing too long.
Brandi Price says
We set time limits!
Rachel DeHart says
I set near by while they play
Tim A says
My kids have certain games that they are allowed to play on the computer and on their game consoles. We have parental controls established to block anything that we don’t allow. And we limit them to a certain amount of gaming per day.
michelle says
My son gets 30 minutes a day to play his games, maybe more if we have a long car ride or a trip to the dr office. We keep his game systems in the livingroom and they are not allowed in the bedroom.
Ashley (@FiddleDeeAsh) says
My kids don’t have access to much gaming. We have a tablet, but they only get to use it on special occasions. As they get older, we will have to set firm time limits ahead of time so they know what to expect.
Renski says
I use a timer to limit game time.
Tara Liebing says
My son plays the PS3 and I only allow him to play certain times of the day. I don’t let him download games and I only allow him to play certain games.
courtney b says
they dont really play games yet, they are too young, but i would for sure monitor them when they are old enough….
Mary says
I limit the amount of time that my daughter can play each day.
Jenny says
I do monitor what my kids are playing when they are playing video games and there is a time limit to it.
steve weber says
He only gets to play when he finishes all homework/chores.
Stephanie Phelps says
I buy the games so I know what they are playing and everything is played in the living room so I can monitor it!
Amanda says
I only allow a certain amount of screen time per day, and it is earn
Jessamine D. says
I monitor their game usage by setting how long they can play. 🙂
Shannon says
our middle daughter asked for this for christmas, this would certainly help our christmas situation. luckily our kids would rather be outside with us than indoors, ever.
John Senkiw says
This would be for grandson, he is 19 months but very smart. Grandma and I always keep tabs on what he does, watches and plays.
Carolyn Gates says
We set a timer to let them play, they know when the timer goes off time is up.
Alycia says
We set a timer and once it goes off, we’re done for the day.
Ann Fantom says
I set a timer for 1 hour. When the timer goes off, it is time to stop playing
Kristi C says
I limit game time by not allowing video game systems in bedrooms. They have to use them downstairs so that I am aware of what is being played and how long they have been playing.
Sarah Parisi says
My kids only get a certain amount of time for video games, and have to ask before they play.
Marj M. says
I’m always there with them playing too.
Raki Arora says
We give them for 30 min in the evening.
Jan Hammersmith says
keeping an eye on them
carey p says
I give them a time limit, give then a warning when 5 minutes are left, then remove it from them when its time over
Tamar says
Right now they are young so I just do it right next to them. I do not know how I will handle it when they are older.
Kimberly Schotz says
Game usage is only done with an adult present
Debra Gergely says
Would love to win this for any one of my 5 grandchildren! They wanted one last year for Christmas but we just could not afford it!
Megan Parsons says
Video game time is earned by good behavior, keeping rooms cleaned and doing as they told. They play for about an hour 3-4 times a week.
shannon b says
My kids are still young but we set a time limit to how long they can play their games for each day.
Sue Hull says
When my nieces are here and want to play games on my computer I just sit close so I can see the screen. My sister watches them at home while on her laptop. This is an awesome prize pack! Thank you 🙂
Daniel M says
limit the game-playing time
laura martinez says
My kids do not want to play video games every day, but I like Leappad because kids learn something while they play.
Julie Lynn Bickham says
My kids can play video games after homework is done and they have till a certain time to play.
Cynthia Brooks says
We just make our kids share based on the power left on the device. Half for our 6 year old and half for our 4 year old on the current kid tablet we have.
Traci B. says
I control where the devices are stored and hand them out and take them up.
Shamica says
Well my daughter usually just does her abcmouse.com for about an hour or so. We want something that is portable but has learning games too.
ken ohl says
they are to young for this to have come up yet.
April Brenay says
we don’t have a game system in the house, but we do set time limits on the TV
Sheralle D. says
My son in s only 2, so I am with him the entire time so I allow him to play his Disney Jr games until he looses interest.
Janice Dean says
While they are here at Granny’s house, they don’t play much video games, maybe an hour at a time.
mindy cole says
I put time limits with the supervision of either me or her father
Candace Calkins says
We play WITH the kids, only purchase age appropriate games, and limit their time spent playing them.
Shakeia Rieux says
My kids are allowed an hour a day & they know what will happen if they go over .
sharon b says
i take the ipad away. that’s all he uses right now for video games. i try to limit it to 20 minutes unless we are on a long roadtrip or i truly need a longer distraction.
Susanne M. says
I love Leap Pad products. They have really helped my kids learn how to read and understand math. This package would be perfect for my 5 year old niece. I would love to be able to give her her first Leap Pad.
Karen Leonard says
By being with her everytime she gets on
connie moore says
I play games with them and come in and out checking on them the whole time they’re on the computer
Terri Egelund says
I monitor by having them do homework first, chores 2nd, Leappad last.
Jessica Massie says
I sent my kiddos old leap frog game system to their nephew who live on the other side of the country so it would continue to provide educational enjoyment for a child!
kj skib says
I have complete control because they are only 3 and 1.
Sacha Schroeder says
We only let them play games and on the computer when we are with them. They think we are lame. LOL!
latanya says
with a timer
Jammie says
As long as schooling is done she can play all she wants!
Sue Ellison says
I set a timer and when it goes off, gametime is over. If chores and/or homework is completed, then they can earn more playtime.
Rebecca Xavier says
I am in the same room with my child and we use parental controls on them.
Ani says
I just keep an eye on when they start and limit their time.
Jennifer H. says
My son has to earn his time.
Jacqui Odell says
I use a timer on the fridge.
Kim Ripley says
I only let my child play games for 1/2 hour a day.
Angela W says
I limit the time to an hour a day. I also use the rating and age recommendation on the case/review.
Jennifer M says
My 4 old year son currently only plays on ABCMouse.com, Sesame Street and a Fireman Sam game. His Dad or I sit at the computer with him the whole time.
vickie couturier says
I have a lot of places blocked an they are only allowed on when someone is there to supervize
bryan clark says
i have to be next to them
Jennifer Rote says
My son is only allowed a limited amount of time on games.
Adrienne Gordon says
They can play a half hour per day.
Carrie Phelps says
With my grandchildren we not only monitor how much time they spend on gaming devices but what is available to them on them.
June S. says
They are only allowed one hour per day.
eric rivera says
well i just do it the simple way let them play while i cook dinner and when dinners ready games go away until before breakfast!
Allie says
Mine are too little for real game usage yet
Anne Perry says
I play the games with my son,
Jennifer Pittman says
I monitor how much they are watching tv or playing games.
April G says
My son is only allowed to use play electronic games when his dad is right there (usually playing with him if it’s the Xbox, otherwise supervising him on the Nook). 🙂
Emily Adams says
My daughter always has to do her chores and her homework before she is allowed to play any video games.
Tammy S says
They are only allowed to have screen time during a certain time period each day. How they choose to spend it is up to them. They can watch TV, play video games, or be on the computer.
Jane (EJ) says
My children are easily monitored , we have set times they all allowed to play, & mom or dad is always present
Sonya Morris says
I have not really had a problem with it yet. When I feel like they have been on it too long I try to avert them with something else like taking a walk to grandma’s.
nikki b says
i watch and monitor plus parental controls
Rebecca Parsons says
We have a timer and more importantly we have an award system. You earn your time on electronics by doing what you are supposed to.
Christina says
I always know what they are going to be playing and have to approve of all their games. Most of them are educational, occasionally a fun game – we all need a little down time fun sometimes. They are only allowed to play for short periods of time.
Stacey Roberson says
Our little guy is only 1, so he doesn’t have access to video games quite yet. But we play games with him on our tablet for about 20 minutes a day.
Colleen Maurina says
Our little guy is still pretty young but he is only allowed to play games for a certain amount of time each day. We set a timer and he knows when he has to stop.
tracy p. says
I only allow them to play certain things. I also monitor when they are allowed to play.
Kimberly M. says
I have parental controls on all my electronic the kids use.
Tamar says
They get 1 to 2 hours a day of game playing
Lisa B. says
I just let them play when they have everything done but only for about one hour at the most!
Debra Hall says
my kids are grown but, when my grandson is here i monitor everything
Wendy R says
we keep a password and we watch what they are going to and monitor how long they are playing
Patricia Wojnar Crowley says
We set time limits…and only play once homework is done.
Tabathia B says
I have a handheld timer that I set for 45 minutes
jeri boss says
i want to win this
Vicky D says
They can only buy games that are mom approved!
Laurie J says
My son is only 2.5, so he doesn’t play games a whole lot yet. Once he is older, we will monitor his game usage by setting limits.
nicole krutz says
i know what games they own and i check their phones and facebooks etc
Patricia says
I give my kids an allotted time with games.
Jennifer says
My kids only play what I buy them, so I do my research ahead of time!
Vivienne says
I’d set time limitations to make sure he has a healthy dose of learning time and fun time.
Rachel says
My daughter doesn’t have any game systems yet. We just let her play on our phones on rare occasions
Janice Crespo says
Carter is young yet so I really have control – LOL – but as my girls grew – they got to choose more as they chose wisely 🙂
Amanda Sakovitz says
I make sure my niece does a lot of reading and doesnt spend too much time playing games
Thomas Murphy says
I keep the games and let them play with them when the time is right.
Cassandra Eastman says
I monitor it by letting them only play certain times of the day, and taking turns.
Stacey B says
My son can only play games on non school days, and can’t exceed 3 hours
D SCHMIDT says
I monitor by using an egg timer to teach them how long 30 minutes is 🙂
Sweta Sonulkar says
I would monitor the tab with child lock with time alarm and install kids safe app through blocking all other unnecessary sites.
Candice says
I don’t have kids yet, but watch my niece and nephew. I make sure I to limit their time playing games and online.
Irene says
I trust my own kids to monitor what my grand kids are playing.
Lentil says
Right now she plays online at specific safe sites. She can’t navigate to them without assistance and I’m in the room with her 90% of the time.
Jen says
we do 30 minutes a week night after dinner and before bed, we do an hour on weekends unless its raining then we discuss.
Pam O says
As long as it is educational and interactive, I let him play as long as he wants to. It’s better than television.
Renee B. says
We limit time and only download age appropriate apps.
Kelly D says
We have our kid’s game set to a time limit, usually through the device itself.
Maria Iemma says
I do not have small kids, this would be for my youngest granddaughter. I know my daughter monitors her use of games by not letting her play when she is alone in her room.
Jenn McCullar says
with the leap pad 1 and leap 2 no, they have safe kid friendly games and programs.
Jeanna says
They can play as long as I know what they are playing and it also has to be educational! BUT, no more than 1hr a day!
sandra says
we use timers
nannypanpan says
he’s only allowed to use computer/ipad whn I say he can and I have time limits of an hour during the week and 3 on eweekends
amy pugmire says
I set the timer otherwise they would play games all day long.
Shani Emel says
I monitor my daughters usage by watching her and limiting her playtime.
Jessica B. says
My son doesn’t play games unless I am right with him (he is too small).
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
I try to keep track of the time and have my son change to a different activity.
juli guthrie says
All of my boys WHEN they get game time, usually get about an hour.
Eileen Richter says
This summer I just did a LOT of yelling to limit games. Just being honest. But now that the school year is in full blast plus sports, it’s not been an issue.
I do have grand kids too, and see this trend in gaming, texting, non communication getting worse. I hope it doesn’t go TOO far…sad the art of talking is pretty much going.
Maralea says
They are only allowed a certain amount of time a day to play video games