Summer Fun: 6 Xbox Games For Kids

By Sonya Davidson

Summer is here and even with the best laid plans – camps, playdates, excursions and of course plenty of fresh air outdoors – there will be times when we just need some quiet time. Of course, we all want to balance their screen time. Take your pick - movie? video games? favourite TV show? 

We’ve always been interested in understanding what games they were interested in and vetted them before jumping in. I can tell you the most fun for them were games that were traditional challenge games of skill and adventure games. Navigating through mazes, exploring different environments, uncovering hidden treasures earning rewards were always a hit. There are a number of games that are suitable for kids and can be played through the Xbox One console that is perfect for families.

Here are some great Xbox games we've come across for kids and families:

SCRIBBLENAUTS SHOWDOWN: use your imagination to go head-to-head in over 25 mini-games and over 35,000 words in the dictionary in this latest addition to the popular series. Players have to solve puzzles and challenges in the short mini-games by spelling words and call upon whatever was typed.  Each game takes less than a minute to complete. Multiplayer option is added for the first time but there are also games in the “Sandbox mode” that aren’t competitive. Play it on Xbox One. Rated E for Everyone 10+.

ZOO TYCOON: Ultimate Animal Collection: The wildly popular Zoo Tycoon series gets fully re-mastered and takes the excitement, challenge and fun of building the ultimate zoo in this latest game to the next level. This game empowers fans of the series to do more of what they want. Build bigger zoos and more customization opportunities. This game offers more detailed environments and the most beautiful animals from South America and Australia. There are 91 new animals added to the existing 100 in this game. Imaginations run wild when you build, manage, and maintain your dream zoo alone or with up to four players on Xbox Live.  Rated E for Everyone.

RUSH: A DISNEY PIXAR EXPERIENCE: experience the worlds of six Disney Pixar films like never before. Play cooperatively and team up with characters from The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Cars, Toy Story, and Finding Dory. Solve puzzles and uncover hidden secrets. The game actually looks more like the movies. Disney and Pixar wanted to expand the worlds and offer new storylines since some of the films were released. Each game within each world has it’s own objectives and goals. The player and the Pixar character interacts on screen and cooperatively solve challenges. There’s also the “Pixar Playground” that acts like a playground where kids can pretend to be their favourite characters.  Rated E for everyone 10+. 

SUPER LUCKY TALE: this playground platformer follows Lucky, the optimistic, curious, energetic, and loveable hero, on his quest to find his inner strength and help his sister rescue the Book of Ages from Jinx. Jinx is the scheming and mysterious villain trying to reshape the world, but for what reason? There is a fun cast of  silly characters rounding out this delightful and satisfying game.  Rated E for Everyone.

DISNEYLAND ADVENTURES: Experience the magic of Disneyland. Take a journey where stories come to life. Explore Disneyland park from Main Street USA to Critter Country. Join Peter Pan to battle Captain Hook, high-five Mickey Mouse or hug Snow White. This game offers Disney fans of all ages to step into adventures based on the famous theme park attractions.  The team who created this game spent five months exploring the theme park in detail to recreate the entire lay of the land. The results are as accurate as you can get. Got a favourite coffee shop in the park? You’ll find it in the exact same place within the game. Rated E for Everyone.

 

MINECRAFT: Pretty sure we don’t have to explain this game to many parents but if your family is new to this world, this particular game involves players building and creating worlds with various blocks. It’s quite the phenomenon with both parents and educators supporting this game that is not bound to limits of the imagination. Developers have also worked with teachers for grades ages K to 12 to create classroom support directed to specific learning and curriculum standards as well as building on skills like collaboration, communication, problem solving and critical thinking. Rated E for Everyone 10+.

 

Herea are a few tips on gaming for kids:

Set guidelines on when and how long kids can play. Afternoon quiet time? Rainy day? When you’re prepping dinner? After dinner fun with mom?

If friends are coming over, just check with their parents to see if they are okay as well. Balance sleepovers, playdates and screen time.

Set parental controls on your console. Most consoles today also have access to onine games and apps. You can restrict by age rating and control privacy and chat features. .  So, set your comfort zone.  On the Xbox One you will need to create your child’s profile and add to family. You can also set daily or weekly timers. The Xbox support is a very useful place to go for full explanation.

When purchasing, or downloading even free games, do some research. Is it age appropriate? Don’t just go by your child saying “my friends are playing that game and their parents are okay with it.” Do your own research to help decide if you’re comfortable with your child playing the game. 

Pay attention to recommended ages for each game.  They are guidelines but having said that, I’ve known parents who’ve allowed their children younger than 10 to play games like Minecraft.

Discuss the game with your child and play the game along side with them . It’s a great opportunity to discover how much they comprehend. Ask them questions like how do you get from A to B? What do you need to do to earn points? Who’s that character?   

Manage and work through frustrations and challenges in games. Keep an eye on your child as they navigate through levels and talk through possible outcomes.

Learning and fun. Yes, and games created for younger players often include opportunities to learn and be creative…and not just for kids! Parents too!