The document discusses computer games for children and provides guidance for parents. It covers how games are a form of play, different types and ratings of games, and signs that a child may be overusing games. The document advises parents to limit screen time, engage children in other activities, and use ratings and reviews to help decide what games are appropriate.

1. COMPUTER GAMES FOR CHILDREN A Bewildered Parent,s Guide Jeanette Burkett Consultant Creative Education Technologies

2. COMPUTER GAMES ARE PLAY But it’s not child’s play In Homo Ludens : A Study of the Play-Element in Culture by Johan Huizinga (July 1986, Beacon Press, Boston), “play” is a significant function, it transcends the immediate needs of life and has meaning to the actions associated with play.

3. THE OLDEST FORM OF PLAY “ Play is older than culture, for culture, however inadequately defined, always presupposes human society, and animals have not waited for man to teach them their playing.” [ Johan Huizinga On play and civilizing functions “ The view we take in the following pages is that culture arises in the form of play, that it is played from the very beginning... Social life is endued with supra-biological forms, in the shape of play, which enhances its value.”

4. PLAY AND THE LAW “ The judge's wig, however, is more than a mere relic of antiquated professional dress. Functionally it has close connections with the dancing masks of savages. It transforms the wearer into another ″being″. And it is by no means the only very ancient feature which the strong sense of tradition so peculiar to the British has preserved in law. The sporting element and the humour so much in evidence in British legal practice is one of the basic features of law in archaic society.” [19]

5. PLAY FORMS IN THE LAWSUIT 3 play-forms in the lawsuit Huizinga puts forward the idea that there are “three play-forms in the lawsuit" and that these forms can be deduced by comparing practice today with “legal proceedings in archaic society" [20] : the game of chance the contest the verbal battle

6. WAR AND PLAY One wages war to obtain a decision of holy validity. [22] An armed conflict is as much a mode of justice as divination or a legal proceeding. [22] War itself might be regarded as a form of divination. [23]

7. THE KNOWING OF THINGS AND PLAY “ For archaic man, doing and daring are power, but knowing is magical power. For him all particular knowledge is sacred knowledge—esoteric and wonder-working wisdom, because any knowing is directly related to the cosmic order itself.” [26]

8. THE THREE LEVELS OF COMPUTER GAMES First Level: It’s a game 1. Puzzle games: MYST 2. Challenge games: Zelda 3. Quest Games: Final Fantasy

9. THREE TYPES OF PLAYERS player Puzzle Role-playing Puzzle/Role-playing

10. AGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE 5-10: Action/color makes a difference 11-16: Action/Story/color makes a difference 16-21: Action/Story/Complexity/color /player interaction/makes a difference 21-35: Action/Story/Complexity/color/player interaction/ makes a difference 35-55: Action/Story/Complexity/color/ makes a difference player Puzzle Role-playing Puzzle/Role-playing

11. TAKING THE GAMES APART Remember adults create and build the games. Adults aren’t always cognizant of who they are building the game for. Let’s looks at some games… Zelda Prince of Persia Myst Final Fantasy

12. THE RATINGS EARLY CHILDHOOD Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate. EVERYONE Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

13. RATING SYSTEM EVERYONE 10+ Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes. TEEN Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

14. RATINGS MATURE Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. ADULTS ONLY Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

15. YOU ARE THE BEST JUDGE The ratings are a guide and though they’re getting better, they’re not perfect. Read about the game. Read the back of the box Good websites to use for decisions: http://www.whattheyplay.com/ http://www.commonsensemedia.org/

16. PROBLEM GAMES What is the objective of the game? Is the outcome dependent on the choice of the player? 1. Can you choose to be a good character or bad character? http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/Star-Wars-Force-Unleashed.html

17. PROBLEM GAMES Grand Theft Auto Bioshock Problem Games are games that promote gratification through killing, violence and have gratuitous blood and gore. Problem Games leave the moral decisions ambiguous. You can kill the Wookie. Links to depression are highly correlated to Internet and computer game usage.

18. DANGER DANGER WIL ROBERTSON The signs of computer game overuse There are no other activities. The conversation (past the initial 3-6 mos) is always about computer games. The conversation focuses on how violently the characters are killed. The characters killed can be identified as victims, humans, and are not monsters.

19. WHAT TO DO? Increase the amount of time you spend with your child/spouse Choose non-game activities that focus on them Invite their friends over or to activities Find ways to incorporate reading into their schedule Find problem solving games Have them involved in a club which may or may not include contact sports

20. RESOURCES http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp http://commonsensemedia.org/ http://www.whattheyplay.com/ NOT RESOURCES Game Informer Magazine Game Pro Magazine