Make a Plan for Their Play:
Five Tips From GameTruck

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Make “game time” a productive activity for your kids by putting a household “electronic strategy” in play for the new school year. GameTruck, a leading advocate for positive gaming practices, offers these five tips and resources for regulating screen time in your family.

1. Get Kids Moving and Socializing Arrange a cyber play date with friends or capitalize on the games that require movement while they are playing like Wii Sports. 

2. Use Extra Playing Time As a Reward With younger or older kids, reward them with a little extra playing time for clean rooms, good manners, good grades, etc. 

3. Develop a Process For Turning Games Off With video games that are sequential, if you do not finish a level, you cannot save your work in progress. To avoid conflict, give kids advance warning that you are going to need them to power down. 

4. Set Rules and Sign a Contract How much time a day is allowed for activities that involve screen time? What are the family rules around content and ratings? GameTruck’s website (www.gametruckparty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/BeyourownGameCoach.pdf) offers ideas and a downloadable contract you can personalize to make sure that everyone is clear on the “house rules” and the consequences for not following them. 

5. Let Game Coaches Help If you throw a GameTruck party, their game coaches can work with your kids to make healthy gaming habits a theme of the party. For more information or to schedule a GameTruck party, go to www.gametruckparty.com or call 888-602-4263.