Minecraft Legends is an action-packed strategy game in which players lead an army of different creatures to defend the beautiful island world from the hostile pig creatures. The game is designed for planning, resource management and tactical battles and appeals to experienced children and young people.
Minecraft Legends is a real-time strategy game from the Minecraft-universe. The game world is built from the familiar Minecraft blocks. However, the gameplay is more focused on tactics and teamwork than the classic Minecraft building and exploration. The spin-off game particularly appeals to players who enjoy a mixture of strategy and action.
Minecraft Legends offers both a single-player and a multiplayer mode.
Players take on the role of heroes and lead an army of different Minecraft creatures on their mounts. The aim is to protect the overworld from the threat of the “Piglins” (hostile pig creatures) from the underworld. Players liberate villages, build castles and walls and destroy enemy fortresses. To do this, they must collect resources and make strategic decisions to fend off the enemy hordes.
Minecraft Legends is popular with children and young people because it takes elements from the popular Minecraft universe and turns them into an exciting and accessible strategy game. Players act in a familiar world and play with the familiar Minecraft block creatures. At the same time, they use their creativity and strategic skills to defeat the enemy Piglins. The ability to take on opponents in epic battles and cooperate with friends makes it a fun multiplayer experience. At the same time, the game offers enough depth to keep players hooked. The mix of adventure, teamwork and tactical challenges is particularly appealing to experienced Minecraft and strategy players.
The mixture of real-time strategy and action is a playful challenge and can be particularly overwhelming for younger players. As there are neither detailed instructions nor a clear learning path for how to proceed, access is rather difficult for beginners. The strategic elements require tactical thinking and well thought-out planning. The fast-paced battle with the Piglins is sometimes so challenging that it can frustrate inexperienced players.
Minecraft Legends offers single-player content, but places a strong focus on multiplayer mode. Children and young people can use it to get in contact with other players and are confronted with communication risks. The violence in the game is presented in a classic Minecraft setting and does not contain any brutal depictions. Nevertheless, the frequent confrontation with opponents could be unpleasant or unsettling for sensitive children. Minecraft Legends features a marketplace where additional skins and mounts can be purchased for real money. There are also paid seasonal expansions (DLC).
The privacy policy and terms of use are available in German on the Minecraft website. Data is adequately protected in compliance with the GDPR.
Minecraft Legends is linked to a Microsoft account that parents can use to set up parental controls.
Minecraft Legends is a complex game that is particularly suitable for experienced children and young people aged 12 and over. Make sure you offer your child age-appropriate games and agree on clear rules for using games in the family.
The game can present some challenges. Although the violence in Minecraft Legends is presented in a more child-friendly way, the game contains many warlike elements. Watch your child to see how they cope with the conflicts and battles in the game and be there to support them.
Technical protective measures can help to make your child’s gaming experience safer. Various functions can be set via the parental controls in the Microsoft account:
You can find more information about the Microsoft account settings at medien-kindersicher.de
A quick game of cards on the bus, quickly mowing the lawn at the supermarket checkout, jumping on trains while waiting for your meal in the restaurant or puzzling out words together on the sofa in the evening. This is how casual games work – simple digital games. They range from small mobile games like Candy Crush to big console titles like Mario Party. What they all have in common is that they are easily accessible, entertaining and often particularly beginner-friendly. They are simple, fast and always accessible. But they are not completely problem-free.
The term “casual games” means occasional games. Their most important characteristics are
Well-known examples include Candy Crush, Quizduell, Subway Surfer and Mahjong. But also Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing also count as casual games due to their relaxed gameplay and broad target group. These games are now so popular that more than half of people in Germany play them at least occasionally. In 2023, 5.1 billion euros in sales were generated across Germany with these small games.
Casual games are also frequently found in families. Thanks to their simple design, they appeal to all family members and have fans in all age groups. Even family members who are not real gamers are often enthusiastic about the “little gaming experience in between”. In many casual games, players can connect with each other, play against each other or help each other. This creates a shared experience that brings the family together. But solo games such as Unpacking or A Little to the Left also invite you to think, organize and relax – without any time pressure or pressure to perform. Some games promote skills such as responsiveness, logical thinking or problem-solving and are therefore an entertaining and educational pastime for children and young people.
Despite all the fun, as parents you should always keep an eye on the problematic aspects of so-called “handbag games” – and discuss these with your child:
Casual games can be a great way to pass the time while waiting for the bus – without any unwanted side effects.
Children and young people are enthusiastic about mobile, computer and console games on platforms such as Xbox, PC, Playstation or Nintendo Switch. The “Games in the family” information service from the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) offers educational assessments of popular games and helps parents keep track of them.
The offer includes a selection of game reviews – from particularly popular titles to games with a learning effect. In addition to the game description, the reviews also contain information on genre, game mode (e.g. single or multiplayer), playing time, recommended age group and supported platforms. This makes it easier for parents to assess whether a game is suitable for their everyday family life. In addition, each review provides an educational assessment that highlights learning objectives and potential risks such as violent content or an excessive reward system.
In addition to the game ratings, “Games in the Family” offers a compact parents’ guide that answers questions about the everyday use of media and video games. For example:
An extensive glossary also explains important terms from the gaming world – from “loot boxes” to “open world”.
Young people can find out about current games and thus better assess for themselves which game is suitable for their age. This promotes their media skills and helps them to reflect on their own gaming preferences.
The educational assessments of the bpbdiffersignificantly in some cases from the age ratings of the USK. While the USK looks at content risks (e.g. violence or scary moments) and usage risks (e.g. chats or in-game purchases) on the basis of the German Youth Protection Act, the bpb takes into account factors such as game depth, emotional impact and understanding of age.
A game can be approved by the USK from the age of 6, but only be recommended by the bpb from the age of 12, for example because it contains complex content or online interactions.
Ideally, take several factors into account when choosing a game. Every child develops individually and reacts differently. Get different opinions, talk to other parents and try out games yourself if possible. Accompany your child in everyday play, talk about game content – and listen to why a game fascinates.
Don’t ban digital games outright, explain your concerns. This will help your child understand why they are not (yet) allowed to play a certain game.
The bpb offers a supplementary event format with the Parents’ LAN: parents’ evenings, which usually take place from 7.20 p.m. to 10 p.m., where adults can play games themselves to learn about the fascination and challenges of digital games. With pedagogical support, we discuss how media education can succeed – also in dialog with children.
In addition to the “Games in the family” service, it is also worth taking a look at the NRW games guide, a comprehensive information portal for the educational evaluation of digital games. It is also aimed at parents, professionals and young people and is compiled by media educators together with young players.
The former website www.spielbar.de was integrated into the website of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) at the beginning of 2025. Content that was previously available on Spielbar is now part of ” Games in the family“. The new service offers a better overview, an improved search function and new formats – such as video reviews. Anyone who wants to use games specifically in schools or political education will also find the new ” Games for political education“.
Building your own worlds from building blocks, slipping into imaginative roles and completing exciting missions – the online gaming platform Roblox is still very popular with young people. As it also includes chat functions and some people earn money with their games, Roblox combines gaming, social media and creative design on one platform – which is why it has been rated 16+ since January 2025.
The two words Robots and Blocks together make up the name of the Roblox gaming platform. Here you can create and play virtual worlds in Lego style, which is particularly popular with young people. Roblox is a mixture of game world and social network and is reminiscent of Minecraft.
After registering on roblox.com, players receive a pre-made game character (avatar) that they can customize as they wish. Clothes or a different hairstyle are free of charge. Some extra accessories cost money in the form of their own currency Robux. Functions such as creating games as well as playing games themselves are freely available.
Many young people love the game because they can easily develop their own games. Registered users can create their own games with the “Roblox Studio” building tool and share them with others. Simple structures can be designed, but also complex worlds of experience such as cities and amusement parks. In the Roblox community, young people can let off steam creatively and chat with each other.
Roblox is particularly popular with young game developers, as they can create and publish their own games there. If a game is played frequently by other users and money is invested, there is a chance that the developers – your child, for example – will also earn a share.
In January 2025, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body(USK) raised the age rating for Roblox from 12 to 16. There were several key reasons for this decision:
In addition, the USK criticized the lack of effective precautionary measures on the part of the platform operators, such as insufficiently secured children’s accounts and the lack of age ratings in accordance with German standards. Due to these aspects, the age rating was adjusted to ensure the protection of minors and provide parents with better guidance.
The provider Roblox Corporation emphasizes on its platform that it takes security and data protection very seriously. There is a reporting system for inappropriate chat messages and a chat filter. After registration, an account is automatically created in “data protection mode” for users under the age of 13. Younger players will then not have access to the social media functions, for example. Some games are also only released from a certain age. Moderators check whether uploaded image and video material meets the requirements for youth-friendly content. Inappropriate content is actively filtered and deleted. However, all of this assumes that the player’s age has been truthfully stated when registering.
Roblox offers various safety functions that allow you to keep a better eye on your child’s play. Parents can find out more about parental controls on the Roblox website.
Roblox is repeatedly accused of not sufficiently moderating both the content and the communication between users and of not taking consistent enough action against violations of the community guidelines. For example, young people may come across discriminatory and extremist content in the games.
In principle, the state does not use age labels to specify which media content parents may allow their children to play at home. Nevertheless, you should make sure that you only provide your child with games that are suitable and approved for their age. You should therefore pay attention to the 16+ label.
If your child is under the age of 16 and already has a Roblox account, you are not obliged to delete the account due to the age upgrade. However, it is advisable that you look into the changed age rating and the reasons for it and decide whether the platform is still suitable for your child. If you do not want to ban use completely, you can, for example, check the account restrictions together and adjust them if necessary. Talk to your child about the age rating and why it has been adjusted. If you decide that your child should delete an existing Roblox account, also talk to them about this and explain your reasons. If you are already using a parental control program, depending on the settings, programs with an age rating of 16 and above may be automatically blocked.
Register and create a profile together with your child and discover the Roblox game world together. Talk to him about his gaming experiences. Let them show you what your child plays and ask why they like certain games and who they socialize with.
Set the account so that your child is shown games that are as age-appropriate as possible. Use a parent PIN so that only you can change the settings. Also keep an eye on the in-app purchases made. Advise your child not to disclose any private data via the platform. Educate your child about communication risks online and encourage them to block and report suspicious or unpleasant contacts. Chat options can be limited or even disabled and age visibility can be turned off. You can also find all important steps for parental control at Roblox on medien-kindersicher.de.
Your child will soon be holding their first smartphone in their hands – and with it many new possibilities, but also challenges. In the virtual parents’ evening, you will receive everyday tips on safe settings, protecting personal data and child-friendly apps. We will provide tips on media education and show you how you can empower your child to deal competently with contact risks, cost traps and the like. Find out how to help your child use digital media responsibly – for safe and positive smartphone use right from the start!
Take the opportunity to be there live and ask your questions to our experts – we will be on hand to exchange ideas and provide valuable inspiration for everyday family life!
Date: 19.05.2025 | Time: 5 to 6 pm
Speakers: Sophie Pohle (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk) and Sophia Mellitzer (JFF – Institute for Media Education in Research and Practice)
Moderation: Nils Rudolf (FSM e.V.)
Platform: The virtual parents’ evening is realized via the tool “Zoom”.
Privacy Notice: Zoom is a service of Zoom Video Communications Inc. which is based in the USA. We use Zoom via the German operator easymeet24. easymeet24 ‘s server is located in Europe. Furthermore, we have selected the configurations with the highest data and security protection within the Zoom service.
Please also take note of our privacy policy.
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Thrilling battles, epic dungeons and exciting stories full of secrets – that’s what players can expect in Minecraft Dungeons. The adventure role-playing game from the Minecraft-universe appeals particularly to older children and teenagers who love action and are looking for quick rewards.
Minecraft Dungeons is an action-adventure game in the popular Minecraft universe. It is characterized by the Hack&Slay style – a genre that thrives on fast, action-packed battles with many opponents. In contrast to the classic Minecraftwhich focuses primarily on creativity and sandbox elements, Minecraft Dungeons focuses on combat and adventure. In computer games, a dungeon is an underground or abandoned area that can be explored by players. These dungeons are often filled with obstacles, enemies and puzzles that must be overcome in order to gain rewards or progress in the game.
Minecraft Dungeons is a bird’s eye view game. Players embark on an epic journey to save the world from the evil Arch-Illager, who threatens the land with his dark power. A central gameplay element is the collection of equipment and weapons. Over the course of the game, players will find many different types of armor, swords, bows and magical artefacts that improve their abilities and help them defeat stronger enemies. Particularly interesting is the loot system, which provides constant rewards and significantly increases the replay value of the game. Minecraft Dungeons offers different levels of difficulty, allowing players to customize their own challenge.
Minecraft Dungeons is particularly popular with children because it incorporates many elements from the classic Minecraft game while offering a new and exciting experience. In Minecraft Dungeons, players take on the role of adventurers who travel through different areas to fight hordes of enemies. There are numerous dungeons to explore. Randomly generated maps make the game varied and exciting. The game can be played alone or in co-op mode with up to four players. Minecraft Dungeons is easily accessible and not as complex as other action role-playing games. The controls are simple, so even younger children can immerse themselves in the game world without much frustration.
Minecraft Dungeons includes action-packed battles against various enemies, including well-known Minecraft characters (e.g. zombies, spiders, skeletons) and other fantasy creatures. The violence in the game is depicted graphically in a rather harmless way and does not show any brutal scenes. However, the frequent confrontations with enemies could be unpleasant or unsettling for sensitive children.
Minecraft Dungeons offers the opportunity to cooperate with other players online. Although the game does not offer a direct chat function, it can be played in groups. Players often use additional platforms or apps to communicate. Children and young people can thus interact with other online players, which can entail communication risks, even if the game itself does not offer voice or text chat functions.
The game offers various purchase options for additional content, including cosmetic items such as new skins or equipment. There are also paid seasonal expansions (DLC) and packs on offer.
On the minecraft website, the privacy policy and terms of use are available in German. Data is adequately protected in compliance with the GDPR. Minecraft Dungeons is linked to a Microsoft account that parents can use to set up parental controls.
Minecraft Dungeons is an exciting game for older children and teenagers aged 12 and over, but it also presents challenges. Make sure you give your child access to age-appropriate gamesand agree on clear rules for using games in the family.
Technical precautions can help here. As a parent, you can set the following functions via the parental controls in your Microsoft account to make using Minecraft Dungeons even safer:
You can find more information about the Microsoft account settings at medien-kindersicher.de
Children and young people are growing up in a digital world in which they come into contact with online media on a daily basis. Clear rules and effective protective measures are essential to enable them to use the internet safely. The German Association for Voluntary Self-Regulation of Digital Media Service Providers (FSM e.V.) plays a central role here. We explain how the FSM shapes youth media protection and why it is so important for parents.
The FSM is a self-regulatory body recognized by the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM) in the area of youth media protection. It is committed to protecting children and young people from online content that is harmful to minors and supports digital media providers in the implementation of youth protection measures. It works closely with many other institutions in the field – in Germany and internationally.
The FSM pursues the goal of ensuring effective youth media protection in digital offerings. Its main tasks:
The FSM is part of the system of regulated self-regulation in Germany. It works closely with other self-regulatory bodies such as the USK (Entertainment Software Self-Regulation), the FSK (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry) and the FSF (Voluntary Self-Regulation of Television). In this way, the self-regulatory bodies promote cooperation between companies, authorities and politicians for the effective protection of minors in the media.
The digital protection of minors is a dynamic field that constantly presents new challenges:
It is often difficult for parents to assess what content on the Internet is suitable for their children. The FSM offers support to ensure that youth media protection reaches families:
More information is available directly on the FSM website: www.fsm.de
Computer games offer children and young people lots of entertainment, enable social contact and can even help with learning. However, there are also dangers in virtual worlds, such as disinformation and extremist speech. At the same time, games also offer opportunities to live a culture of remembrance, teach democratic values and counter extremism. In this article, you will find out what you should look out for as a parent and how you can use computer games sensibly.
Many online games thrive on interactivity and exchange with other players. As in other social spaces, there are also challenges here. Extremist groups also use games and gaming communities specifically to influence young people. This can happen in different ways:
You can read more about extremism in online games in this parents’ guide article.
The Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body(USK) tests games and assigns age ratings. Among other things, attention is paid to how extremist symbols are handled. Unconstitutional symbols such as swastikas are prohibited under the German Criminal Code. They may only be shown under certain conditions, e.g. in a critical examination of history. During the review, the USK pays attention to the relationship between good and evil in the game, the historical context and the classification of the events and whether extremist symbols are only used decoratively or critically reflected.
Games can be a valuable means of bringing history to life and sensitizing young people to the dangers of extremist ideologies. Serious games in particular – i.e. games with an educational mission – can contribute to this. They impart knowledge and actively involve players in solving problems. In serious games, players are very involved, find themselves in the middle of the story and have to act as those affected. This teaches them about the risks of extremism and what has threatened people in the past.
Examples of such serious games are
Such games tell history interactively and promote an understanding of historical contexts. You can find a database of remembrance culture games on the website of the Digital Games Culture Foundation
Not only specially developed educational games, but also well-known entertainment games can be used to critically scrutinize extremist content. So-called “serious gaming” means that games that were not originally intended for this purpose are used for educational purposes. One example is Call of Duty: WWII, where the crimes of the Nazis are realistically depicted in one chapter.
There are also games that deal with radicalization, for example:
So-called “cozy games”, such as Stardew Valley or Venba, do not deal with the topic, but offer relaxed gaming experiences in positive, supportive worlds and can help young players to develop a healthy world view.
As a parent, you have an important role to play when it comes to guiding your child in their use of games and protecting them from extremist content. Here are some tips:
If you find your child’s behaviour conspicuous or are worried about your child, contact advice centres for parents and young people and find out more about radicalization on the internet on platforms such as ZEBRA. You can find out more about preventing extremism in the gaming sector in the Amadeu Antonio Foundation’s brochure “Gaming against right-wing extremism”.
Apps, remote-controlled cars, vending machines – in our increasingly digital world, programming skills are a valuable skill. Age-appropriate apps and programs introduce children to coding in a playful way and encourage creativity, logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
ScratchScratch is an image-oriented, visual programming language and an online platform developed by the MIT Media Lab especially for children and young people aged 8 to 16. Children can use it to learn programming step by step in a fun way. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, they can create their own animations, games and interactive stories. The software is extremely appealing and gives your child the opportunity to create their own worlds. There is also a large online community where your child can share coding projects and be inspired by others. There is also an app version that can be used offline.
ScratchJrFor younger children (aged 5+) there is ScratchJr, which offers simple visual programming for first coding experiences. The app allows your child to create their own interactive stories and games by stringing together graphical program blocks to move characters and create actions such as jumping, dancing and singing. You can customize the characters and add your own voices and sounds. ScratchJr is easy to use and has a child-friendly design.
OctoStudioOctoStudio is an intuitive, block-based programming language that allows users to create interactive animations and games directly on their smartphone or tablet. The app was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group of the MIT Media Lab and makes it possible to take photos and sounds and bring them to life with programming blocks. The use of device sensors is particularly noteworthy: projects can be controlled interactively by shaking, tilting or jumping. OctoStudio is ad-free, contains no in-app purchases and does not collect any user data. The app is available in more than 20 languages, including German, and can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Programming with the mouseThis website is aimed at children aged 8 and over and teaches programming basics in a fun way, inspired by “Die Sendung mit der Maus”. The popular TV character from the show awakens an interest in coding and accompanies your child through the program. The web application uses Scratch as a basis, but does not allow you to publish your own projects. “Programming with the Mouse” focuses on entertaining games and activities to impart knowledge in an appealing way. The platform offers structured instructions that guide children step by step through the world of programming. Successfully solving tasks boosts children’s self-confidence and is fun. The website promotes creative learning and makes programming accessible to children.
Ronja’s robotRonja’s Robot is an app for iOS and Android, developed by the Kinder Forschen foundation. It introduces children aged 6 to 12 to programming and robotics in a playful way. The app consists of two clever games: “Roberta rast”, in which your child learns programming concepts, and “Speak like Roberta”, which teaches the computer language binary code (from 1 and 0). For more advanced children, the graphical programming language OPEN Roberta offers the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of programming. Creative thinking is encouraged and your child can come up with their own solutions to tricky challenges. Your child can earn badges and rewards in the game and create coding projects together with other children as a team.
Your child may forget the time when programming. Set rules for screen time together with your child. Make sure your child socializes and spends time outdoors. There may also be occasional frustration when challenges arise. Support your child, encourage them – and learn something new yourself. There are also school and leisure activities where children can learn the programs. Use the fragFINN search engine for children to find offers in your area.
Squad Busters is a fast-paced multiplayer group action game in which ten players compete to grab and keep the most jewels. The game is a mix of other video games from Finnish game developer Supercell and features characters from Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Hay Day and Boom Beach.
Squad Busters is about leading a group of characters who compete together as a team. The aim is to collect as many gems as possible or eliminate other teams. Whoever has the most gems at the end of the round wins. Gems can be earned in various ways: For example, by defeating monsters, chopping down trees, searching through bushes, destroying crates or collecting coins. Each round is different because the rules of the game are determined randomly. This keeps the game varied and exciting.
In Squad Busters, children and teenagers can expect simple but colorful 3D graphics. The game looks similar to other games from Supercell, such as Brawl Stars. Anyone familiar with these games will quickly find their way around. The gameplay is also reminiscent of earlier successful titles that are played by millions of people worldwide. What is particularly exciting for children is that they can find familiar characters from other games in Squad Busters and develop them further.
The game motivates you to spend a lot of time with it. Firstly, the game characters can be continuously improved and gradually upgraded. The aim is to reach the highest level of development – the so-called Ultra Evolution. With each evolution, the characters gain new abilities that make them stronger. This helps players to be more successful. Secondly, there are rewards in the form of chests with surprises after each round. Those who do particularly well receive more rewards and in-game currency. The currency can be used to unlock further improvements in the game.
In Squad Busters, players have the opportunity to play with friends and family as well as strangers and chat in group chats. This allows your child to get in touch with unknown people who may not be who they say they are. After random rounds of play, your child may receive friend requests from other players. This carries the risk of cyberbullying and cybergrooming.
Squad Busters offers a variety of in-game purchases that can tempt children to spend real money on additional content. These include a virtual currency to purchase various items or upgrades or to buy new characters or cosmetic skins for existing characters to customize the gaming experience. Players can also purchase special power-ups or boosts that give them advantages in the game. There are also battle passes that offer regular rewards or benefits in the game.
There is a guide for parents on the official website of the provider Supercell. For example, it points out existing in-app purchases in the game and explains how parents can manage them and switch them off if necessary. Supercell states that it does not pass on personal data to third parties for commercial purposes or in any other way. The provider has created a “blacklist” for safe chatting. This allows certain terms to be quickly and automatically removed from chats. Chat messages can be muted and are then no longer displayed.
Supercell states that various data must be collected in order to play the game. You can find out exactly what data the provider accesses in the privacy policy. It is advisable to first explore the game together with your child. Play together to better understand your child’s enthusiasm for the game.
Keep in touch with your child about the game and encourage them to contact you if they have any questions or problems.
Are you or your child looking for high-quality and child-friendly child-friendly online offers? Then Seitenstark just the right thing! The platform is a network of certified children’s sites that provide educationally valuable content. Your child can surf, discover and learn safely here.
Seitenstark.de is a children’s website that lists and presents a variety of child-friendly websites. The sites offer content on various topics. Whether nature and technology, music and film, art and culture or politics and religion – children will find lots of exciting content here and can learn new things in a fun way.
Many of the pages presented are linked to the site strength-seal of approval. The seal stands for high-quality, ad-free and safe internet services that are specially tailored to the needs of children. Sites with this seal offer trustworthy, verified content and protect the privacy of young users.
On Seitenstark going digital is easy and fun. In the Link-Clips places Seitenstark The mascot Starky accompanies the children as they surf the Internet and provides them with other topics in addition to the children’s pages. The mascot Starky accompanies the children while surfing and presents other topics in addition to the children’s pages, such as Children’s rights. In the category Join in! children get exciting ideas and tips for creating media themselves. Those who Games you get access to child-friendly game collections and entertaining analog and digital game tips. Under the tab Fit on the Internet the character Charlie provides important information about safety on the Internet. Your child will learn more about the Internet in general, about Fake news and data protection and answers to frequently asked questions.
The Seitenstark e. V. association forms the organizational basis of the open Seitenstark-network. As a non-profit organization and recognized sponsor of independent youth welfare, the association is committed to high-quality and safe children’s media. Its members come from the fields of children’s media, media education and educational work. All information about the association, the seal of approval and tips on media education can be found in the Area for parents and teachers.
When you gradually release your child more independently into the world of the Internet, he or she should already have learned a few rules and have safe places to go to find offers suitable for children. Therefore Seitenstark a great opportunity.
The website is divided into a children’s section and a section for parents and teachers. You can let your child surf alone in the children’s area with a clear conscience, which will give them self-confidence and help them develop their skills. Media competence promotes. However, you should always bear in mind that the discussed media usage times are adhered to and you remain in contact with your child.
Make use of Seitenstark as a contact point for discovering new topics together and imparting knowledge in a playful way. With Seitenstark children can use the Internet safely and sensibly – a great opportunity for you as parents to accompany your child in their digital learning. And you can also find out more yourself on the site.
“Just one more round!” or “Leon can watch TV much longer!” – Many parents are familiar with phrases like these. But how much media time is actually okay? Which media is suitable for my child? And at what age does it make sense for them to have their own smartphone? Fixed rules can help to find answers to these questions. However, they can also lead to conflicts. We have a few tips and background information on setting media rules in the family.
Rules are not there to enforce the will of parents, but to provide structure and guidance. They help to promote your child’s media skills and reduce the risk of problems caused by inappropriate use of media. As parents, you have the responsibility to combine the fun of media with a conscious approach. You are often better at assessing dangers than your child.
It is important that your child understands the rules and can follow them. It is best to develop the rules together with your child. This will make your child realize that their opinion counts and it will be easier for them to accept the rules. Explain to your child why certain rules are important and why they should be followed. If rules are not clearly formulated or are interpreted differently, your child will find it difficult to follow them. Another crucial point is that you as parents are role models – this means that you should follow the same rules yourself.
Which rules make sense depends on the age of your child and on how you and your child generally deal with media. This is not the same in every family.
The younger your child is, the more you should keep an eye on his or her media use. Young children need close supervision and should not spend too much time with media. Choose age-appropriate content, limit the duration of use and decide on suitable devices. Even if your child is still small, you can explain to them why certain content or times are chosen. Depending on their stage of development, children of kindergarten age can also be involved in simple decisions. From elementary school age, your child gets many new impressions and influences. They still need a lot of guidance, which is why clear, jointly developed rules are very important. You can now better talk to your child about content and let him or her have a say. This way, your child feels taken seriously and learns to take responsibility. From secondary school and adolescence onwards, you should trust your child to be more independent and support them in using media in an increasingly self-determined and self-regulated way. Young people usually approach digital media openly, but they are often not yet able to properly assess the risks. That’s why you are still important as a guide and contact person!
The following applies to all age groups: media usage rules must be sensible and flexible.
To help your child understand how to use media, it makes sense to draw up the rules together – for example in the form of a media usage contract. Such a contract makes the rules transparent and comprehensible for everyone. Exceptions can also be formulated. If your child can help shape the rules themselves, it will be easier for them to stick to them. Check regularly whether the rules still make sense or need to be adjusted if necessary.
Just as important as media-related rules are “media-free” rules – such as not using smartphones during a family meal or conversation. Such rules promote interpersonal communication and strengthen the family bond.
A frequent topic is the question: How much media time is healthy? When is it too much? The answer depends very much on the age and individual needs of your child. The rule of thumb is: the younger, the less!
One approach to regulating media time in everyday life is the use of media vouchers. These can help children of primary school age and above to independently allocate a weekly budget of media time. This gives your child responsibility for their media use without you having to constantly intervene.
It is important that your child has a varied daily routine, uses media in different ways, but also has media-free experiences.
Not only the use of media, but also the choice of content should be part of the family rules. Make sure that media content is age-appropriate and corresponds to your child’s interests. In addition to television and apps, media consumption also includes radio plays, books and music. It makes sense to include these in the rules as well.
Take into account that the content of media use varies greatly, as do the motives and needs of use. A game for mere entertainment may be weighted differently than learning with media. Discuss qualitative differences with your child. Be sure to include age-appropriate content as well.
The question of the right age for the first smartphone concerns many parents. If necessary, talk to the parents of your child’s friends and consider whether certain rules can apply to everyone.
Another important topic is the security settings for devices and apps. Many smartphones and tablets now offer the option of controlling access to certain content and limiting its use. These should always be discussed with your child. Settings such as screen time limits, age ratings and app filters can help to control media use.
However, these technical aids are no substitute for parental guidance. They should also not be used purely for control. Your child needs trust and the opportunity to gradually take responsibility for their own media use. Explanations from you and conversations about media make a significant contribution to your child learning how to use media competently.
Rules may vary depending on the child’s age and stage of development. On the one hand, stay consistent, otherwise they will not serve their purpose. At the same time, if possible, do not use the rules as a punishment or reward.
Immerse yourself in game worlds, experience exciting adventures with your own avatar and compete with other players – many children and young people are fascinated by games. As a parent, you should give your child access to age-appropriate content. Online games in particular, with their opportunities for interaction and incentives to buy, present young players with challenges. But how do you keep track of the gaming market and find suitable games for your child?
Educational age recommendations, independent game reviews and media awards can help you make informed decisions and select suitable content together with your child. In this article, we present some of the options.
The NRW games guide is a media education service from the Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW, which supports parents with media education. The platform offers extensive information on over 2000 games. The games are tested by young people and given an educational age recommendation by experts. Parents can use filter functions to find suitable games for their children by genre, platform and age. The game descriptions and video clips provide insights into the content, risks and opportunities of the games and use additional descriptions to highlight the characteristics and skills that the game promotes (e.g. reading skills, frustration tolerance and logic).
More info: https://www.elternguide.online/spieleratgeber-nrw/
Whether for computer, tablet, smartphone or console – internet-abc.de offers a collection of over 1000 games for children up to the age of 12. The Internet ABC experts award points for fun, operation and technical quality and make an age assessment. Children and parents can use the search mask to filter the games by game type, game device and age group. Each recommendation offers facts and pictures about the game as well as a summary of the content. Children can rate the games with stars and leave comments.
More info: https://www.internet-abc.de/kinder/spiel-spass/spieletipps/
Anyone looking for high-quality and child-friendly digital content will find what they are looking for at the Educational Media Prize of the media education association SIN – Studio im Netz. Every year, a jury of children, young people and experts awards prizes to digital media offerings such as apps, games and websites that are particularly recommended for young people. The award-winning digital offerings are free of problematic content such as excessive violence. The focus is on media that not only entertain, but also convey educationally valuable content.
More info: https://www.paedagogischer-medienpreis.de
The website of the Digital Games Culture Foundation offers parents a collection of recommended games. The selection includes both serious games that specifically impart knowledge and commercial entertainment games with educational added value. The collection also includes programs that encourage children and young people to get creative and develop their own games. The offers can be filtered according to age groups, platforms and topics. For each game there is an educational classification according to time required, complexity, game content, opportunities and possible risks.
More info: https://www.stiftung-digitale-spielekultur.de/paedagogische-spiele/
Every year, the TOMMI Children’s Software Award recognizes particularly recommendable digital games and educational products for children. First, an expert jury reviews the nominated media products. Children’s juries then test and evaluate the games, apps and programs in 50 libraries in German-speaking countries. The TOMMI is published by the FEIBEL.DE office for children’s media in Berlin. Parents benefit from the independent assessments, as the award highlights games that are suitable for children and offer both fun and educational added value. The award ceremony takes place every year in the Timster program on KiKa program.
More info: https://tommi.kids/kindersoftwarepreis/
The Gaming without Borders project tests digital games for accessibility and supports game developers in designing inclusive games. Young people with and without disabilities test the games and rate them in the categories of seeing, hearing, understanding and controlling. The service shows how digital games can be made accessible for everyone. The ComputerProjekt Köln e.V. is the specialist center for youth media culture in NRW. Parents can find valuable information here on how to select accessible games for their children in order to give them an unrestricted gaming experience.
More info: https://www.gaming-ohne-grenzen.de/
Beware of the risk of confusion! Distinguish between educational recommendations and age ratings in accordance with the German Youth Protection Act. Age ratings such as those issued by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body(USK) are intended to protect children and young people from developmentally harmful content and interaction risks. They are not a recommendation and can say little about whether your child can handle the content well.
Educational recommendations assess whether a game is understandable, interesting and development-promoting for a certain age group in terms of content and emotion. They show how a medium can accompany, support or positively stimulate children and young people in their development.
Every child develops differently. Therefore, don’t just rely on recommendations, but actively accompany your child in their media use right from the start. Observe your child to understand how they react to different content. It is best to play together with your child or try out the game yourself beforehand. You can find more information on the topic of games in the family, for example which media rules are important, in this parents’ guide article: https://www.elternguide.online/games-games-games/
Video or game night? But which movies, series or computer games are suitable for the whole family? What does the age rating on the cover actually mean? Age ratings protect against questionable content, but are not age recommendations. This article explains the differences and shows how parents can make good decisions for their children.
In Germany, there is a system for assessing whether media could be problematic or harmful for a young audience: Age rating or age labeling. It is carried out by various institutions:
All of these checks look at whether media content contains violence, sexuality, drug use or discrimination or is particularly frightening. The more such content, the higher the age rating. After the check, the content is given the colorful stickers with the age information on them that are widely known. If a film or game is not approved for a certain age, this means, for example, that it is blocked by youth protection filters or may only be shown on television from a certain time. In cinemas, the age of visitors is checked.
Media content is checked to see whether it could impair the development of children and young people. The aim of age ratings is to protect young adolescents from traumatizing or frightening content. There is no pedagogical assessment behind it: The content is not checked to see whether it is interesting or recommendable for young users!
A recommendation, on the other hand, is nothing more than a ‘good tip’. We get recommendations from friends and neighbors, from the radio – or from educators who check media offerings to see whether they are appealing to children, easy to understand and valuable in terms of content.
As anyone can make a recommendation, it is important to question whether it is well-founded and credible. In the case of private recommendations, it helps to assess the person. In the case of articles or websites, you should know and question the authors. Good sources include:
The age rating protects against questionable content, but it is not a recommendation. Recommendations, on the other hand, can be made by anyone with an interest in media – but the criteria for this are often unclear. A combination of different sources of information is therefore important.
If parents adhere to age ratings, they can avoid frightening or scary content. In addition, recommendations from reputable sources increase the hit rate for a good media offer enormously.
Ideally, parents should also see for themselves: watch the movie beforehand, find out about the game on YouTube or even try it out for yourself. After all, you know your child best and know what they like, what is too much for them or what they are afraid of.
And above all: keep the conversation going! Talk to your child about their media experiences. Listen and show interest in the movies or games they love – but also in the ones they don’t like.
And if you’ve chosen the wrong movie – no problem! There’s always the spontaneous popcorn evening on the sofa.
Too old for the children’s program, but still too young for the social media world? There is a time when your child doesn’t really know his place. It’s somewhere between childhood and adolescence. This affects many of the so-called “pre-teens”, the approximately 9-12 year olds. They are in a transition phase, which is also reflected in their media usage.
For younger children, there are many age-appropriate offerings such as children’s apps, radio plays and children’s programs. As children get older, they are often no longer so interested in these – and turn directly to the adult world of media. The jump is quite big and the offer can still partly overwhelm your child.
At the onset of puberty, your child is on the cusp of becoming an adolescent. In some things it still behaves childlike, in others it already wants to separate itself from you. It is increasingly oriented to elders and to people, trends and ideas outside the family. As a result, there is less and less interest in children’s media.
During this phase, many children get their first smartphone and immerse themselves more and more independently in the world of online media. They have their first experiences in online games and on social media platforms. They follow stars such as influencers and streamers, interact with other users and develop their own identity. Pre-teens often lack an understanding of how to handle their own data or challenges such as communication risks online.
Whether your child still wants to watch children’s programs or is already interested in computer games, social media or TV shows for older children – support your child according to their stage of development and give them the time they need.
Gradually, you should relinquish control and support your child in being able to use media independently, safely and responsibly. Although your child has already gained some experience, he or she will still approach many things with an open mind, which means that they can easily come into contact with content that is harmful to minors online. Your child’s curiosity and desire to increasingly set themselves apart from adults will also lead them to seek out provocative content. Nevertheless, as parents, you still have an important role to play in providing guidance during the transition phase. Always talk to your child and ask about their media experiences.
Finding offers for pre-teens is not that easy and not every child will be interested. For computer games and films, there are age ratings from the Voluntary Self-Regulation Body. They indicate whether the content is unproblematic for development from a certain age. If you take a closer look, there are media offerings tailored to children in the transition phase both in traditional media and online.
Here are a few recommendations:
You should also allow your child to take advantage of offerings that are not specifically for children. Find out about programs and content in advance. When you watch a movie, play a game or surf the Internet together as a family, your child has the opportunity to ask questions and you can see how he or she copes with certain content.
