Playbrush Kids is a smart sonic toothbrush with interactive games app designed specifically for kids to make brushing teeth a fun experience. The app uses the gamification approach to make brushing teeth a game that kids love to play. We explain what’s behind it.
With this app you can play games, track brushing activities and learn how to brush teeth properly. To do this, the app uses gamification technology, a trend in the technology industry, especially in healthcare. The idea is to use playful elements such as points, rewards or competitions to motivate people to improve their health and well-being. Playbrush Kids aims to promote healthy tooth brushing habits in children, for good oral hygiene and better long-term dental health.
The children’s toothbrush acts as a game controller – either with a special toothbrush attachment (Playbrush Smart), which is placed on a conventional manual toothbrush, or as an electric sonic toothbrush (Playbrush Smart Sonic). These are equipped with sensors that detect the movements of the toothbrush and transmit them wirelessly to the app.
The children then have to complete various tasks while brushing their teeth, such as fighting little monsters or collecting objects. The app tracks the child’s progress and offers rewards for good performance. It also reminds how long and how often children should brush their teeth. Playbrush Kids was developed by dentists.
For children, Playbrush Kids can be very appealing as it allows them to experience brushing their teeth as an interactive and fun game. You can play different games and unlock characters, which makes the experience even more interesting. Children can track their own progress as they clean and feel proud when they achieve their goals. Gamification elements such as points and rewards provide additional motivation for most children.
Playbrush Ltd is the company behind the app. They describe it as an innovative solution to help children improve their dental health by making brushing a fun and entertaining experience. They emphasize that the app is secure and complies with data protection laws.
Playing is fun – and it should be. Support your child in not neglecting or overdoing tooth brushing. A mutually agreed time limit can help. If you have any concerns, please talk to your dentist.
The app’s reward system should be seen more as a support. Also encourage your child to take care of their dental health on their own initiative. So it can develop a lasting healthy habit.
The app collects data, if only to provide you with reports. Familiarize yourself with the privacy policy in order to make an informed decision or to make specific settings. Also keep an eye on the possible in-app purchases. To do this, you can discuss with your child – depending on their age – or restrict the purchase options in the smartphone settings.
Interact with your child – together, mouth music, brushing technique training and oral health quizzes become even more fun.
Building your own worlds from building blocks, taking on imaginative roles and completing exciting missions – the online game platform Roblox is currently very popular with children and young people.
The two words Robots and Blocks together make up the name of the Roblox gaming platform. Here, virtual worlds can be created and played with in Lego style, which especially excites children and teenagers who are 14 years old and younger. 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 children love the game because they can easily create 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, children and young people can creatively let off steam and chat with each other.
Roblox is known as a platform for young game developers and entices them to earn money with their own games: If your child creates a game that is well received by others so that they invest money in it, with a bit of luck your child will also receive a share as a developer.
Because people can contact others through Roblox, there are risks such as cyberbullying, cybergrooming, and hate speech. Roblox is repeatedly accused of not sufficiently moderating both the content and the communication among users and of not being consistent enough in dealing with violations of the community guidelines.
It can be tempting for kids to invest real money in a fantasy currency or sign up for a paid membership to have more options in the game. When exchanging objects among players, cheating may occur, since not all players offer real Robux. Those hoping to make a lot of money developing their own games on Roblox will be disappointed. Roblox has been criticized for exploiting young game developers and retaining most of the profits itself.
Stiftung Warentest put the game under the microscope in 2019 and rated it “unacceptable”. Not all content is suitable for children, and the huge selection of games includes shooters that are not suitable for children. Roblox also received deductions for data protection.
The provider emphasizes on its platform to take security and data protection very seriously. There is a reporting system for inappropriate chat messages and a chat filter. After registration, an account in “privacy mode” is automatically created for users under 13 years of age. Younger children will not have access to social media plug-ins or some notification messages, for example. Some games are also only released from a certain age. Moderators check whether uploaded images and video material meet the requirements for child-friendly content. Inappropriate content is actively filtered and deleted. However, all of this assumes that the age information of the players is securely checked during registration.
You can find out more information on the “Parents’ guide” web page. Roblox offers several safety features that help you keep better track of your child’s play.
Register and create a profile together with your child and discover the Roblox game world together. Sit down with your child regularly to talk about his or her play experiences. Ask to see what your child looks at and plays, and ask why he likes certain games and who he connects with.
Set the account to show only age-appropriate games to your child. Use a parent PIN so that only you can change the settings. Advise your child not to share 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.
Colorful avatars try to reach the finish line as fast as possible and have to overcome numerous tricky obstacles in a colorful and playfully designed game world. Unfair behavior is not forbidden, so opponents are sometimes pushed aside to get ahead faster themselves. Fall Guys is popular among children and teenagers, so we present the game.
In Fall Guys , the goal is to steer a character through an obstacle course and be faster than the other players.
A round starts with 60 participants and lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. After each mini-game, players are eliminated until a winner is determined.
In addition to the obstacles found in the world, players can prevent each other from winning, such as by pushing and holding.
Regularly there are new mini-games in Fall Guys, which are released as so-called seasons.
Compared to other representatives of the Battle Royale genre, the game has a very colorful design and does not use vulgar language or depictions of violence. Due to the easy-to-understand game principle and the easy-to-learn controls, the game is suitable for all ages (from 8 years).
The gameplay is reminiscent of the television show “Ninja Warrior”, which is popular among young people. Kids and teens can play Fall Guys with their friends, competing against each other while chatting via voice chat. The short lap times allow gamers to manage their gaming time well.
There is now also a game app that takes up the principle of Fall Guys . Learn more about Stumble Guys at Handysektor.
Fall Guys is available for free, but finances itself through in-game purchases. These do not bring any advantages, but only relate to the equipment and appearance of the character. Read more in our article Caution In-App Purchases!
In games with a highly competitive character, moments of frustration, and in extreme cases even aggression, can always occur.
The game does not have text chat within the game, however there is voice chat. This is disabled by default and must be enabled in the settings themselves. If it is activated, insults and the like may occur via it.
For kids and teens, Fall Guys is all about having fun competing together. However, competing with friends and competing against each other in an obstacle course can cause conflict. Therefore, it is best to play the game together with your child at the beginning. This allows you to better relate to the fascination of the game. Your child should not be younger than six when playing the game for the first time, otherwise the bright colors and fast gameplay can easily overwhelm him. Pay attention to the age classification of the USK of the respective version (Season) and educational age recommendations.
As a parent, you should be especially attentive when it comes to in-app purchases. Talk to your child about the extent to which these are necessary and useful and find an arrangement for them.
Use the settings on the game console or in the game provider’s account, for example, to secure the payment functions with a PIN or to limit the playing time. Epic Games’ provider has parental controls, you can find more about them here.
Agree on basic rules for media use and talk to your child about risks in games.
Cute at first glance, creepy at second: the Huggy Wuggy cuddly toy can be found in and outside many stores and is definitely not for children. Because Huggy Wuggy actually comes from brutal and terrifying videos that are hard for kids to digest.
Huggy Wuggy looks at first like any cuddly toy: it has long arms and legs, big googly eyes and soft blue fur. It is clear that children find the figure great. And because children are a popular target group, Huggy Wuggy is now also heavily offered for children. The cuddly toy is already available in all colors, you can buy backpacks, clothes or carnival costumes with it.
The problem is that Huggy Wuggy’s big, grinning mouth hides a row of sharp teeth. And behind the cute facade hides pure creepiness. Because Huggy Wuggy comes from the computer game “Poppy Playtime”. In this horror game, players are in a toy factory and have to fight against live, extremely vicious and creepy toys and escape from the factory. Huggy Wuggy is the leader of the creepy toy army that chases the players and scares them.
You might think the cuddly toy alone wouldn’t be a problem as long as kids don’t play the game to it. Unfortunately, however, this is a bit short of the mark. On the one hand, Huggy Wuggy is already suitable for scaring younger or more sensitive children because of the many, pointed teeth. The bigger problem, however, is that children are exposed to digital media at a very early age. Even if the children do not come into contact with the actual game: What the Internet has to offer about Huggy Wuggy is enough for nightmares. Indeed, online you can find creepy pictures in large numbers. On the popular video platforms there are not only Lets Play videos, but also videos in which Huggy Wuggy abruptly appears to scare people and spread fear. For children,this blending of a sweet fictional character with such a terrifying portrayal is difficult to understand and process.
Parents often find themselves in a difficult situation when the subject comes up at home Huggy Wuggy. They want to protect their children, but without looking like killjoys. Therefore, it is important to get well informed first: If you know what is behind the Huggy Wuggy phenomenon, you will be much better able to form your own opinion and discuss your concerns with your children.
Listen to your children’s concerns and questions, listen to their perspectives, and take an interest. Ask where the child knows the plush figure from, what they like about it, or what they already know about it. That way, you can stay in the conversation and be the point of contact when your child may have already seen content that frightens or unsettles him or her.
Nevertheless, take a clear and reasoned position and explain to your child why you might not want to buy the stuffed animal. An open and appreciative conversation can create understanding here – while prohibitions often only lead to children no longer talking about their experiences.
For more information about the Huggy Wuggy phenomenon, visit FLIMMO.
Mysterious stories, enchanting castles in the air, magical creatures and epic battles – if you want to be a heroine or hero in a fictional fantasy world and save it from demonic attacks, Lost Ark is the right choice for you. Amazon Games online game is very popular among teenagers. Here you can find out what it’s all about!
The Lost Ark game is a so-called MMORPG. This abbreviation stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game” and means that players can take on different roles online, share a world and play together with strangers or friends. In Lost Ark, the game is played from the perspective of a hero or heroine. The main mission (also called quest) is to protect the fantasy world from demons. This is achieved by the hero or heroine collecting the lost arks (“Lost Arks”). There are five types of characters: Warrior, Martial Artist, Cannoneer, Mage or Assassin. Players can freely create up to twelve characters, play them in turn, and gradually expand them. If you don’t feel like doing the main quests, you can switch to the side quests and fight against other game ends in arenas, hunt monsters in groups of friends or improve your characters and their equipment.
Lost Ark is about heroines and heroes, demons and conquests – many young people are enthusiastic about such stories. The imaginative design with its diverse and detailed play world offers youngsters plenty of room for discovery. Thanks to the freely-creatable characters, youngsters can let their imagination run wild, collect different equipment and customize their characters with different skins.
Lost Ark offers teens a wealth of gaming opportunities. If you don’t feel like doing quests, you can explore dungeons, go on adventures or fight other players in the arena.
The game contains depictions of violence that may overwhelm persons under the age of 16.
Lost Ark is a free game and thus completely playable without the use of real money. In the game is traded with crystals. Those who successfully complete quests receive crystals for them. There are also various paid starter packs that grant access to more crystals, better equipment and temporary bonuses. These purchased advantages cause game players to progress faster. Lost Ark is therefore accused of being a so-called PTW game (pay-to-win). Only after playing the main quests from level 50 on, the fight against the strongest, the so-called boss opponents, really starts. This can tempt youngsters, especially in the early stages, to make in-game purchases to reach higher levels faster.
Gamers can use the in-game chat to exchange information while playing Lost Ark. Here, contact may be made by strangers, which is associated with risks such as cybergrooming.
The provider of the game is Amazon Games. By playing Lost Ark and using the Lost Ark website, the Amazon Privacy Notice applies.
Amazon Gaming provides the ability to report gamers who cheat, harass, or otherwise violate the Code of Conduct.
Amazon Games and the operators of Lost Ark are active on X and their website, where information such as server problems and new updates are shared.
Lost Ark is not suitable for children and younger teenagers due to the depictions of violence and the age rating by USK and PEGI. Basically, as a parent you should take the official age restrictions of the youth media protection seriously. Always choose media content based on your child’s age and developmental level. The USK has cleared the game for ages 16 and up, since fights and violent confrontations take place within the storyline. The pan-European age rating system PEGI has even approved the game only from 18 years old, because the game contains violence, such as the gratuitous killing of innocent characters.
Lost Ark tempts you to make in-game purchaseswith the use of real money. Talk with your child about if and when he or she may purchase items. If your child downloaded Lost Ark via Steamyou can restrict certain features of Lost Ark, such as in-game purchases, in Family View. With it, you’ll be able to let your child play Lost Ark without fear of accidental costs.
Talk to your child about responsible use of online chats and what risks are involved. If strangers want to contact your child, he or she should be careful and not pass on any personal data. Make it clear to your child that he or she can turn to you at any time when confronted with unpleasant or frightening content.
The captivating game world allows your child to quickly forget about time. As a parent, you should make sure that your child does not overexert himself while playing. Together with your child, determine when and for how long he or she may play. Agree together when and if you (need to) control media time.
A character jumps from level to level, the forward button is pressed continuously, all tasks are completed in no time at all, and poof – the game is over. Have you ever observed this? In a Let’s Play video or maybe even with your child?
The word speedrun comes from the English language and is composed of the words speed for speed and run for run. The main objective is to quickly play through any video game. Especially Jump ‘n’ Run games like the Nintendo game Super Mario, but also first-person shooters like Half Life oradventure games like Pokémon are examples of speedruns. The important thing is not only to finish a game in record time, but also to record the gameplay and share the video evidence with the online community. Whether gaming stars or youngsters – many players share recordings of their speedruns online or invite their community to livestreams, for example via Twitch.
Skipping sections, avoiding obstacles, walking through walls – what exactly is allowed is decided by the community. Different categories with rules ensure fair competition. Here are some examples:
The biggest appeal of speedruns is experiencing a game from a different perspective. In the process, children and young people explore mechanisms and rules in order to use them to develop new play skills. So even your favorite game or 20-year-old classic can be a new challenge again. Young people and children enjoy finding creative solutions and working out tactics. Competing with others is exciting and creates recognition from friends and the community.
If you want to create a good speedrun, you have to be very patient and practice diligently. Playing through the same game over and over again while perfecting skills can take up a lot of time and lead to excessive media use. It can frustrate children and teens when they don’t progress as quickly as they would like or others are always beating their record time.
The range of digital games is large. As a parent, you should pay attention to what the legal age restriction is for games . This can often be recognized by a colored USK label. It is better if you know more about your child’s favorite computer games. In order to be able to assess whether a game is suitable for your child, offers such as the Player’s Guide NRW . Parents have free access to numerous educational reviews and game descriptions of the most popular games here.
The information offered by the “Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW” helps parents understand what their child is playing or would like to play on the computer, game console or smartphone. With the help of the filter and search function, numerous games can be displayed and found via the categories genre, the USK classification or the educational age rating. The game experience is described in detail so that you can easily understand it. The games described are tested and evaluated by children and young people for this purpose. In addition, media education experts evaluate the level of difficulty, content, and addiction potential. This results in an educational age recommendation for each game.
In addition, you will find articles and contributions about gaming and media culture on the site under the menu item “Family”. On the YouTube account of the NRW Game Advisor , there are Let’s Play videos and tutorials, for example, on youth protection settings for individual games.
The Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW would like to support parents and guardians with its services in the area of contemporary media education. In addition, the NRW gamers’ guide serves to dispel the reservations and insecurities of many parents regarding computer and online games and to educate them about topics relating to gaming and the media. Since the USK and legal regulations are not comprehensive enough, the NRW Player’s Guide attempts to supplement them and enable children to use the net safely. As a publicly funded project, Spieleratgeber NRW is not allowed to advertise individual games, which is why the descriptions are kept largely neutral.
Even though the games are tested and evaluated by children and young people themselves, every child’s experience is different – even regardless of age. While some can process certain content well, other children may still be overwhelmed. For parents of younger children, it is recommended to play and try out the games together for the first time. It is even better if you try a game before you play it together with your child.
The website Spieleratgeber NRW offers a lot of information, but seems a bit confusing and overloaded here and there. The range of games is so huge that not every game appears in the database.
As an alternative or supplement to the services offered by Spieleratgeber NRW, the website spielbar.de also offers neutral pedagogical assessments of numerous games and articles on the topics of gaming and media.
In this game, children and teenagers can learn how to set up their own YouTube channel and what that means in a fun and risk-free way. It is a mixture of analog parlor game and mobile game.
All players want to build their own YouTube channel as quickly as possible. At the start of the game, you can choose from six possible channels – such as Beauty, Comedy or Let’s Play. Everyone gets a deck of cards and must complete the tasks depicted there. To do this, each person opens the web app on their smartphone. Each task is illustrated with emojis and the players have to match the card to the situations on their mobile display. Once you have found the right card, you scan the code printed on it with your cell phone camera. If it was correct, the card may be placed on the player’s own game board (called the mission board). The winner is the one who fills up his board the fastest. However, cards from fellow players must be scanned in between. This makes the game communicative and also a little stressful.
The situations depicted relate to various things that YouTubers or influencers have to deal with when they run their own channel: It’s about the relationship with fans, dealing with money and business partners, private life, own health and so on. Therefore, the game can be a good way to start a conversation with children and young people about these issues. They often don’t know how much work is behind a life as an influencer and the problems that can come with it.
The game is reminiscent of Ligretto, Bingo or similar games where the goal is to act quickly. This is fun! In combination with their own cell phones, it can be particularly exciting for children and young people. The content is not the main focus. However, the young players can contribute their knowledge about emojis and YouTube. In play with parents or other adults, they become experts.
Games with digital elements are prone to errors. When the web app doesn’t work for individual gamers, it can be frustrating. Also, each player needs their own smartphone, which may make it difficult to play in all families. This is also the case if the cards and mission boards cannot be printed because there is no printer. It may be that certain emojis are not understood.
The game was developed by media educators (from the JFF – Institute for Media Education) for use in educational work. But it also works well in the family. The creators are in the process of making the game even more exciting and developing it further. It will also be tested whether the game works as an online-only variant, so that the game material does not have to be printed out.
Before you play the game with your children, you should test the technology. In the booklet to the game there is a detailed tutorial. The rules of the game are also explained there. If you don’t understand certain emojis, you can also look them up in the booklet.
Maybe your child wants to become a YouTuber, but you don’t know how to convey what that means. The game can be an entertaining help. If you and your kids are just looking for a fun game, that’s fine too!
The Corona crisis led to the game Among Us experiencing a boom. It is not a game that you play alone for yourself, it only works in a group. The exchange via audio chat plays an important role. Communication in the group makes the game fun and exciting.
The gameplay of Among Us is familiar from party games like Werewolves or Zombies: a group of people has to defend themselves against one or more traitors and survive. At the beginning of a game round, each person is randomly assigned a certain role: In Among Us, this is either Crewmate or Impostor.
The crew of a spaceship must make repairs – in the form of small game-like tasks – to be able to fly again. The cheat or cheats among them (with ten players, there can be up to three) sabotage the crew’s efforts and kill individual crew members one by one. The crew can call meetings to find out who the Impostors are. Suspects can be voted out and must leave the spaceship rudely. Either the crew has won if they have unmasked the cheaters or completed all the tasks. Or the Impostor win if most of the crewmates were killed.
The operation of the game is simple. If you play via PC with mouse it is easier to move your avatar.
There are different maps (or spaceships) to play on. A game round lasts no more than half an hour. Each game can be customized by settings in the difficulty level by the so-called host.
Since sharing about possible impostors is an essential element, communication is done through a channel such as video chat.
A detailed insight into the game can be found in the video from the game guide NRW.
Among Us works on a simple and well-known game principle: good versus evil. This is especially popular with children because it is easy to understand. In addition, the lovingly colorful design and fantastic game world on a spaceship. The custom avatars are cute game characters that can be customized. The tasks to be fulfilled are like small games in the game and mostly easy to solve. But the whole game can only be won together. Thus, the game is a joint activity and therefore entertaining not only for children and teenagers.
The game is only available in English. The language of the game is not crucial to be able to play it. However, it is easier to know English to understand everything and find your way around the spaceship. Especially for younger school children this could be difficult.
The graphics are colorful and the action on a spaceship is unrealistic, but still other characters get killed. The graphic depiction of these murders can be frightening to younger children.
If you are an Impostor at the beginning of a game round, you must remain unsuspicious the entire time. For some players this is very exciting and therefore also exhausting. In the conversations during the game, the cheater is forced to lie. So he or she has to lie to their own friends. This can certainly lead to arguments in some groups if the game is taken too seriously.
It is also possible to play Among Us with strangers by searching “public games”. Here children can come into contact with strangers. Read more about the associated risks in our article on communication in online games.
Via in-app purchases, the player’s own character can be equipped with exclusive accessories for money.
Among Us comes from the American independent game company Innersloth. On their website you can find information about data protection and privacy – but only in English. When starting a private game, the server through which the game is played can be selected (Europe, Asia, North America).
Among Us can be played anonymously: It is not necessary to create a profile and no personal information such as full name or email address needs to be provided.
Children over the age of ten should be able to distinguish well between reality and a made-up story. In addition, they can already discuss with each other from this age. As a parent, you are in the best position to assess how your child behaves in groups and conflict situations. The game can promote social skills such as discussing in a playful way. Also, consider whether your child can handle the tension and excitement of such a game. It is best to test it out yourself in advance.
The English language can be both challenging and motivating for children to learn. Support your child by playing the first rounds together.
The possible in-app purchases to equip your own avatar are not game-changing. Discuss such things with your child. You can learn more about this in our article on in-app purchases. If your child is older and already plays Among Us, Handysektor will give him tips on how to play.
Cute animals and a colorful adventure world make the game interesting for children, but it also comes as a virtual slot machine and is therefore not suitable for children.
In this interactive game, players build their own villages for virtual play money (coins), and plunder and conquer other villages. Also, it’s about attacking a Coin Master and becoming a Coin Master yourself. Coins can be collected by operating a virtual wheel of fortune. However, the wheel of fortune can be spun only a few times per hour. You can buy more coins via in-app purchases. Generally, windows with offers to buy game items constantly appear in the app. The further you get, the more difficult it becomes to advance to the next level without in-app purchases.
You can link the app to your Facebook account and Facebook contacts to play with or against your friends.
The game app is well-known among children and young people mainly because some of Germany’s best-known Youtubers have advertised it. The game principle of protecting your village against friends and conquering foreign villages yourself is a great incentive to play. Although the age recommendation is over 16 according to the USK, the colorful world with cute animals and colorful graphics is very appealing to younger players. Children love to play and spinning a wheel of fortune especially fascinates children.
Younger people in particular, for whom the game is not suitable, are more easily influenced by advertising and are tempted to make in-app purchases. Although all the functions of the game can be accessed only by operating a virtual slot machine, the provider does not declare the app as a game of chance. He is therefore criticized for introducing children to gambling without making it obvious. The temptation to make in-app purchases is great, as windows with offers constantly appear on the screen.
According to the Youth Protection Act, access to gambling is only permitted from the age of 18, as there is a risk of addiction associated with it. Because no real money can be won at Coin Master, online games of this kind currently do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Youth Protection Act. Still, it can introduce gambling to more than just minors. After the app came under criticism, Apple changed the age rating in its App Store to 17+ and added a note that read “Strongly pronounced: simulated gambling.”
Data protection in the app is also problematic. You cannot delete your game account and the associated personal data from the provider without further ado. You have to contact the provider directly first.
The provider Moon Active points out in its terms and conditions that the game is not available for persons under the age of 16. However, there is no age check. The provider is criticized for being financed by gambling operators and thus wanting to introduce minors.
The app is simulated gambling that is unsuitable for minors. Make it clear to your child that it is about paying real money without being able to win real money in return.
Be aware that an age restriction in the App Store or Google Play Store does not prevent access for younger children. With one click, the game can be freely downloaded without age verification. This can only be prevented on the smartphone itself or via corresponding parental control settings. Especially for younger children, make sure to disable the possibility of in-app purchases for this game on the smartphone.
Mobile games are particularly popular with children from around 10 years of age. One of the currently hot games is called Brawl Stars and comes from the same house as Clash of Clans and Clash Royale.
In this real-time strategy game, you can play simultaneously with other players on mobile via the app. You can compete against other players online in various modes, such as the jewel hunt or the vault heist. You fight against each other either alone or in teams of two or three. A round of the game lasts only a few minutes. Gradually, more modes will be unlocked.
To play, the player needs so-called brawlers, i.e. game pieces. These come in different categories or rarity levels. To get them, you need to collect a certain number of tokens, which are obtained through victories. The first Brawler is automatic, all others have to be earned. With these tokens you can also buy lootboxes, so-called “Brawlboxes”. This virtual grab bag contains a random number of coins, rare brawlers or other buffs for characters. Lootboxes can also be bought with real money.
Games and apps that don’t cost anything are interesting for most kids because they allow free fun. Also, you can play with others in a team or against each other. The rounds are short and you get quick successes. The young players already know the game modes from other games.
The visuals of the game also delight: Everything is colorfully designed in cartoon graphics and the brawlers look funny. When you win a round, the player receives rewards. Children find the surprise effect of loot boxes exciting. Since a game round is relatively short, it is tempting to keep playing along the way in order to open more boxes and become more and more “powerful” for duels.
The short game turns and constant rewards make the game attractive and entice you to want to keep playing. If you are unsure whether your child’s play behavior exceeds normal limits, you can find information here.
In Brawl Stars you play as a team or you can create and join clubs. Your child can thus come into contact with strangers who, in the worst case, are not the people they claim to be. There is a risk of cyberbullying and cybergrooming here.
Brawl Stars can tempt your child to want to spend a lot of money on game items and loot boxes to get a chance to get extra rare Brawlers or new coins, or to unlock new game rounds faster. This is how the provider makes money from the game.
The provider Supercell states that the game is only suitable for ages 13 and up. This indicates that there is content or functionality that is not suitable for children. On the official website of the provider Supercell there is a guide for parents. Among other things, this refers to existing in-app purchases in the game and how parents can manage and, if necessary, disable them. Supercell states that it will not share personal data with third parties for commercial purposes or otherwise. For safe chatting, the provider has created a “blacklist” that can be used to quickly remove certain terms. Chat messages can also be muted and thus not displayed.
The best way to start is to discover the game together. Discuss whether your child is allowed to make in-app purchases, and if so, how much. Since the game tempts you to play on and on or to play a round more often on the side, you should also agree on rules for this: How long can you play per day or per week?
Use the settings options, for example, to exclude contact with strangers via the chat function. Make your child aware not to disclose personal things such as name, place of residence, etc. You can never be sure who is really sitting at the other end.
Also, be wary of third-party vendors that promise improvements to Brawl Stars and offer products for it, such as free jewels. Here, personal information and/or money are often demanded without delivering the promised product.
Harry Potter fans take note: With this mobile game, you’ll land right in the world of the young wizard and his friends.
As the name suggests, the game app takes you on a journey into the world of Harry Potter. Due to an accident, magical creatures and enchanted objects are everywhere in the real world. Players must find these and bring them from the human Muggle world back to the Wizarding World. As with the app Pokémon GO, game and reality become one when using the augmented reality mode. The enchanted persons and objects are virtually inserted into the camera image. So, to find potion ingredients and other magical things, you have to go exploring outside and team up with other players. There is fighting and magic in so-called arenas against and with each other.
For Harry Potter fans, it’s a great idea to immerse themselves in the universe of Hogwarts and co. The app makes this possible, so to speak. You constantly discover familiar characters and objects from the wizard’s stories.
The augmented reality principle makes the fun even greater. The game can be compared to a modern digital scavenger hunt. Alone or together with friends, you can always pull out your phone on a walk or on the way to the grandparents or sports club and hold it in front of you with the camera on to find the magical things. Besides, you can always evolve and increase your level of magic, just like Harry Potter did.
The atmosphere in the game is very gloomy. Some of the players fight against creepy magical creatures like witches and vampires. This can be frightening, especially for younger children.
It can happen that while playing, the user does not pay proper attention to the road traffic, as his eyes are always focused on the cell phone display. There could be enchanted creatures hiding everywhere! The game can also tempt you to go to unknown places alone or to run at night . Since the game is constantly evolving with new content, it virtually never ends. Therefore, the app tempts you to want to play on and on.
After a while, the temptation becomes great to get further faster in the game through in-app purchases. Also, the app has a very high data consumption.
On the official website of the manufacturer, there are only links to the data protection and the instructions for use. You will be directed to the respective pages of https://policies.warnerbros.com, where you can read the information in English. By using the app, you grant the providers many rights.
Is your child in the middle of Harry Potter fever and desperate to play the app? Here you are faced with the task of assessing whether your child is aware of the risks and issues raised and is old enough to deal with the somber atmosphere. In addition to data protection issues (especially constant location tracking), this includes whether your child already understands the principle of “augmented reality”. Talk to your child about all of this before exploring the game together.
Agree together on rules for game length, allowed game radius, and in-app purchases. Do not let your child go off on his or her own. Perhaps you will also take a walk together with friends families in search of magical creatures?
Last but not least, always download only the original app (from Niantic). Third-party apps are often infected with malware.
