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7.08.2010

Computer Time!

My kids have never played video games but recently they have become more and more interested in playing games on the computer. So far my daughter has stuck to playing Princess games on Disney's web page and my son prefers games from the Little People web page. My daughter also thinks it's fun to play on Starfall...and I appreciate this as well since it's more educational.

How do you feel about your kids having "Computer Time?" How much time is appropriate for children? What Web sites do you use? Do you let them at it on their own or do you sit down and play along with them?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I try to keep it less than 2 hours. Only in the weekends I allow a little bit more. Here are some recommended times depending on the age:
Computer time limits

We don't have internet access on the accounts my kids are using. Thus I can select the games and programs they are using. It is not very convenient but it is safer.

Bridget said...

Thanks for the question Shalee, and sorry that I slacked off! We usually do about a half hour every day and my favorite is pbskids.org because it is a little more educational, but my kids also like playhousedisney and noggin (nickjr). We've been lucky that my kids are pretty good about having computer time at the same time (one plays and the other watches and then they switch when I tell them their time is up), but I have to admit that I'm dreading the day when they start liking way different games because right now it's pretty easy. I have to admit that now I know what they are playing and they are familiar with the games, I am just casually monitoring them instead of sitting with them. I'd love to hear other's ideas and I loved the road trip fairy too!

Cassi said...

Parker loves computer games. I have a folder under our bookmarks that is labeled "Kids" and has about 10 different safe kids sites. He knows that he in only allowed to go to websites in that folder. When we first started playing I would stay nearby... now I trust him to only click on the things in his folder and our computer is in an open area so I'm never too far away. He gets 30 min a day. And now Mayli has started asking to for computer time too. Sometimes I let Parker help her play games or sometimes I help her, but she doesn't quite know how to get to things herself yet.

Christine Archibald said...

Ian loves computer games too and he really learns a lot from them, sometimes it amazes me! The amount of time he plays used to get out of hand (I secretly like it because I got ALOT done during that time). Now I allow 1-1 1/2 hrs a day. I set a timer and when it goes off he can finish the game he is playing and then is pretty good about getting off himself. His computer time is usually during my baby's nap so I can still use that time for myself. It becomes kind of a quite time for Ian. I stay in the area but he sticks to the sites that we have on our bookmarks. He plays pbskids, nick jr, and playhouse disney.