How to Set Parent Controls on Video Game Systems

Getting the kids a Wii or an Xbox 360 this Christmas? Video games are geared to kids and adults these days, so it’s a good idea to check out the parental control features that are built-in to these systems. It’s an easy way to make sure your kids aren’t seeing content you would rather have them not – and keep them from interacting online with people you would rather they didn’t.

Start with the basics: make sure you are familiar with the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) Rating System. This was created so buyers can make informed decisions about the game they are about to purchase. Ratings are broken down not only by age, but by the content in each game:

EC       Early Childhood

E          Everyone 6 and older

E10+   Everyone 10 and older

Teen    Everyone 13 and older

M          Mature – 17+

AO        Adults Only

Setting Parental Controls on the Nintendo Wii. Go to the “Wii Settings” menu (look for the wrench icon), and select “Parent Controls”. You’ll be prompted to create a four-digit PIN, which will lock out the Settings menu. You will also be able to create a secret question/answer in case you ever forget your PIN. ”Game Settings” lets you decide what game rating level your kids can access. You can also choose to disable the web browser, as well as the News Channel, Wii Points, and message boards.

Setting Parent Controls on the Xbox 360. When you first activate the Parental Control settings, you’ll be prompted to set-up a password. Select “Settings” from the menu, go to the “System” menu, then scroll to the “System” tab, then “Family Settings”. Next select “Console Controls”. Under “Console Controls” select “Game Ratings”. Decide what level of game your child can access, and decide if you want to set a lock on the types of videos shown on the console. Xbox Live (Microsoft’s online gaming community) settings can be decided, so you can determine how much your kids can interact. If you like, you can set a timer so games can play for a certain length of time before powering down.

Are you monitoring the ratings of the games your kids are playing?