Game Safety Guides
Safe maths gaming for ages 8 to 12
A guide to parent-approved gaming, content settings and maths challenges for older primary children.
Quick answer
Safe maths gaming means playing games that are age-appropriate, have good parental controls, and help children learn maths skills like counting, measuring, problem-solving, and patterns.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will know how to choose safe maths games for ages 8 to 12, understand how to use parental controls, and play games that help you learn maths skills like multiplication, division, and problem-solving. You will be able to:- Choose games that are safe and fun for your age
- Use parental controls to keep your gaming safe
- Play games that help you learn maths
- Recognise when a game is good for learning maths
Why this matters
Maths is all around us, even in games! When you play games, you're using maths without even realising it. Games can help you learn to count, measure, solve problems, and understand patterns. But it's important to play games that are safe for your age and have good settings so you don't see things that aren't right for you.How it works
Choosing safe maths games is like picking the right toys for you. You want to make sure they're fun, safe, and help you learn new things. Here's how to do it:- Ask a parent or carer for help choosing games
- Check if the game is rated for your age
- Look for games that include maths in their play
- Use parental controls to keep your gaming safe
- Play games that help you learn new maths skills
Examples you can see
Let's imagine you're going on a treasure hunt in a maths game. You need to count the number of coins, measure how far you've walked, and solve puzzles to find the treasure. Counting coins: You find 5 coins in the first chest, 3 in the second, and 2 in the third. How many coins do you have in total? You can add: 5 + 3 + 2 = 10 coins. Measuring distances: You need to walk 100 steps to find the treasure. If you've walked 30 steps already, how many more steps do you need? You can subtract: 100 - 30 = 70 steps. Problem-solving: You find a puzzle where you need to make 12 using 3 numbers. You can try: 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 or 3 × 4 = 12.Try it as a mini adventure
Imagine you're building a secret base in a game. You need to collect materials and plan your base carefully. Here's your adventure: 1st time: You collect 6 wooden planks from the forest. 2nd time: You find 4 metal bars in the cave. 3rd time: You gather 3 stones from the river. 4th time: You need to count all your materials to see how many you have in total. 5th time: You need to divide your materials equally among 2 friends. Can you solve this problem? You collected 6 + 4 + 3 = 13 materials. If you share them equally between 2 friends, each friend gets 13 ÷ 2 = 6.5 materials. Since you can't split a material, you might need to decide how to share them fairly.Common mistakes
- Mistake: Thinking that all games are safe for all ages. Why it happens: You might not know how to check age ratings. Fix: Always ask a parent or carer to help you check the age rating and content of a game.
- Mistake: Not using parental controls. Why it happens: You might think you're safe without them. Fix: Ask a parent or carer to set up parental controls on your device or gaming system.
- Mistake: Thinking that all games are good for learning maths. Why it happens: You might play games just for fun, not for learning. Fix: Look for games that have maths challenges or puzzles in them.
- Mistake: Playing games for too long without breaks. Why it happens: You might get excited and forget to take breaks. Fix: Set a timer for 30 minutes of play, then take a 10-minute break.
Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can help children by:- Checking age ratings on games before letting children play
- Setting up parental controls on devices and gaming systems
- Choosing games that include maths challenges, such as building, puzzles, or problem-solving
- Playing games with children to help them learn and have fun
- Setting time limits for gaming
- Encouraging children to talk about what they're learning in games
Practice questions
- What is the best way to choose a safe game for you?
- Play any game you like
- Ask a parent or carer for help
- Play games that are free
- Play games that are popular
- What should you do if you find a game that is too hard?
- Keep playing it
- Ask a parent or carer for help
- Try to figure it out alone
- Stop playing
- Which of these is NOT a way to use parental controls?
- Setting time limits
- Blocking certain games
- Choosing games for you
- Allowing all games
- What is a good way to learn maths while playing games?
- Just play for fun
- Look for games with puzzles
- Play games that are hard
- Play alone
- How can you make sure you don't play games for too long?
- Set a timer
- Play without stopping
- Play when you're tired
- Play without breaks
FAQ
What are some safe maths games for ages 8 to 12?
Some safe maths games include Minecraft (for building and counting), Roblox Studio (for design and measurement), and games with puzzles or problem-solving challenges.
How can I use parental controls to keep my gaming safe?
You can use parental controls to set time limits, block certain games, and restrict access to online features. Ask a parent or carer to help you set these up.
Can I play games that are not rated for my age?
No, it's better to play games that are rated for your age. Ask a parent or carer to help you find safe games.
How can I learn more maths while playing games?
Look for games that have challenges, puzzles, or problems to solve. These games help you learn counting, measuring, and problem-solving skills.
What should I do if I see something in a game that makes me uncomfortable?
If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, tell a parent or carer right away. They can help you stay safe.