There’s a lot of debate these days about kids and screen time. Some parents don’t see an issue with it, whereas other parents try to invest preventatives of any screen related issues like these blue light glasses, and limit their child’s screen time as much as possible.
Since eliminating screen time altogether isn’t an option, it all comes down to three words: moderation, quality, and safety. Moderation, we’ll leave it up to you. Perhaps you can find games that you can play with your kids so that you can spend some time together as well. It would be nice to do something engaging with your kids such as playing online roleplaying games (browse this site to have a look at such games) such as Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons. Nevertheless, here are three high-quality games and two tools that will help you ensure that your kids have the safest online experience possible.
Birthdays the Beginning
This wonderful game is the brainchild of Yasuhiro Wada, creator of Harvest Moon, and to grasp what it’s like, imagine a combination of Minecraft, Sims, and evolution. There are two modes: Build and Macro. In Build mode, players create a world, with mountains, trees, valleys, statues, and so on. In Macro, you’re now in charge of time, temperature, climate, and life itself (there are more than 300 life forms, including plants, fuzzy mammals, and plenty of dinosaurs). As you move back and forth between the modes, you have a chance to see the intricate and delicate ways that the environment and everything in it affect each other. Too hot or too cold, your creatures could go extinct. Too many critters? They might run out of food. Available for PlayStation 4 and PC. http://www.birthdaysthebeginning.com/
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There’s something almost magical about bubbles, and this giant bottle is filled with enough magic to last until the school starts in the fall. Aside from two liters of pre-mixed bubble solution, you get a giant bubble wand, which will make some of the biggest bubbles you and your kids have ever seen. If that’s not enough for you, Funrise makes a variety of other bubble-producing products, including wands and battery-operated mills to automate your bubbles. For ages 3+. Available at your favorite retailer. 
Mario Kart is one of those games that turns a room full of strangers into a room full of new buddies—or at least rowdy racers. Requiring equal parts skill, luck, and know-how, Mario Kart has consistently been a bright star in the gaming universe, and this one may be, dare we say, the brightest of them all. With almost all characters unlocked to begin with, this game is built for multiplayer action, and there are tons of characters to choose from, so there’ll be no squabbling. On the Switch, characters of different weights and sizes act differently and effect your controls, as do the type of vehicle and even the tires you select. The game also includes support for amiibos and amiibo cards, which unlock more in-game content, allowing for plenty of customization. $59.99 at retail locations or via download from the eShop. 
If you and/or your kids love the Smurfs, you’ll be dazzled by the latest collectibles from Schleich, which will bring those little blues to life. The Lost Village set (#20801) comes with three figures: Smurfette, Sigrid, and Smurfika. The Smurf House (#20803) comes with the large spotted red mushroom—complete with a chimney and doors and windows that open, as well as two figures: Papa Smurf and the evil Gargamel (who never goes anywhere without his equally evil cat, Azrael). All of Schleich’s figures are beautifully hand-painted and full of unique details, and these Smurfs are no exception. The Lost Village set retails for about $15; the Smurf House is about $35 (and will require adult- or older-kid help to assemble). For ages 4+. 
Think Yahtzee and cards. Each player has a set of six dice. Turn over three cards, roll your dice, and try to match the dice that are depicted on one or more of the cards. If you do, you take the card and score its value. What makes Roll for it! Interesting is that you can do partial matches—for example, matching two out of four dice on the card. On your next turn, you can try to match the rest, but you’ll be able to roll only your remaining four dice. Even more interesting is that you and your opponents might be working on the same card, and if they complete their match before you do, you’re out of luck. Roll for it! is fast-paced (takes about 10-20 minutes for someone to score the 40 points needed to win), and pretty easy (although it’s MENSA approved, which indicates that it might be more challenging that we were capable of understanding). For 2-4 players (8 if you combine it with a second set), ages 8+. Around $12. 
Planning a long road trip or flight with young kids? If so, a tablet could be your new best friend. This one comes with several Hot Wheels screens, including one titled “Hot Wheels Labs,” which lets children watch videos about the science of and forces propelling the resistance, friction, and gravity of those loveable mini vehicles—in other words, how they really work. Since so many kids are addicted to Hot Wheels, this is a fun way for them to learn something new. Consider it branded science, LOL. Along the same lines, there’s also a “Trackwars & Hacks” area with over 25 apps and games. The tablet’s custom orange bumper helps protect the hardware from the bumps and falls it will likely take, and racing sound effects will thrill your little gear-heads. Not interested in Hot Wheels? Not to worry. Barbie and American Girl versions are also available. About $79 at Best Buy, Toys R Us, Kmart, Costco, or 
Long before Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts took over the world, kids and adults wished they could conjure things out of nowhere and make them vanish again, turn apples into oranges, and make objects float in midair. With this kit, you’ll be able to perform jaw-dropping feats of magic that will captivate and delight your audience (and probably amaze yourself in the process). It comes with props and instructions to do 100 tricks: knots in one rope jump to another, a wand levitates, coins pass through objects and disappear, a small pile of sugar turns into a sugar cube, and a lot more. The kit comes with a nicely illustrated 72-page instruction manual, but there are also 26 online video tutorials so your budding Houdini can see the tricks actually being performed. If you like this Silver Edition, there are several larger sets (150 and 200 tricks). For ages 8 and up. About $21 at many retailers. 
In this fun, fast-paced twist on the “spot-the-difference” game, players use logic and deductive reasoning to figure out which of five nearly identical images is the original. Since each of the non-original images has changed only one feature, when you find a feature that appears on only one image, you know it’s not the original, and you can eliminate it from contention. Pin Point! Is a great game for just about any age, although be warned: younger players tend to have sharper eyes and are therefore often a lot better at this kind of thing than adults. Comes with 72 challenge cards and six colored dice (for alternate game play) and takes only about 10 minutes to play. You can play Pin Point! cooperatively, competitively, or individually. 
Regular kick scooters are great fun, but it’s hard to make them go really, really fast. Plus, unless your kids are ambidextrous, they’re exercising only one leg—and wearing out their shoes unevenly. The Space Scooter, which you propel by rocking back and forth on the platform, teeter-totter style, assures an exhilaratingly fast ride and a more symmetrical workout. Just pump, and you’re flying (well, scooting). And with its 200-pound capacity, you can get in a workout of your own. Ages 8+. About $149 at Amazon and other retailers. 
These adorable little guys are cute for any time of the year, but they’re especially great for Easter baskets, because they come in individual “shells” that are roughly the size of your basic plastic egg. The “surprize” is that you don’t know which animal will hatch from which ball. Aside from being inexpensive and adorable, Surprizamals are very collectible, and your kids will love searching for the rare ones. Surprizamals are an easy win for everyone. Available at