Video game consoles like the X-BOX have become more and more prevalent in today’s society. Kids start playing younger and want to play for longer. So here are three great X-BOX games I know your seven-year-old will enjoy.
What are the three best X-BOX games for a seven-year-old? Because they are young but beginning to mature,
- Any of the Lego installments (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Pirates of the Carribean, etc.)
- Minecraft Story Mode
- Just Dance
Before we just straight into the details of each game, we should explore more what specifically makes which video games suitable for seven-year-olds to play. Once we understand that, we can move on to looking into each game in depth.
Video Game Ratings
Every time a company wants to release a new video game, they have to first put a rating on it. The ratings are determined by a group called The Entertainment Software Rating Board, or ESRB.
Each rating indicates what age group the game is marketed towards and warns against any explicit content, violence, or dark themes. The different ranks are as follows:
- E- This game is suitable for everyone
- E 10+- This game is suitable for everyone ten years old and up
- T- This game is suitable for teenagers
- M- This stands for mature, and is suitable for ages 17 and up
- AO- This game is for adults (years 18 and up) only
Each rating also comes with a content description. This explains what in the game constitutes the rating that was given to it. For example, next to the E on a game, it might say “Mild Lyrics and Comic Mischief.” Or next to an M on a game, it might say “Intense Violence and Strong Language.”
With this rating and content description system, parents can accurately determine if the video game is going to be appropriate for their child.
Lego Video Games
The Lego company has put out video games that they created themselves and they have also adapted popular movies, characters, franchises, and even other video games into their own games.
Below is a list of some of the most popular Lego video games on the market.
- Lego Creator (building simulation)
- Lego Stunt Rally (racing)
- Bionicle (action adventure)
- Lego Knights’ Kingdom (action adventure)
- Ninjago (real times strategy and adventure)
- Lego Rock Band
- Lego Batman
- Lego Harry Potter
- Lego Star Wars
- Lego Indiana Jones
- Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
- Lego Lord of the Ring and Lego The Hobbit
- Lego Jurassic Park and Lego Jurassic World
- Lego Marvel and Lego DC
These Lego video games would be my first choice. My siblings and I grew up playing these. We owned the Star Wars and Harry Potter video games, and my younger brother and I always rented the Pirates of the Caribbean one from the local public library. I’m going to be completely honest, I definitely played these games into my late teens.
All of the Lego video games are rated E for Everyone, so you don’t have to worry about any inappropriate content for a seven-year-old. Most of them follow the storyline of popular movies or franchises, so kids get the opportunity to explore their favorite worlds and stories.
Lego video games usually feature a plenitude of problem-solving scenarios, and you have to try to collect a certain number of coins (studs) to reach goals like True Jedi, True Wizard, True Hero, or True Pirate.
These games can give kids a sense of accomplishment without enabling them with instant gratification.
There are, of course, Lego video games that are not based off movies and don’t have s
In order, these are games that simulate playing instruments, racing cars, or building creations. These are meant for different experiences that can still be stimulating to seven-year-olds.
You can find Lego games in just about any of your local video game stores, like Game Stop, in Walmart, or online. For example, you can find the complete Lego Harry Potter set for X-BOX One here.
Minecraft Story Mode
Minecraft has become pretty popular over the years and is now available on a number of gaming systems, including PC, PS-3, and X-BOX. It is first and foremost a building simulation, but the more popular it got, the more installments were released that focused more on a story.
Minecraft Story Mode (rated E for Everyone) follows the main character Jesse (who can be a male or female character) and his/her friends as they work to save the world from a Wither. As the player completes puzzles, they can build creations of their own design.
It has a classic Hero’s Journey troupe. That makes it predictable, but fun. There’s a reason the Hero’s Journey is used repeatedly; it works really well.
The game almost has an 80’s family movie feel to it, as it is fun, innocent, and interesting.
This game has a family-friendly atmosphere, and critics have said that it successfully brings a story to the Minecraft world without throwing away the previous installments of the game.
If your seven-year-old kid has been playing the classic Minecraft and enjoys building with computer animated cubes, then this would be a great game for them.
Even if you stick with the classic Minecraft and decide against the story mode, seven-year-old kids should still enjoy it. It’s fun to build things and see whatever you created in your head form in front of you.
You can find Minecraft at local video game stores, Walmart, or online. For the complete Minecraft Story Mode for X-BOX One specifically, go here.
Just Dance
Just Dance is a video game without any story, but it adds physical activity into gaming. Just Dance is available on a number of gaming consoles.
The only thing Just Dance absolutely requires is a sensor. This allows the console to track your movements and determine if you are actually dancing correctly.
Just Dance adds a fun element in the game by allowing the kids to see themselves in real times. The avatar on the screen follows all of their movements exactly, so they can see if they are successful or not.
While most video games result in hours of stagnation that are definitely not good for a growing seven-year-old, Just Dance encourages them to get up and move around.
I speak from experience: you can get a really good workout from Just Dance. It’s also fun to laugh with (and at) your friends as you all try to follow a strange pattern of dance moves.
Just Dance is usually rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and Up. This is because some of the lyrics in some of the songs are suggestive. However, they always do a really good job of picking appropriate songs and editing out any bad words.
You can find Just Dance in your local video game stores, Walmart, or online. For Just Dance 2017 for X-BOX One specifically, go here.
Related Questions
Are video games bad for kids? While playing video games doesn’t result in extreme adverse effects, kids who play video games excessively can develop poor eyesight from the screen and pain from slouched posture.
Headaches can also develop from hours staring at the
Do video games make kids violent? If you expose your children prematurely to explicit content that can lead to nightmares and confusion. If your kid is young, they may not know how to handle these emotions and lash out.
However, there is no direct correlation between video games and violent behavior. Just keep the content age appropriate and the amount of time spent on them a moderate amount, and you’ll be fine.
