Wellbeing

A message from Emily Murcott - Assistant Principal / Wellbeing Literacy Leader

As we head into the Easter break, I want to share two things with the community; Acts of Kindness and Roblox and Fortnite. 

It would be amazing to focus on kindness as we venture into the break. It always makes someone's day, as well as our own, when we are kind. So I have included a RAK Kindness  bingo card (see below) for each family to tick off as the holidays progress. This would make a fabulous discussion during or at the end of each day. This Kindness bingo card activity could be taken two ways. What can you as a family or individual family members do? Or, what did they see other people in the community doing? I'd love to hear how this goes when we return to school for Term 2.      

Over the holidays it would lots of fun for families to keep an eye out for Acts of Kindness within your household and the community. I'd love to hear from you about some of these.

As we head into the Easter break, I wanted to share some information with parents about some of the platforms that your children may be using over the next few weeks as they get some downtime. I appreciate that as parents we are busy, however we too need to have a clear understanding about the platforms that our children are playing. Today I will share two games that I hear students are using and give some information shared from www.commonsensemedia.com. This site also shares their recommendations for the best apps for children and can be filtered by age https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-lists

Roblox 

What is Roblox? Click here to watch a short video.

Roblox is an online gaming platform where you can play games designed by other users and create and share your own games. Once you sign up, you can play an infinite number of games and chat with other users—all for free. These games can include a variety of categories such as murder mysteries to sports to fighting games. 

What age is Roblox for?

Roblox doesn't specify a minimum age. Users of any age can create and join groups, chat, and interact with others. Such an open approach can pose some risks to kids, especially younger ones. Commonsensemedia.org comment that 'although Roblox has some safety precautions in place, it remains a target for people with less-than-good intentions.' They also rate this site as 'OK for 13+ yr old age group' because of the learning potential that Roblox offers.  

What are Robux?

Robux are Roblox's in-game currency. You use them for a range of things, including special outfits or animations for your avatar, unique abilities in games, and weapons and other objects. There are different ways to get Robux: You can buy them, get them as part of a Premium membership, trade for them, or have someone donate them to you. You can also earn them by charging Roblox users to play games you've created and by charging for items in your games.

Are there parental controls for Roblox?

Roblox offers account controls that let adults restrict how kids can interact on the site and the types of games they can play. The controls are optional, and kids of any age can create an account on Roblox with no parental restrictions. On accounts for kids under 13, Roblox automatically defaults to stricter settings, but a kid could change these if there's no parent PIN. Parents and caregivers can also monitor purchases on the app for kids under 13. Use this guide to set up account and spending restrictions.

Fortnite

What is Fortnite? Click here to watch a short video.

If your kids say they're playing Fortnite, they're probably talking about Battle Royale, the free-to-play multiplayer offshoot of the action-strategy game Fortnite from developer Epic Games. This ultra-popular video game blends elements of sandbox building games with fast-paced action. It offers two modes: a solo version called Save the World and the multiplayer version called Battle Royale.

What is Fortnite: Battle Royale?

The game allows up to 100 people to participate in a match together. Players are dropped onto the game map and must compete to be the last one standing by killing every other player. During the game, players collect weapons, build safe structures, and try to avoid the Storm that damages all players outside of a safe zone. Players can also choose to play a no-build version, where you just focus on shooting people. Unlike the Save the World version, there aren't any zombies to kill, which makes it a less scary version to play. However, players can buy items to make themselves look like a zombie or another creepy character.

Do you play by yourself or with a team in Fortnite:Battel Royale?

There are four modes of play in Battle Royale: Solo, Duo, Trio, and Team. In Solo mode, you're dropped into the game alone. In Duo, you're dropped in with one teammate, and in Trio, with two. In Team mode, you play on a team of four. Duos, Trios, and Teams can either be friends choosing to play together or randomly matched players. All players in a match are playing in the same mode.

Is Fortnite appropriate for kids? What age should kids be to play Fortnite?

For some parents, the cartoonish, bloodless style of the action in Fortnite makes the violence less problematic than the aggressive gore in other popular shooter games. But the game's online chat feature—especially in Battle Royale mode—could expose younger players to offensive language or mature content from random strangers. Common Sense recommends Fortnite for teens 13 and up, primarily because of the action violence. But with the right controls and parental guidance, this can be a preteen-friendly alternative to violent first-person shooters.

Are there parent controls for Fortnite?

Yes, adults can restrict some features on their child's account. You can manage permissions for friend requests, voice and text chat, content ratings, and filters for mature language. Parents and caregivers can also set up passwords for in-game spending. When you enable this option, the Parental Control PIN will be required for all purchases. Accounts for users under 18 also have privacy settings turned on by default. Use this guide to set up parental controls on your child's account.

There is an additional restriction for kids under 13. Children below that age are automatically assigned a "cabined account," where parents and caregivers have to consent to their child getting access to certain features. These include in-game purchases and chatting. Keep in mind that the game determines a user's age based on the date of birth they enter when setting up an account.

Is there another alternative that is not so violent?

Those seeking a less violent—and more social—play experience can find it in the weapon-free Party Royale section, which you choose when you log in for a session. Party Royale has no killing and dying. Instead, the environment is more conducive to exploring environments while chit-chatting with friends and other players.

How do you turn off voice chat on Fortnite: Battle Royale?

Open the Settings menu in the top right of the main Fortnite page by selecting the three bars, then the cog icon. Choose the Audio tab at the top of the screen. From there, you can adjust several audio features, including voice chat. Turn the setting from on to off by tapping the arrows.

Have a wonderful and safe Easter break everyone.