As parents, we often have our tests first and our lessons later. Who among us has not at least once granted permission for our child to do something and later ended up regretting we had?   Parents wishing to avoid a misstep on movies, books, and media can turn to Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families as a useful resource.  Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families  allows parents to read reviews for books, movies, apps, and games to learn more about what their kids want to read or watch before they read or watch it.  

Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families has created thousands of age-based reviews and recommendations, organized by category. Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization that works with policymakers and industry leaders as a trusted guide for kids, families, and their communities. With a mission to ensure digital well-being for kids everywhere, its website rates TV shows, movies, books, and more to empower parents with the information they need to make informed decisions for their families. 

Common Sense Media independently rates media on age appropriateness and learning potential. Each title receives an age recommendation, based on content and developmental guidelines, as well as a parents’ guide for content categories (educational value, positive messages, positive role models and representations, ease of play, violence, sex, language, consumerism, and drinking, drugs, and smoking). Titles are given an overall quality score of zero to five stars and a short description of what parents need to know to make quick decisions regarding appropriateness. For more information about the Common Sense Media rating system, see About Our Ratings.  

Additional parenting resources on the website include Latino resources, parent webinars and distance learning assistance. Add Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families to your wheelhouse to navigate your family through the ever changing media world. 

Since 2003, Common Sense Media has been focusing on the way technology is changing childhood and taking action to provide families with the information they need to make tech decisions. Learn more here about Common Sense Media’s campaign to guard children in an increasingly digital world. 

Further Reading

The following related titles are available for circulation from our library collection.  Click on the links to read more about the titles and place holds. 

Screen-Smart Parenting: How to Find Balance and Benefit in Your Child’s Use of Social Media, Apps, and Digital Devices by Jodi Gold

The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life by Anya Kamenetz

The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age by Catherine Steiner-Adair

The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World by Jordan Shapiro

Words Wound: Delete Cyberbullying and Make Kindness Go Viral by Justin W. Patchin and Sameer Hinduja

Tap, Click, Read by Lisa Guernsey and Michael H. Levine

 Into the Minds of Babes by Lisa Guernsey