Dear Parents and Carers Thank You for Your Messages of Support Recently

https://stivesjunior.org.uk/

01736 796202

Dear parents and carers

Thank you for your messages of support recently – they really do make a difference. As you know we continue to be busy here supporting learning through Google Classroom and learning packs, welfare and emotional support calls, maintenance of the building, liaising with partner schools for transition of Y6 and Y2 children and preparing your child’s annual report as well as planning for everything that needs to be in place as best we can for next school year!

We have been able to start welcoming back Y6 children this week and they have been amazing. The school experience is very different for them but they have listened carefully and taken it all on board positively and enthusiastically. As you will be aware, the Government has now said that it is not possible for all children to return before the end of the summer term. With smaller class sizes in order to ensure safety, this was always going to be a significant challenge given the pressure on space and also numbers of teachers needed, especially at a time when some are not able to attend work. We are told that more guidance will be issued on what the next steps may be and we will keep you informed as soon as we have any news to share.

Life Saving and beach safety

The RNLI usually leads an assembly during the summer term to ensure that the children know the dangers and ways to keep safe when using our wonderful beaches. As this is not currently possible, they have a number of videos and resources available on their website which you can find by clicking on the following link https://rnli.org/youth-education/education-resources/water-safety-wednesdays

These have also been shared on Google Classroom.

Learning packs

Learning on paper and on Google Classroom continues to impress us all – keep it up in whatever way works for you at home around other commitments. Both you and the children are doing an amazing job. Let us know if there's anything that you need any further support or advice with.

For those of you without internet access, learning packs for the next fortnight will be available by the main entrance from Monday 15th June. If you have any difficulties with collection of these, please let us know.

Online safety

Since schools closed to most pupils back in March we have shared with you information on keeping children safe online. Technology is such a wonderful tool, but as we know also carries risks that children need support to navigate safely. There are links on our website to some of these resources and attached to this letter is another copy of the grooming advice we have previously shared. As you may be aware from our Facebook feed this week there have been concerns raised recently.

Safety message Cornwall Council Together for Families have been made aware of the following safeguarding concerns:

● There have been incidents locally of children being groomed through snapchat and an online platform called Omegle. ● There has also been a local incident with a hack on the game Roblox. Players are invited to open a 'gift' which is a camera which then takes a photo and is shared with other users. This has also involved a child potentially being groomed. These concerns are being followed up by police and social services but please be aware and continue to check on your child's online activity to ensure they are safe.

A reminder that you can also access interactive guidance on setting up parental controls on your child’s devices, as well as guidance on apps like Tikor, YouTube, Instagram and more through the parent hub.

This is our school’s unique parent link and should take you directly to these sources and information.

> https://parenthub.thekeysupport.com?uuid=65a6417e-e202-4346-a517-b5baeca61776

Emotional Health

A reminder that resources to support you with children’s wellbeing can be found in the following places: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children- and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing https://mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people www.childline.org.uk 0800 1111 https://www.penhaligonsfriends.org.uk 01209 210624

Please remember to keep in touch and let us know if we can help you with anything.

Take care

Best wishes

Ruth Davey

Headteacher

At National Online Safety we believe in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold an informed conversation about online safety with their children, should they feel it is needed. This guide focuses on one platform of many which we believe trusted adults should be aware of. Please visit www.nationalonlinesafety.com for further guides, hints and tips for adults.

Online Grooming is when someone befriends and builds an emotional relationship with a child and communicates with them through the internet with the intent to commit a sexual oence. This type of victimisation can take place across any platform; from social media and messaging apps to online gaming and live streaming. Often it involves young people being tricked, forced or pressured into doing something they wouldn’t normally do (coercion) and often the groomer’s goal is to meet the victim in a controlled setting to sexually or physically abuse them. In some cases children may be abducted or have long-lasting psychological damage.

CHILDREN ARE MOST VULNERABLE LIVE STREAMING CONCERNS ANYONE CAN BE A PREDATOR

Unsurprisingly children are often most at risk as Predators may use live video to target children in real-time The internet has made the ability to interact they are easy to target and unlikely to question using tricks, dares or built-in gifts to manipulate them. with strangers online easy. Many sites and the person who is engaging in conversation with Grooming often takes the form of a game where apps are reliant on individual users entering them. Groomers will use psychological tricks and children receive 'likes' or even money for their own information when signing up. methods to try and isolate them from their performing sexual acts. Social media However individuals can remain anonymous if families and friends and will often choose to target channels, such as YouTube, Facebook, they choose to enter inaccurate information more vulnerable children who may be easier to Instagram and Snapchat, all have live and many online predator cases are due to manipulate. Predators will stalk apps and websites streaming capabilities, but there are groomers using impersonation techniques. that are popular with young people and will use a many apps which children can use to However, often the greater threat comes from ‘scattergun’ approach to ﬁnd victims, contacting live stream, including Omegle, adults who 'hide in plain sight', choosing to hundreds online to increase their chances of Live.me, BIGO Live, YouNow and befriend young children without hiding their success. many more real identity.

CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DETECT FROM OPEN TO CLOSED MESSAGING EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

Unfortunately, most children nd the Online predators may contact their victims using any number Online predators will use emotive ‘grooming’ process (before any of ways including social media, forums, chat rooms, gaming language and aim to form close, meeting) an enjoyable one as the communities or live streaming apps. Sometimes there is little trusted bonds with their victims predator will compliment, encourage, need to develop a ‘friendship /rapport stage’, as the victim has through showering them with and atter them to gain their trust, already shared personal information online and is compliments and making them feel friendship and curiosity – ‘a wolf in communicating openly with others. Children may also be good about themselves. Often victims sheep’s clothing’ scenario. This often prepared to add other online users they don’t know so well to will refer to them as their ‘boyfriends’ means children fail to disclose or report gain ‘online credibility’ through increasing their friends list. or ‘girlfriends’ and it can be dicult to what is happening. If the groomer is Predators will often seize this opportunity to slowly build a convince some young people that also previously known to the child, relationship and then move their conversation with the child they have been groomed, often their family and their friends, then this to a more secure and private area, such as through direct leading to lasting psychological can make detection even harder. messaging. eects.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK CHECK PRIVACY SETTINGS MONITOR SOCIAL MEDIA &

It’s unlikely that you can stop your child using the In order to give your child a safer online experience, it is LIVE STREAMING USE internet, nor can you constantly monitor their online important to check privacy settings or parental controls It’s important to be aware of what your child is sharing on activities, but you can talk to your child on a regular on the networks, devices, apps, and websites they use. social media and with whom. Create your own prole basis about what they do online. By talking openly with Disable location sharing if you can. If you use and become “friends” with them or follow them so that them about online relationships, they can quickly location-sharing apps to check where your child is, you can monitor their activity. Similarly, always check on ascertain the kind of behaviour which is appropriate or remember that these could always be used by strangers them if they are live streaming and implement privacy inappropriate. Ask them whether they have any online to follow your child without their knowledge. Ensure controls. Choose a generic screen name and prole friends or if they play online games with people they that you check options so that location information is picture that hides their identity. You may also feel more haven’t met. This could then open up conversations never shared with anyone except those they have comfortable being present each time they live stream. about the subject of grooming. permission to share with.

STICK TO ‘TRUE FRIENDS’ DISCUSS HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS BE SUPPORTIVE

Make it clear to your child that they should not accept friend Talk to your child about what a healthy relationship looks like Show your child that you will support requests from people they don’t know and to verify friend requests and how to detect someone who might not be who they them and make sure they understand with people who they do know. Encourage them to only interact claim to be. Explain that groomers will pay your child they can come to you with any and engage with ‘true friends’ i.e. those friends who don’t ask compliments and engage in conversations about personal concerns they may have. They need to personal questions such as close family and friends. Remind them information, such as hobbies and relationships. They may know they can talk to you if someone to never agree to chat privately with a stranger or someone they admire how well they play an online game or how they look does something they are don’t really know and to never divulge personal information, such in a photo. Groomers will also try and isolate a child from uncomfortable with, whether that is as mobile phone numbers, addresses, passwords or the name of people close to them, such as parents and friends, in order to inappropriate comments, images, their school. make their relationship feel special and unique. requests or sexual comments.

Meet our expert LOOK OUT FOR WARNING SIGNS Child safety experts have identiﬁed key grooming patterns and advise parents to look out for: Jonathan Taylor is an online safety expert and former Covert Internet Investigator for the Metropolitan • Secretive online behaviour. • Lack of interest in extra-curricular activities. Police. He is a specialist in online grooming and • Late night internet or smartphone usage. • Having new items, such as clothes or exploitation and has worked extensively with both • Meeting new friends in unusual places. phones, unexplainably. UK and international schools in delivering training • Becoming clingy, develop sleeping or eating • Seem withdrawn, anxious, depressed or aggressive. and guidance around the latest online dangers, social problems or even bedwetting. • Having older boyfriends or girlfriends. media apps and platforms.

Users of this guide do so at their own discretion. No liability is entered into. Current as of the date of release: 06.05.2020 At National Online Safety we believe in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold an informed conversation about online safety with their children, should they feel it is needed. This guide focuses on one platform of many which we believe trusted adults should be aware of. Please visit www.nationalonlinesafety.com for further guides, hints and tips for adults.

Suggested Apps and Games For EARLY YEARS Learning GREEN EGGS AND HAM - DR. SEUSS

This app teaches young children (age 2-5) about important things like The classic Dr. Seuss book has been reworked into an interactive adventure letters, shapes, numbers and more, all set in a colourful underwater for modern day devices, with an emphasis on encouraging literacy learning in setting with adorable sea creatures. The basic idea has sh and sea younger children. Within the app, there’s a few di erent options on how to creatures forming the shapes of letters, numbers etc that your little one enjoy the story; you can read it aloud together, have the app read the book and can identify. Developers Duck Duck Moose have a lineage of creating family follow along, or just play the story through automatically. You can even tap on friendly apps and games with 21 top-selling apps since 2008. Fish School HD has words to hear them individually to practice vocabulary. While the app will set you over 50,000 downloads and o ers a rounded package of activities, but many other back £3.79 on Android (£3.99 on iOS) it has an excellent rating and over 10,000 apps by this developer are highly rated and o er a few twists on the formula. As downloads, with many noting how much their young children have enjoyed the story. It always it’s worth checking a few out to see which best suits your child’s interests. speaks volumes about the quality of the work, too, that a book from 1960 can still be read Fish School HD is available for free on iOS and Android. and loved by children some two generations after its initial release.

TOCA LAB: ELEMENTS BAREFOOT WORLD ATLAS Toca Lab is the app of choice in encouraging little scientists to get to grips with What’s the next best thing to travelling the world? Well, for elements, our world and how physics and chemistry work. This one might be a little kids with access to an iPad or Apple phone, Barefoot World advanced for younger kids and, though it has a PEGI 3 rating, it does recommend Atlas could be a close second. In this app available only on ages 6-8 in the description. All 118 elements are present in Toca Labs and kids are iOS for £4.99, kids and adults can explore the globe from the encouraged to nd and test them all. Experimenting with things like Gold, Neon, comfort of their own homes and learn all about our planet. The Hydrogen and more, it gives a better grasp of how everything in our universe is formed. Bear app, which is rated 4+, only appears on Apple devices but the sheer in mind though that it’s not meant to be a scientically accurate account of how elements react, but amount of information contained in here will keep curious kids busy for to build curiosity in young minds. The app is available on iOS and Android for £3.99. hours on end.

SKETCHBOOK - DRAW AND PAINT (AUTODESK SKETCHBOOK ON IOS) Encouraging artistic ability at an early age can often be invaluable in letting kid’s imaginations loose and there are many apps that allow them to unlock that passion. SketchBook comes highly recommended with over 300,000 reviews. Essentially, the app comprises a blank canvas and a host of “fast and powerful creative sketching tools” like pens, pencils and paint brushes to let those creative juices ow. SketchBook is rated PEGI 3 so even younger children should be able to get to grips with it. However, it could prove a little too complex for some and the large collection of tools and crisp graphics would suit a larger screen like an iPad, over a mobile phone. Despite this, the ability to simply mess around and doodle, coupled with more advanced accessibility later down the line, should make it a must own for all age ranges. The app is free to download on both Android and iOS.

Just fo r Fun LITTLE FRIENDS: CATS & DOGS

If you’re looking to introduce pets into the family home but aren’t sure about how your children might react, a good way to get your younger ones acquainted with an animal before a big commitment is a game like Little Friends: Cats & Dogs. This Nintendo Switch game tasks players with feeding, playing with and loving their own virtual cat or dog. Much like Nintendogs or even Tamagotchi of the 90s, Little Friends is a fun way to build up condence to owning a real animal. While only a 1 player game, Little Friends: Cats & Dogs is suitable for all ages and entirely oine, so there’s nothing at all to worry about when they’re enjoying it alone.

BBC iPLAYER KIDS

YouTube Kids takes the popular YouTube format and curates a more specialised This app is designed for kids and lets them watch all environment for children to search through. While any age range can benet their favourite CBBC and CBeebies shows in one place. from YouTube Kids, the ‘Preschool’ Mode is specically designed for kids aged 4 The simple presentation is super easy to navigate and and under. According to the app’s description, ‘Preschool’ Mode promotes the app itself is entirely free on both Android and iOS creativity, playfulness, learning and exploration through its channels. The inclusion of with no adverts whatsoever. BBC iPlayer Kids can download parental controls (limited screen-time, video blocking and agging) and strict advert shows to your device’s internal storage allowing you to take all monitoring by YouTube means the experience is incredibly safe for younger kids. It should be the best bits with you when there’s no WIFI and multiple proles noted that in the app description, YouTube say that some inappropriate content can slip through mean everybody gets straight to their favourites with minimal fuss. the cracks, but they’re constantly implementing updates to stop these. A hugely popular app, According to the app description, it will ask for your child’s name and YouTube Kids is available on iOS and Android with well over 100 million downloads. age to recommend other programmes it thinks they might like.

MARIO KART 8 DELUXE ROCKET LEAGUE Mario Kart has been a staple of Nintendo consoles since 1992. It has been a The concept behind Rocket League takes teams of jet-fuelled cars zipping favourite of young and old alike for over 20 years and is always an incredibly fun around football-inspired pitches in an attempt to knock a giant, over-sized experience. Now exclusively on the Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8, the bells ball into nets. Rated PEGI 3, the challenge of Rocket League is probably more and whistles may have changed, but the enjoyable core gameplay and challenge suited to those 5 and up, but anybody can enjoy the bright colours and fun have not. Suitable for all ages, Mario Kart can be played alone, online or at home gameplay. Rocket League is available on Windows PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox with up to 4 players on one screen. The ability to take the Switch out with you into the One and Nintendo Switch at various price points. Be warned though, you can spend world and play wherever you like is a huge advantage over other games and means you can money in the game for certain items so be sure you know when your young ones always be sure of some quick entertainment. are playing and what they’re buying.

Meet our expert Mark Foster has worked in the gaming industry for 5 years as a writer, editor and presenter. He is the current gaming editor of two of the biggest gaming news sites in the world, UNILAD Gaming and GAMINGbible. Starting gaming from a young age with his siblings, he has a passion for understanding how games and tech work, but more importantly, how to make them safe and fun.

Users of this guide do so at their own discretion. No liability is entered into. Current as of the date of release: 30.10.2019 At National Online Safety we believe in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold an informed conversation about online safety with their children, should they feel it is needed. This guide focuses on one platform of many which we believe trusted adults should be aware of. Please visit www.nationalnalonlinesafety.com for further guides, hints and tips for adults.

Suggested Apps and Games For 7 - 11 YEARS Learning GREEN EGGS AND HAM - DR. SEUSS MAGIC PIANO BY SMILE AZOOMEE

While Magic Piano doesn’t strictly teach you how to play the piano, Azoomee houses over 1,000 games, videos and activities for kids of all it does teach hand-eye coordination and can help spark creativity ages to play, have fun and most importantly, develop their key skills in. in young minds. Users can play along to a variety of popular songs The app is award winning, BAFTA nominated, supported by the NSPCC on a range of diculty levels in an attempt to get through the song (according to the description on their app page) and comes with a suite of with as few mistakes as possible, increasing dexterity and reaction parental controls built in. As well as educational games, activities and kid’s times. Free on iOS & Android, the game does contain some ads and in-app favourite TV shows, the app also has a built-in chat feature where they can talk to purchases, so be sure to check these out before letting younger players unleash their friends safely. A nice little touch is that if you buy a subscription to Azoomee for their musical side. Magic Piano is PEGI 3 rated but requires slightly more nimble unlimited premium content for £4.99 a month, a portion of the money raised goes towards hands to master so older kids will get the most from this. supporting the NSPCC. The app is available on iOS, Android and Amazon.

POLY BRIDGE CROSSWORLD PUZZLES (WUBU APPS LTD) While Poly Bridge could be easily enjoyed solely as a game, it’s actually an Crossword puzzles might not immediately seem like a learning game for incredibly clever way to learn critical thinking and engineering skills in a kid younger kids, but they’re incredibly e ective at building strong word skills friendly way. It’s set in a colourful, cartoony world and has extremely simple and problem solving. This one by Wubu Apps Limited is exclusive to iOS gameplay. In Poly Bridge, it’s your task to get cars, buses, trucks, boats and more and constantly changes its roster of daily crosswords and challenges, safely to their destination by designing bridges that are safe and practical. How although there are a whole bunch of apps available out there which do similar those bridges are created is entirely up to you. With over 100 levels, a sandbox mode things. The app is rated 4+ but would likely be suited to kids a little older as the and almost innite playability, Poly Bridge is available on PC, Android, iOS and Nintendo crosswords are designed for adults as well. As mentioned, Crossword Puzzles is only Switch at various price points, so be sure to check which is the best option for you. available on iOS devices and is free to download but does contain in-app purchases.

SCRIBBLENAUTS UNLIMITED Scribblenauts is a game like few others in that it actively encourages children to use their intuition to solve a variety of puzzles. Armed only with their imagination, players must complete levels by conjuring potentially useful items for main character Maxwell to collect the Starites and achieve his goal. The game helps create strong vocabulary and word association to a fun 2D backdrop. While any version of Scribblenauts is good, Unlimited is the most readily available, being released on Wii U, PC, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and Android devices, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Just fo r Fun

Widely regarded as one of the greatest games Nintendo have ever made, Super Mario Odyssey provides family friendly fun and a challenging environment for kids to learn new skills in a video game. Rated PEGI 7, Odyssey can be enjoyed by almost any age range, even those who are young at heart. The caveat is that the game is only available on Nintendo Switch, so some investment will need to be made, but the console boasts a host of other child-safe titles and the ability to play on the go as well as at home.

BBC iPLAYER KIDS NETFLIX MINECRAFT As obvious as it may sound, Netix’s children's section is ideal for Minecraft is one of those rare, timeless classics that can be enjoyed by every age keeping young ones and toddlers out of trouble on long journeys or at group. Coming in both a console version and a pocket edition for mobile devices, home. The specic prole for kids allows them to only view content the sandbox world-building fun in Minecraft can be an amazing place to let your appropriate for younger audiences which lets you and them watch their imagination run wild. The game can be played online with friends and supports favourite shows and movies anywhere, at any time. Curated playlists, easy cross-play, meaning that no matter what device everybody has, it can be played navigation through TV series and movies, and no-hassle auto-play means a stress-free together. While the game isn’t free, it will undoubtedly provide hours and hours of fun for guarantee. The only downside to the app is that it requires a Netix subscription in order to use the whole family so it’s worth the investment of a one-time purchase. As one of the most popular it but if you’re happy to pay the monthly cost, it’s an absolute must for any parent. games ever released, it inspires critical thinking, problem solving and above all, fun.

LEGO MOVIE MAKER 2 ADVENTURES OF POCO ECO: LOST SOUNDS

The LEGO Movie Maker 2 app lets users create their own stop-motion movies If something more slow-paced and chilled out is on your and upload them for others to watch online. Kids can create a short LEGO movie radar, Adventures of Poco Eco should be able to scratch in whatever genre they like using a range of easy to use tools and are able to add that itch. With an emphasis on creating a rich and in sounds and visual e ects to make the videos look super realistic. All movies are inviting musical soundscape over hardcore gameplay, moderated before they make it online so you can be sure no sensitive information is the puzzle action is perfect for unwinding young minds, uploaded or viewed by third parties. The app is free to download on both iOS and Android as opposed to challenging them. The single-player game is devices but does require creation of a LEGO account to upload videos. The only information available on all iOS and Android devices, as well as the needed for an account is the country you live in, your email address and date of birth. While it’s Amazon Kindle Store and you can also nab yourself a free copy rated for 4+, kids of 8 and up will get the most out of this one. of the soundtrack with the purchase.

UsersUsers ofof thisthis guididee dodo soso atat theirtheir ownown disiscretcretioion. No liaiabililityity isis enteredentered into.into. CurrentCurrent asas ofof thethe datedate ofof release:release: 2330.1.07.20190.2019 At National Online Safety we believe in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold an informed conversation about online safety with their children, should they feel it is needed. This guide focuses on one platform of many which we believe trusted adults should be aware of. Please visit www.nationalonlinesafety.com for further guides, hints and tips for adults.

Suggested Apps and Games For 11 - 14 YEARS Learning AZOOMEE EVERNOTE DRAGONBOX If keeping track of things like homework, links, images or DragonBox isn’t one singular app, but a series of educational and learning games basically anything is an issue, then Evernote could be your new designed to teach the fundamentals of Mathematics. There are 5 apps in total for best friend. While not strictly a learning app, Evernote does learning Algebra, Geometry, Numbers, Big Numbers and Elements. Each app contains a make organising learning so much easier. Used by both number of mini-games to get kids thinking about getting a head start on the daunting professionals and students, this app helps facilitate keeping on top numerical subject, backed by bright and charming visuals. Each app comes in at between of executive functioning skills, with online planners and notebooks made £3.99 and £5.99 on iOS and Android making it one of the more pricier investments. However, once available across all your devices and computers. With over 1.5 million downloads, you’ve paid the upfront cost, the entire app is unlocked and free to explore. It should also be pointed out Evernote is one of the most popular organisational apps in the world, and is free to that because most of the DragonBox collection is recommended for children between 6 and 12 year’s old, download on iOS, Android and the Amazon Store. older kids with a decent grasp on Maths might nd this a little beneath their skill level.

NSF SCIENCE ZONE GUITAR COACH CHORDS TUNER TABS Apps about our world don’t come much more ocial than being created by the National Learning instruments like the guitar has never been simpler thanks to all the modern Science Foundation, which is exactly where NSF Science Zone comes in. Featuring a wide technology at our ngertips. Learning visually can often be the di erence between array of videos and high-resolution pictures focusing on everything from the far reaches giving up and persevering to acquire a truly sought-after skill. HD videos, animated of space to the microscopic organisms that inhabit our planet and everything in between, fretboards, chord diagrams and more make this app a one stop shop for getting to grips this is perfect for anybody curious about nature and the world. The app is 100% free on iOS with the basics. Guitar Coach Chords Tuner Tabs is available for a free trial or monthly and Android and would be perfect as a visual encyclopedia for anybody doing any science related subscription for unlimited access on both iOS and Android, essentially acting as a pocket tutor for the study. All the information on the Science Zone app has been provided by scientists and universities around stringed instrument. If time and money are a factor in taking the plunge into learning guitar, it makes the globe so you can be condent of it being the highest possible standard to teach your young ones. sense that an app like this can help start you on the right path.

DUOLINGO

What’s better than mastering one language? Mastering all the languages! DuoLingo is world renowned for being able to teach anybody a new language with its fun and easy to use app. Ideal for kids picking up a second language at school, DuoLingo o ers a variety of languages including French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Irish and more, all for free. You simply choose which language you want to learn, what kind of commitment you can give per day and away you go. The best part about DuoLingo is that it is completely free to download and use and will even send you helpful notication reminders when it’s time to learn some new words and phrases. It should be pointed out that there are some in-app purchases, but they’re strictly optional and transparent throughout, so no sneaky accidental payments can be made.

Just fo r Fun

Much like Minecraft, Terraria has a focus on building and creating anything kids can put their imagination to. Whether they’re digging into the earth to seek out treasures, or creating their own kingdoms out of stone, however your young ones like to play, there’s guaranteed to be something to keep them busy for hours on end. There are a couple of slight caveats with Terraria though. As the game is so big, it does require more modern (2014 or up) devices to play on. There’s also the cost which stands at £4.59 on Android and £4.99 on iOS devices. Arguably though, the game is worth its weight in gold when it comes to creating an engaging world to lose yourself in. It even has multiplayer for up to 7 friends over local wi- or online. If that doesn’t seal it, nothing will!

MINECRAFT THE ROOM THREE THOMAS WAS ALONE

The Room games are all about critical thinking and puzzle solving, o set by a rich Thomas is a curious triangle. His curiosity is satised simply by exploring atmosphere that has been prevalent throughout the series. The Room Three is the latest his intriguing world and tackling the 100 award winning levels of puzzle in the mobile favourite apps and o ers up a uniquely challenging experience for those solving, head on. Kids can guide Thomas around his world by jumping, and wishing to ex their logical muscles. The BAFTA award winning series hits its peak with the making friends, while the BAFTA award winning game also comes with an third entry feeling more like a full-blown adventure game than a mere mobile app. The Room enchanting story narrated by comedian and writer Danny Wallace. Perhaps the Three is available on iOS and Android for £3.99 and would be well suited to older kids looking for a best things about Thomas Was Alone are its simple control scheme allowing it to be more challenging game. Be aware though that while the rating is PEGI 7, younger audiences might nd picked up and played by almost anybody, and the fact that it’s available on a wide variety of the eerie themes a little unsettling. If this sounds like something you or a loved one might enjoy, the consoles and devices including iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Prices vary whole series of Room games o er much the same experience so there’s plenty to get stuck into. though, so be sure to check it out on your preferred medium.

THE SIMS FREEPLAY HEADS UP!

Create your Sim and help them live their life the way you want in The Sims FreePlay. Heads Up! is an incredibly fun game that the whole family can play together. The basic Based on the wildly popular games, this mobile version brings all the fun of The Sims premise is that one person holds the phone to their forehead with a character, place, into the palm of your hands, while losing none of the charm of the originals. As anybody object, etc on screen and tries to guess it from the clues the rest of the players give them. who’s ever played a Sims game will tell you, hours melt into minutes once you start playing There’s a whole host of categories to choose from so it never gets dull and there’s even the this lifestyle simulator and with good reason - it’s incredibly addictive fun. While the game is, option to record the other players trying to give clues, so you can watch it back later for more as the name suggests, free to play on iOS, Android and Amazon, please be aware that in-app laughs. Rated PEGI 3, it’s suitable for pretty much everyone but can really help hone quick thinking and purchases can be made of up to £99.99 so it’s essential you keep an eye on whoever is playing and set reaction times in more developed kids. The game comes in at 99p on iOS and free on Android devices but strict boundaries if necessary. Over 10 million downloads of this game can’t be wrong though - The Sims is does o er in-app purchases from between 58p and £9.49 per item for things like extra categories. back, and it’s better than ever.

Users of this guide do so at their own discretion. No liability is entered into. Current as of the date of release: 30.10.2019