PlayStation Family Gaming Tips for the Holidays

The winter holidays are here to relax, reconnect, and play! With more time to unwind, it’s the perfect moment to jump into favorite games or discover new adventures. Whether you’re teaming up with friends online, joining festive in-game events, or enjoying a solo adventure by the fire, the joy of play shines bright this season.

At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we believe great gaming memories start with safe and positive play. Our Online Safety team works year-round to keep PlayStation a welcoming space for players of all ages.

To help families make the most of the holidays, members of our global team of safety experts  have shared their top tips for keeping gaming fun and memorable this winter. Andy Robertson of Family Gaming Database also shares a basic overview of the PlayStation Family app for all parents. 

Introduction to the PlayStation Family app with family gaming expert Andy Robertson.

Here’s to a safe and joyful holiday season of play!

Activity Report for Playtime Visibility

The Activity report is one of my favorite new features in the PlayStation Family app. I enjoy the convenience and ease of the weekly snapshot to quickly review playtime per day of week, daily average playtime, and most played games. Keeping the report in view makes it easier to add or reduce playtime depending on what our family has planned during the upcoming holidays. 

Communication is very important in our household. The Activity report is a brilliant conversation starter about the games my son played during the week, which he liked most, and why. It’s always a fun discussion and something we enjoy talking about.

Jon B.
Senior Director, Consumer Experience
Favorite Game Genre – Racing and Platformer

Setting Age Appropriate Restrictions for Games and Apps 

My favorite safety feature is Gameplay Restrictions. I’ve always been a fan of settings that make things clearer rather than more complicated, and this one does exactly that. Setting age-appropriate filters together opens up an easy conversation about what feels right and why. It takes the guesswork out and shows how you’re creating a safe, positive space to explore games with confidence.

Melissa L.
Lead Creative Designer
Favorite Game Genre: Puzzle

Starting Things Off Right

Before your loved ones open their new PlayStation product during the December holidays, if you are new to the platform, make sure you start things off the right way by signing up through the PlayStation Family app.  The app will not only allow the family manager to create their account, but be able to add all their family members at the same time and have the same settings applied to them. By starting your family’s journey the right way, you will have an established pattern where the Family Manager can feel safe in knowing that the PlayStation ecosystem is set up specifically for their family’s needs.  This will allow the members in the family unit to have freedom to explore the appropriate games, purchase content within family boundaries, and talk to other players that are approved by the family manager! 

PlayStation is committed to being the best place for your family to play, and we want you leading the charge in making that happen!

Eric K.
Senior Engineering Manager
Favorite Game Genre – Car Racing and Fantasy

Choosing Privacy Settings that are Right for Your Family

One of my favorite tips for parents is to review your kids’ privacy settings and understand what works best for your children and family. As your child grows, you may consider adjusting settings to meet their growing needs. With the PlayStation Family app, checking in regularly is now even more convenient and effective.

Privacy settings are broken down into three groups: Social, Activity, and Followers. PlayStation helps by creating default privacy profiles based on your child’s age, with the option to customize what you allow for each child. This is a great opportunity to connect with your child to find out what they enjoy as part of their gaming experience and how you can help keep them safe online. 

Linda Z.
Corporate Counsel, UX & Console Product Counsel
Favorite Game Genre – Racing

Maintaining a Healthy Balance of Playtime

Playtime Settings plus clear expectations for the win! In our house, homework and one chore must be done before screen time. We’ve set up playtime settings, so our kiddo knows exactly how much time is left. We’re not the nagging bad guys—notifications warn as time runs low, and we have it set so play stops automatically when time runs out.

Eric I.
Director, Product Marketing
Favorite Game Genre – Action Adventure and Strategy 

Stay Connected to Your Child’s Play with Real-Time Notifications

One of the biggest benefits of the PlayStation Family app is real-time notifications. With kids spending more time gaming during the winter holidays, these notifications make it easy to stay in the loop without hovering. You will be notified through the mobile app when playtime is up, when your child requests extra time, or when they request to play a game outside their age rating, and you can take action directly from your phone anytime and anywhere.

Our family loves the convenience because it keeps everything quick and simple. Kids get responses faster, and we avoid the scramble of digging through emails or navigating menus on the console. It keeps the focus on enjoying the holidays together while still maintaining safe and healthy boundaries.

Niki W.
Senior Product Manager
Favorite Game Genre – Casual