Xbox 360 with Kinect: Family Settings Keep Kids Safe While Learning (giveaway)

Since its debut just over a year ago, Kinect for Xbox 360 has transformed the landscape of gaming with the introduction of interactive elements that recognize voice and full body movement for a truly interactive experience.  With recent announcements that Xbox is focusing on “playful learning,” it becomes a tool for learning in a fun way. If you’re thinking about getting an Xbox for your home this holiday season, new content makes it a fabulous educational tool while a newly released dashboard for parental controls helps keep your kids safe while gaming and learning.

Kinect for Xbox 360 as an Educational Tool

As a teacher, I’ve always believed that children learn best when information is presented in a variety of ways. Some children absorb information through listening, others need to read and write in order for knowledge to stick, and certain kids need to immerse themselves in the experience in order to learn by doing.

Since there is no one right or wrong way to learn, Kinect for Xbox 360 provides another avenue for learning.  While gaming promotes cooperation and communication and the Kinect promotes physical movement, new partnerships with trusted educational brands such as Sesame Street and National Geographic promotes interactive learning. Children can practice the alphabet and numbers with Grover, read a book along with Cookie Monster in Once Upon a Monster, and pretend to be a bear by playing Kinectimals Now with Bears.

Xbox 360 is also filming a season of interactive shows in partnership with Sesame Street production, bringing a whole new level of interactivity to educational television with “Kinect Sesame Street TV.” With interactive versions of shows from the current television season, new content written and filmed just for Kinect and access to classic clips from the “Sesame Street” archive, “Kinect Sesame Street TV” is bringing educational television to life.

Parental Controls Keep Kids Safe while Gaming and Learning

As we enter the holiday season when everyone is buying new technology, this new video reminds families to use Family Settings that serve as the hub for parental controls. Xbox features safety features built into the game console, such as game ratings, setting limits on time, and the ability to restrict online access.

With the new dashboard, it’s easier than ever to locate Family Settings.

The new Xbox dashboard puts Family Settings front and center

One resource that I find myself turning to is Microsoft’s GetGameSmart.com, a site that  “is designed to help families enjoy video games and online media in ways that are safer, healthier and more balanced.”  It also provides a wealth of resources that can be downloaded and printed since they are must-reads for new Xbox owners.  Helpful documentation includes:

• Your Guide to Using Parental Controls
• How to use The Xbox 360 Family Timer
• Ways to restrict online access through Xbox Live 101
• Guide to Using Game Ratings

Win an XBox 360 with Kinect courtesy of Microsoft!

REQUIRED ENTRY: Watch either of the videos embedded above and leave a comment about what excites you most about bringing an Xbox with Kinect into your home.  Valid entries must include an email address or a Twitter handle.

For extra entries, you MUST complete the above and do any of the following:

• Complete the Tech Savvy Mama reader survey. Leave a comment that you have done so and include your email address or Twitter handle.  Please note that all responses will remain anonymous. (2 entries- 1 for the survey, 1 for leaving a comment below saying you completed the survey. And yes, if your comment is selected, I will check to make sure you really did complete the survey.  If you just comment below without completing the survey, your entry will not be valid.)

• Share one parental control that you plan to use when you get your Xbox through your comment. Include your email/Twitter handle. (1 entry)

• Subscribe to Tech Savvy Mama via RSS or email. Include your email/Twitter handle to let me know you've done so. (1 entry)

• Tweet this daily and leave your Twitter handle in the comments:  I entered to win @TechSavvyMama's @Xbox w/ Kinect #giveaway! Enter here before 12/9: http://bit.ly/xboxkinectgiveaway (1 entry/day)

• Blog about this giveaway and include “TechSavvyMama.com is giving away an Xbox 360 with Kinect” with this link http://bit.ly/xboxkinectgiveaway.  Leave a permalink and your email/Twitter handle in your comment. (10 entries)

Winner will be randomly selected from valid entries on Friday, December 9 using Random.org.  Winner will have 24 hours to reply with a U.S. mailing address and phone number before another winner will be selected.  Xbox 360 with Kinect is being provided by Microsoft and will be shipped directly by them to the winner. Complete rules regarding this giveaway can be found in the Official Sweepstakes Rules.  


I received my Xbox with Kinect from Microsoft for review purposes but use Family Settings to keep our kids safe while gaming.  I was not compensated for this post or hosting this giveaway.  All opinions are my own.