Growing up, I was a fairly hardcore gamer but as I’ve gotten older I find myself gaming less often. That being said, we continue to keep at least one console in the house as I just can’t give it up. I may not get to play solo as often as I used to, but it’s fun to indulge in a little family competition or host a game night with friends. This holiday season family rooms across the US will be unboxing the new Xbox One S and we want to help you get the most from it! More than just a gaming console, the Xbox One S is a full entertainment device with the ability to stream Netflix, 4K blu-ray capabilities and more.
*Limited time offer* Amazon has the bundles for $50 off here!
3 Ways Families Can Bond Over the New Xbox One S
Get Into The Holiday Spirit
The holidays can be crazy. The shopping, baking, wrapping, and running around losing our minds can get the best of us. But one of my favorite parts of the holidays are the movies. For at least an hour at a time the craziness pauses while we cuddle up in our blanket fort to binge the holiday selection on Netflix or pop in a Blu-Ray copy of our favorite holiday movie, A Christmas Story. The Xbox One S acts a central hub for your Netflix, Blu-Ray, 4K and Amazon content. Keeping it all in one convenient console the whole family can operate and enjoy.
Connect Across The World
Games like Minecraft are great for connecting with friends and relatives across the state or across the country. We can set up virtual play dates for Whistler and his cousins to play and chat, safely, over Xbox One S. While it’s great to encourage family bonding it’s also a good idea to talk about online safety. Whenever we give our children access to the open world of online gaming it’s a good idea to have smart conversations about safety.
Microsoft takes it a step further by offering a wide variety of advanced parental control features that are deeply integrated across Windows 10 and Xbox One. Parents can limit their child’s access to games, movies, TV shows, music, and online interaction based on the content’s rating and their child’s age. You can even control who your child plays games with! To get the most out of these controls, set them up right away. If the Xbox One S is a holiday gift make sure it’s set up ahead of time so the kids (okay, and adults) can start enjoying it right out of the box.
The Family That Games Together…
stays together! According to researchers from Arizona State University, gaming as a family is good for everyone!
“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids. Often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving. Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment.” – Elizabeth Hayes, professor in ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Game with your kids and not only will you be the cool parent, you will get the chance to bond with your kid over a shared interest. With Xbox One S, families have access to more than 100 console exclusives, not counting Xbox 360 games that are backward compatible. A few family favorites include Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2017, Family Feud and Lego: Jurassic World. Or if you’re starting new, check out one of the Xbox One S bundles.
Wow! this Xbox will surely bring happiness at home! I’ve been always looking for a family activity to do this long weekend, I think Xbox is the answer, thanks for sharing!