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Safe online games for kids - how to play with friends

Children want to play together with their friends - that is natural. The trouble starts when a game lets strangers in. Here is how to set up safe shared play and how we handle it in Your World.

The YourPet team3 min read

A cosy corner of an island with a campfire, stone steps and palm trees by the water

Why does playing together online need rules?

In many online games a child can get an invitation from a stranger, chat with them or trade items. These features - not the game itself - are the most common route to contact with strangers. The good news: shared play can be set up so that your child plays only with people they really know.

5 rules for playing safely with friends

01

Only friends from real life

Agree that in the game your child adds only people they know from school, the playground or the family - and whom you know about too.

02

No chat, or chat under control

It is safest when a game has no chat at all. If it does, check whether it can be turned off or limited to friends.

03

Parental controls on the device

Google Family Link on Android and Screen Time on iPhone let you approve installs and purchases and set time limits.

04

A talk about what to do when something feels wrong

Your child should know they can come to you when someone asks for a photo, a password or a meeting - and that they will not be punished for it.

05

The first games together

Play the first few times together. You will see how the game connects players, and it will be easier to agree on rules for later.

How does shared play work in Your World?

In Your World, which we are working on now, children can visit each other’s islands and build together. We set it up so there is no room for strangers:

  • You sail to an island only with a code from its owner - there is no player search and no list of strangers.
  • The first visit with a code adds a friend, and later trips go from the friends list.
  • The owner decides who can sail over and whether a guest can build: not at all, only their own things, or together.
  • The owner can set how many blocks a friend can place each day.
  • A friend can be removed at any time, and the code turned off - then nobody new can join.
  • There is no chat and no messages - only a “like” paw for the island.

Read more about the world itself in Your World - an island building game with your pet, and about our safety rules in Child safety.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child talk to other players in YourPet?

No. YourPet has no chat, no private messages and no profiles of other users.

How do you add a friend in Your World?

The island owner gives the friend a code. The first visit with the code adds them as a friend, and after that they can sail over without it.

Can a stranger sail to my child’s island?

Only with a code your child gives someone. The code can be turned off at any time, and a friend can be removed.

Can a friend wreck the island?

The owner decides whether a guest can build. They can also allow guests to build and remove only their own things, and set a daily block limit.