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Pop Culture > (a cheats guide for parents)
Below is helpful info about pop culture and hobby ideas that are not gaming. Sacrilege! We do realise there is life outside of gaming.
But we have included some games we really like and some fun Youtubers who can provide more than just a fun time.
Anime
‘Anime’ is a term derived from a shortening of the word ‘animation’ that is used to refer to Japanese animated shows and movies. Anime covers a wide range of genres and, unlike a lot of Western cartoons, there are anime shows for teenagers and adults as well, so it’s important to check the rating of a show or movie before you watch it. Many anime shows are adapted from manga, which are Japanese comic books often serialised in magazines. Most anime shows and movies are available both in Japanese and English.
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The most popular anime movies are made by a company called Studio Ghibli. Most Studio Ghibli films are family-friendly, whimsical and full of gorgeous animation and music that can appeal to people of all ages. They have gone on to win awards both in Japan and overseas. Some popular Studio Ghibli films include:
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Howl’s Moving Castle
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Arrietty
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My Neighbour Totoro
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Ponyo
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Spirited Away
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Castle in the Sky
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Pom Poko
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Anime and Pokemon
Anime is also part of the wider Pokemon franchise. The spin-off TV series that starred Ash Ketchum (up until 2023) is one of the most popular anime series for children in both Japan and around the world.
Godzilla movies, however, are often not considered anime, since they are live-action movies that are part of the ‘kaiju’ subgenre (though there is a Godzilla anime series on Netflix).
Dungeons & Dragons - D&D
Dungeons and Dragons is like a fantasy video game, but you act out the story in real time with a group. Most of the group each creates a unique character with a role (such as Fighter, Wizard, Rogue etc.) and different stats representing that character’s strengths and weaknesses. One person, called the Dungeon Master (DM), does not create their own character, but instead is in charge of creating a world and scenarios, then describing them to the other players. The players then react to the scenario in a way that their character would and rolling dice to determine how effective certain actions are. It’s essentially like a communal improv session with dice rolls.
Cosplay
Cosplay is an activity that involves picking any one character or muse and dressing up to look like/represent them. This can be done in public, at conventions, online, in advertisements or on social media. The level of effort in a cosplay can span from miscellaneous household items, commonly called closet cosplays, to hours and hours of cutting, sewing, moulding and spending. Cosplays can take inspiration from any source or media, and are a widespread and widely appreciated part of pop culture.
“I was terrible at crafting until i began cosplaying, now I can make a mask from a cereal box”
Hobbies > “my son didn’t think he could paint until he got into Warhammer and can now paint"
Games etc
Magic The Gathering
Star Wars Legion
Warhammer
Cosplay
Pokemon cards
Model trains
Lego
Flesh and Blood (card game)
Activities in a group
Drama group
Scouts
D&D
Larping
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Learning a new skill
Creative Hobbies
Learning a foreign language
Playing an instrument
Cooking
Sewing
Drawing
Painting
Knitting
Candle making
Pottery
Singing
Learning sign language
Acting
Writing
Baking
Photography
Jewellery making
Calligraphy
Making tiny things out of air dried clay (e.g. tiny food)
Hobbies that can make money
Making greeting cards
Tutoring
Website design
Dog walking/pet sitting
Coaching a sport
Gardening
Physical Hobbies
Walking
Swimming
Yoga
Running
Cycling
Dancing
Horse Riding
Martial Arts
Bowling
Circus
Skating
Having an exercise routine
Geocaching
Sailing
Just For Fun
Birdwatching
Reading
Vlogging
Blogging
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Creating a podcast
Comedy
Researching family ancestry
Upcycling
Researching local history
Volunteering
Juggling
Gaming > Here are our favourites!
Minecraft
About:
Minecraft is like online Lego. You can build, design, create almost anything using square blocks set in amazing worlds or landscapes.
Play with your kids, choose themes to build and build together, e.g. farm, castle, cave home.
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Why we like it
Uses imagination and can foster socialisation and connections.
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YouTubers Stampylongnose and iBallisticSquid play a game called Building Time. This is really fun to play with your kids.
What to look out for
Can sometimes be hard to walk away from a build.
Sea of Thieves
About:
Sail a pirate ship, complete missions to find treasure
AMAZING graphics, the game even won prizes for its graphics
Can play co-op with friends, where you and your friends have to work together as the crew of a pirate ship.
Why we like it
Requires strategy and communication with your crew (friends) which is great for socialisation and connections.
What to look out for
It is an online game with people you don’t know, so there can be some bad language
Jurassic World Evolution
About:
Build your own dinosaur park.
AMAZING dinosaur graphics
Why we like it
We love it as it introduces the player to the basics of accounting and marketing.
What to look out for
Nothing major.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
About:
One of the newest Zelda games, taking place in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. The game has an amazing story and a huge open-world map that players can explore every part of, while fighting monsters, scavenging equipment and freeing huge mechanical beasts from the control of a force of pure evil.
Why we like it
Amazing graphics,
easy to pick up, yet challenging. Stunning open-world environment with lots to do and explore. Well-written characters and an emotional main story, and lots of reading for those that may not be such avid book readers.
What to look out for
There isn’t a lot of guidance within the game about what to do next and where to find things, which may frustrate some people
Stardew Valley
About:
A life-simulation game about creating and managing your own farm in a small town in the countryside. You can grow crops, raise animals, mine minerals and fight monsters in caves, fish, forage, make friends with the people in town and even get married and start a family. The graphics resemble old pixel-art games, but are very detailed and pleasing to look at. You can also play together with up to 3 friends that you know who also have the game (though only if they have it on the same device eg. PC and PC, not PC and Switch) and work on the same farm together.
Why we like it
Relaxing gameplay that is easy to pick up. Atmospheric and soothing soundtrack. Can provide a sense of accomplishment as your farm grows. Positive LGBTQ+ representation: you can romance both men and women. Can teach about the importance of preserving the natural environment.
What to look out for
There is some swearing in the dialogue. The player character has the option to both make and consume alcoholic drinks. Some of the other character’s stories include darker topics such as alcoholism, depression, war, PTSD, death of a loved one and suicidal ideation. Parents may want to watch a walkthrough online to determine if it’s appropriate for your child. There is an optional casino to visit in a later-game area where the player can play gambling games.
Amaru: the self-care pet
About:
Amaru is a digital self-care pet app, in which you learn tactics of self care through caring for your pet. This game is designed for a more long-term habit building approach. The game opens with an engaging and gentle conversation between yourself a mysterious entity who guides you to the fantasy world your game is set in. The game has activities of guided meditation, journaling, reflection and understanding.
Why we like it
The game is wonderful for any fantasy or book nerd, with aspects with the creature, you are given an array of exercises and activities to do in an easy to consume manner. It’s fun, it’s simple, and after the introduction it’s alot more free-to-roam
What to look out for
This game wouldn’t be suited to children who like to sit in reality, being very fantasy themed and magical in nature. The tutorial can feel a bit long or demanding for anyone too eager to progress and start
YouTube For Fun > Here are our favourites
About:
Great Minecraft YouTuber for younger ones. Models some good problem-solving behaviour. Check out Stampy's Lovely World
Why we like it
Aimed at younger kids and really fun, he plays with friends so he models how to have a fun competition with a friend and end the game well. They always say GG (Good Game) at the end. Also check out Stampy's Wonderquest - science through Minecraft.
What to look out for
Some of his earliest stuff had swearing in it and then he seemed to realise who his target audience was and cleaned things up.
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About:
Plays on a Minecraft Server called Hermitcraft with his friends.
Focuses on lots of big builds.
Also runs a ‘last man standing’ game series called the ‘Life’ series, with the players creating and roleplaying as personas.
Why we like it
Fun, family friendly Minecraft content
What to look out for
There is the occasional innuendo or more mature joke, but younger viewers are not likely to pick up on it.
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About:
Minecraft Youtuber who focuses on large building projects and transforming/upgrading existing biomes and structures.
Did a series called ‘The Ultimate Survival World’ where he recreated and upgraded every biome in Minecraft on a single large island that was then released to the public for his subscribers to play in.
Why we like it
Very creative and detailed builds, easy to understand commentary
What to look out for
Some of his videos can be quite long.
About:
British Youtuber who also plays on the Hermitcraft server and ‘Life Series’ with Grian and others. Loves the artistic side of video making and incorporates that into his Minecraft videos.
Why we like it
Fun, creative Minecraft content that can appeal to a wide variety of ages.
What to look out for
There is the occasional innuendo, but they’re cleverly hidden enough that younger viewers won’t catch on to them
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About:
An animator who makes 5-10 minute videos about various topics, such as internet comics, popular internet topics and pop culture. Uses a simple animated character to represent himself in his videos.
Why we like it
Cute, simplistic animation style and videos that talk about a wide range of relatable topics that teens enjoy.
What to look out for
There is the occasional innuendo or more mature joke concealed in the videos, but they’re not normally super overt.
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About:
Minecraft YouTuber known for his “100 Days of…” series, where he tries to survive 100 days in a hardcore world with different conditions.
Why we like it
Unique concept, calming and easy-to-understand narration of his adventures.
What to look out for
Nothing specifically.