How it works
A free game was made by many people who are paid for their work.
So a free game earns money some other way.
Free to start does not mean free all the way.
Ask a grown-up before you buy, and tell a grown-up if you tapped by mistake.
Worked examples
The gate
- A locked gate and a timer said wait or pay to skip.
- Robin waited and laughed with Jo.
- The gate opened and it cost nothing.
- Paying to skip would have cost real money.
The mystery box
- A pop-up offered a mystery box, and Robin's tablet had a card saved.
- One tap paid, and the box held only a plain sticker.
- With a mystery box you pay before you see what is inside.
- Robin told a grown-up, who said, Thank you for telling me.
A safe plan
- One: ask a grown-up first, every time.
- Two: wait and think, because waiting cost Robin nothing.
- Three: turn on a buy check, so the device asks for a grown-up's password.
A taste of the worksheets
These are some of the questions on the sets. The printable sheets have more and an answer key.
- Circle everything that is free in Robin's game. ▶️ The first levels / ⭐ Stars you earn by playing / 🏪 Bags of coins in the shop / 🎁 A mystery box
- Robin's tablet had a ___ saved, so one tap could pay.
- True or false? Was Robin in trouble for telling the grown-up?
- Fix the mistake. Jo says: 'It says Free, so it can never cost money.' What is true? 🏪 Free games never have shops / 🆓 Free to start does not mean free all the way / 📺 Only ads cost money
- Which one does not cost money? 🏪 a coin shop / ⏸️ pausing the game / ⏳ paying to skip a wait
Words to know
- free to start
- Free for the first part, but not always all the way.
- in-game shop
- A place in a game that sells coins or boxes for real money.
- buy check
- A setting that asks for a grown-up's password before a buy.
Watch out for
- Do not tap just to see what happens. A tap can spend money.
- Do not buy because it says free. Free can still cost money.
- Do not rush to tap before a sale clock ends, because a buy can wait.
- Do not keep a buy a secret. You are never in trouble for telling.
Try it
A game says Free. Can it still cost money?
Yes. Shops, skips and boxes can cost real money.
A button says Pay to skip. What costs money, skipping or waiting?
Skipping. Waiting for a gate to open is free.
You tapped a mystery box by mistake. What do you do?
Tell a grown-up. You are never in trouble for telling.
What makes a tablet ask before a buy?
A buy check. Most devices can ask for a grown-up's password.
For grown-ups
Ask a grown-up to show you how your device checks before a buy. Look at it together.
Sit with your child and turn on the buy check on their device, then talk about which parts of a game they play are free.