Video Games for 7 Yr Old Boy

My husband and son are avid gamers. As long as school, homework, chores, social time and physical activity/exercise are in balance I don't place any limits on how they spend their free time. Why should I? I'd hate it if someone told me I could only do my favorite things two hours a week!
And for the record my son is now a college senior, studying computer programming and coding, and excited about applying for silicon valley/bay area internships this coming summer. He's also been working as an instructor and counselor at a well known summer tech camp for the past few years. Glad I didn't discourage his natural passions...

My 7 year old son loves minecraft but during the week he is only allowed 1 hour and on the weekends, he can have 2 hours. So far this has worked well for us :)

My kids have mostly free access, they are playing minecraft right now. I will tell them it's time to do something else if I think they are being a bit obsessive, but otherwise, they probably play a few hours a day. They go in phases though, so they may play 4-5 hours a day for a week and then forget about it for a week. It's the same with everything else. My almost 7 year old gets obsessed with books and will just read and read and read for days on end, but then she feels like doing sometime else. As long as there is balance, I'm OK with supporting their choices.

They are allowed video games one day a week after school/before supper, so about an hour. On the weekends they can play a couple of hours a day if they are home and all of their homework and chores are done, but we are usually pretty busy on the weekend.

ETA: I see video games as something to do when there is nothing better to do. There is usually something better to do:)

We usually only allow our 9 year old to play with her Nintendo in the car. If we are in the car for 5 hours, she can play for 5 hours. Otherwise, there are better things to do.

We don't have set rules. If they are playing nicely, getting along, and enjoying themselves, why? It's freezing cold outside right now, so it is what it is. When it's nice they want to be outside.

We find when we limit things they want them more and it's a fight. Not making video games the devil makes them not want them 24-7.

All 3 of our kids play video games, they are also active in school and sports...so no big deal in our house.

my son likes minecraft, skylanders (this is my favorite) and other games that are probably a bit much for a 7 year old but those two are good. We dont really have limits on play time because it doesn't get abused. If he gets homework done he can play while i cook dinner and if he plays after and we want the tv for a show or anything he gets off. No video games are allowed in the rooms and we all use the one tv downstairs. I would say he gets about 1hr per day. Some days he doesn't even play and then there are some days that he plays up near 3 hours. But the days that it doesnt get played far outweighs the ones that he is on all the time. So unless it becomes a problem I dont see why I would set a time frame.

Our rule is no video games between breakfast and dinner. Before breakfast and after dinner, they can do what they want (as long as homework is complete).

We haven't stsrted gaming yet yet, my son will be 7, but with ipad games (minecraft etc) I've just started a rule where they have to do so many chores to earn an hour or two of time on weekends for Their ipad. It's only on weekends as school weeks is for school work etc. However my son is pulling straight A's so as long as he gets his work done, any chores, and reading books I'll allow a half hour if there is time before bed.

My boys are 12 and 9 and my daughter is 4. We don't have a steadfast rule about it.
But, they don't watch TV or play video games before school. The boys have homework when they get home and then soccer practice. They usually get to watch about 1/2 hour to an hour of TV in the evening. Not because it's a rule, just because that's when there's time.
With video games (their phones and DS') they play them in the car. Whenever we are driving somewhere they usually are listening to their music or playing apps.
My daughter has a leapster she just got from my parents for Christmas. She plays it when I am driving to school, home from school, and taking the boys to practice.
So, I guess for US, play happens in the car!

However you manage it, make sure it's understood that gaming/tv/recreational computer use/phone/devices/etc are privileges - not rights - and he constantly earns his privileges with good behavior, homework and chores finished to the best of his ability.
If he hasn't earned his time, he goes without.
It's a lot better than dealing with their whining that 'you owe them' playtime devices especially if they have not been cooperative.
A lot of that kicks in around pre-teen/teen years - so lay your foundation about it now and you'll save yourself some headaches later on.

Our kids play as much as they want as soon as chores are done.

Making a game, TV, or electronic stuff out of reach, or limited makes it more desirable and they want it more.

By allowing them to have it anytime they want it they hardly ever choose to sit and play for more than an hour or two all week. They'd rather be doing other stuff.

By flooding them with it and making it freely available we take away that "It's special" attitude. So it becomes everyday stuff, nothing more than a tool to give me power.

If they ask me if I'll log them on to the computer or game console I ask them "are your chores done" and they run go do them if they're really wanting to play.

for us, it's all about balance. my DS (13, 7th grade) works his tail off at school all day long and comes home with usually about 60-90 minutes of homework mon - thurs. he is allowed one hour once we get home on school days to decompress and unplug from work. after that, he has chores, and starts his homework while dinner is cooking and finishes it after dinner with or without assistance, as needed.

On the weekends, he gets one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon that we work around any additional homework or other events or functions that require attendance. this seems to work for us. I hate the thought of him rotting his brain with too many electronics but he's demonstrated great responsibility with this aspect of his life and I tend to trust him to stick to the restrictions outlined above.

what did the children of the world do before Mario???? ;-) S.

My son likes Kirby, which is good for our son's age group. I don't have hard and fast rules. They get to play when everything else is done and they have free time. If I feel like it's getting to be too much then it is turned off.

I just wanted to answer Sharon W - they went outside and played! Gasp!! We actually used our imaginations.