TL;DR
Ratings are no longer a "set it and forget it" safety net. They are industry-regulated marketing labels that often prioritize profit over parental peace of mind. A "PG" today is often what "PG-13" was in the 90s, and "PG-13" is frequently just an "R" movie with fewer F-bombs.
Quick Links for Context:
- Fortnite (Rated T, but played by everyone)
- Roblox (Rated E10+, but a wild west of user content)
- Bluey (The gold standard for TV-Y)
- Stranger Things (The ultimate "is my 10-year-old ready?" test)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (Why the "R" still matters)
Ask our chatbot if a specific movie is okay for your kid's age
We all grew up with the standard MPA (Motion Picture Association) and ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) icons. We knew "G" was for Disney and "R" was for when the parents went out. But in 2026, the lines have blurred so much they’re practically invisible.
Ratings are essentially a "vibe check" performed by industry insiders. They aren't based on child development research or psychological impact; they are based on counts. How many curse words? How many seconds of "suggestive" content? This is why a movie can be PG-13 and still feel incredibly heavy or dark, while a "Teen" rated game might be totally fine for your mature 10-year-old.
If you’ve sat through a modern PG movie recently and thought, "Wait, did they just say that?" you aren't alone. The "G" rating is effectively dead for anything other than CoComelon or very young preschool content. Studios avoid "G" because it’s seen as "babyish," which means everything from The Super Mario Bros. Movie to Kung Fu Panda 4 gets slapped with a PG.
The PG-13 Black Hole This is where things get dicey. PG-13 is the "money maker" rating. It’s the sweet spot for blockbusters like Marvel movies and Dune: Part Two. Because it’s so broad, it includes everything from "mild fantasy violence" to "intense sequences of psychological terror."
Gaming ratings are actually a bit more granular than movies, but they have one massive loophole: the internet.
The ESRB rates the code on the disc (or download), not the people playing it. When your kid logs into Fortnite or Among Us, the "T" or "E10+" rating doesn't account for the 19-year-old in the headset screaming "Ohio" (which, for the uninitiated, is current kid-slang for something being weird or "cringe") or using much darker language.
This is the ultimate example of rating failure. It’s rated E10+, but because it’s a platform for user-generated content, your kid could be playing a "tycoon" game about running a lemonade stand one minute and accidentally stumble into a "condo" (a user-made room with inappropriate content) the next.
If we rely solely on the little box in the corner of the screen, we’re outsourcing our parenting to a board of directors in Los Angeles.
- Brain Rot vs. Quality: A show can be rated TV-Y (appropriate for all children) and still be "brain rot"—content that is overstimulating, loud, and has zero educational or emotional value. Think of those weird YouTube "Elsagate" style videos or low-effort toy unboxings.
- The Sibling Effect: We often let the ratings slide for the younger sibling because "they’re already in the room" when the older kid is watching Stranger Things. But a 7-year-old’s brain processes the Upside Down very differently than a 12-year-old’s.
- Marketing Scams: Sometimes a game is rated "T" just to make it seem "cool" to 9-year-olds. It’s a psychological trick to make the content feel more "grown-up" than it actually is.
Instead of looking at the letter, look at the descriptors. These are the tiny words next to the rating like "Mild Peril," "Crude Humor," or "In-Game Purchases."
For the "Littles" (Ages 3-7)
Ignore the PG rating. Look for Bluey or Puffin Rock. If a movie is PG, search for "jump scares" or "parental death." You’d be surprised how many "family" movies start with a traumatic orphan backstory.
- Recommendation: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown – A beautiful story that handles "nature" and "survival" without being needlessly edgy.
For the "Middles" (Ages 8-12)
This is the hardest age group because they want to play what everyone else is playing. Minecraft is the gold standard here, but even Minecraft has "online interactions" that need monitoring. This is also the age where they start asking for YouTube.
- Recommendation: Toca Life World – Great for creativity without the "entrepreneurship or bank account" stress of Roblox.
For the "Teens" (Ages 13+)
At this point, they’re going to see PG-13 and "T" rated content. The goal shifts from blocking to contextualizing. If they're playing Call of Duty, are they understanding the difference between "game violence" and reality?
- Recommendation: Hades – A Masterclass in storytelling and art that earns its "Teen" rating through complexity, not just gore.
Ask our chatbot for alternatives to Fortnite for a 9-year-old
Before you say "yes" to a new app or show, ask yourself these three things:
- Does it have a "Skibidi" factor? Is it just loud, nonsensical noise designed to keep them clicking? If so, the rating doesn't matter; it's still draining their attention span.
- Is it a "Slot Machine" in disguise? Many "E" rated games like Brawl Stars are built on loot boxes and "dark patterns" designed to get kids to spend money. That's a financial risk, not just a content risk.
- What’s the community norm? Screenwise helps you see what percentage of other parents in your grade are allowing Snapchat or TikTok. If 90% of the class is on it, the conversation changes from "no" to "how do we do this safely?"
Ratings are a starting point, not the final word. They tell you if there’s "blood" or "nudity," but they don't tell you if a show will give your kid nightmares or if a game will turn them into a "Robux" addict.
The best filter is still you, but you don't have to do it alone. Use the community data here at Screenwise to see what's actually happening in your kid's world. If every other 4th grader is talking about "Skibidi Toilet," it might be time to read our guide on YouTube trends so you can at least understand the jokes at the dinner table.
- Audit the "E" games: Check the settings on Roblox or Minecraft to ensure chat is restricted.
- Watch the first 15 minutes: Most "PG" movies reveal their true colors in the first act.
- Talk about the "Why": Instead of saying "you can't watch this because it's PG-13," try "this movie uses violence to solve problems in a way that I don't think is realistic for you yet."
Learn more about how to set up parental controls on the iPhone
Ask Screenwise about the "Wise Score" for any game your kid wants