How I Still Get My Gaming Fix as a Parent

Being a parent and a gamer needn’t be mutually exclusive. Here are some top tips on how to sneak your gaming fix into your daily routine.

Swapping NPCs for Nappies

So you’re a parent now. Maybe you’ve been one for a while, or perhaps this is your second or third playthrough as a new parent. Regardless of whether you’re a parenting noob or veteran at this, chances are your new (or not-so-new) bundles of joy are going to adversely affect your game time.

If this sounds familiar, don’t despair. Although it might feel like your free time is a distant memory, there are still plenty of ways to get your gaming fix in—even with limited time on your hands. As one parent to another, here are some of the ways I have managed to cram in some game time, between the nappy changes, school runs, and campaign-length bedtimes.

Quick Burst Gaming

The days of sprawling, 100+ hour epics may be over (for now), but you can still find your joy by turning your attention to smaller, shorter games that can be enjoyed in quick bursts.

One of my go-to’s for a quick gaming fix during the early days was Team 17’s Dredge, a fish-em-up game set on the high seas, with sinister Lovecraftian undercurrents.

I found this to be a great game for quick 30-minute bursts and spent many happy (cumulative) hours dredging the depths for new and exotic catches, tinkering with my rig, and equipping bigger and better fishing equipment.

For console owners, racing classics such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the WipeOut Omega Collection are ideal for quick-burst gaming, and I found that getting a few laps in here really helped to scratch my gaming itch, after a long day of adulting.

More recently, I have enjoyed playing through shorter, story-based games, such as Silent Hill: The Short Message on PS5. This snack-sized slice of horror can be completed in just a few short nerve-shredding hours. And if horror isn’t your bag, you can find plenty of alternatives in the story game (or “walking simulator”) genre, like Firewatch, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Deliver Us Mars.

Multiplayer games can be a Godsend for time-poor gamers, as well. A few short rounds on a fighting game such as Mortal Kombat 1, or a quick blast on the hilarious it’s-a-knockout-style Fall Guys can be enough to satisfy your cravings.

Remember, gaming doesn’t have to be time-intensive, and sometimes a quick fix is all that’s needed to take the edge off.

Handheld Gaming

Handheld gaming has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, et al on hand (literally) to help you unlock the game time achievement in your busy life.

The advantage of handheld gaming or mobile gaming is its portability factor. You can sit back and enjoy playing through one of your favorites on your workday commute, during nap times, and even in bed!

Gameplay can be quickly suspended on a handheld if need be, and the ability to play anywhere at any time is (forgive me) a game changer.

Play With the Kids

This is one for the parents of slightly older kids, granted, but introducing your children to the wonderful world of gaming is a joyously life-affirming experience (once they have a handle on the controls, that is).

I have enjoyed fabulous party games like Mario Party Superstars with my six-year-old daughter, as well as puzzle games such as Escape Room Academy. It’s a great bonding experience, and it can be very gratifying to share some of your passions with your kids.

There is an endless amount of kid-friendly games out there on all platforms, many of which are free to play, as well as ones like Escape Room Academy, which can be purchased for less than a dollar.

Plus, you can find gaming titles for just about every popular IP you can think of, from Peppa Pig to Bluey, to everything else (Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and Disney) rendered in LEGO form.

Gaming with younger kids can be an exercise in patience, initially, but it’s worth investing time. There can be plenty of positive effects for kids who play games, aside from the parent-child bonding aspect. While playing, they’re honing their hand-eye coordination skills, problem-solving skills, and more.

Even better, they’ll be having fun, and so will you. Before long you’re gaming and entertaining the kids at the same time!

Subscription Services

With the latest AAA titles costing around $70 a time, gaming can be a costly hobby, as well as a time-intensive one. And if you’re forking out those kinds of prices, you might feel obligated to get your money’s worth by pouring endless hours into a title to justify the purchase.

For gaming parents, these kinds of splurges just aren’t cost-effective. So rather than investing all your available time and money into one single title, why not subscribe to a gaming service, such as PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass instead?

These subscription services grant members access to a vast library of gaming greats, both old and new. You can try hundreds of titles until you find one (or more) that grabs you.

With a gaming subscription service, the annual fee is easier to justify. You’ll find new titles added every month, and you can test these out, guilt-free, with no obligation to stay the course if you decide a particular game isn’t for you.

Plus, if you are a mobile gamer, you can find plenty of mobile gaming subscription services, too, so you can try out new titles on the go.

Sometimes, even with the best will in the world, the day will take it out of you. Once all the daily chores have been done, and the kids are sleeping soundly, you may find yourself too exhausted to use your brief window of time for gaming.

Tired eyes and an aching head aren’t the best bedfellows for video gaming, and the idea of firing up a game late at night might seem like an exercise in futility.

So why not indulge your passion for gaming vicariously though video game adaptations? It might not be the same as playing something yourself, but it does deliver a fix of sorts.

There are some excellent adaptations of popular videogames such as HBO’s The Last of Us, and Amazon Prime’s Fallout series, which encapsulate those gaming worlds to great effect, as well as Netflix’s The Witcher.

In addition, there is a plethora of gaming-related movies, too. From the kid-friendly Super Mario Bros Movie to the chaotic Borderlands, and the racing sim-inspired Gran Turismo.

Less Can Be More

Becoming a parent can feel like life has pressed the pause button on all your gaming adventures. But by simply changing your perspective on gaming, or changing the way that you play games, you can still find plenty of time to squeeze in a few rounds of your favorites.

I’ve made peace with the fact that I don’t have the time to play through Baldurs Gate 3 right now, and the rest of the world has probably had its fill of it. It’ll be there waiting for me when I’m less busy.

In the meantime, there are tons of other games that I can dip in and out of, whether they’re gap fillers or minigames. Having less time isn’t the same as having no time at all, and by adapting to your change in circumstances, you can easily get your gaming fix in.