How to Find Common Sense Media Reviews by Age, Topic, or Media Type

Common Sense Media organizes its reviews and guides through three main entry points: media category (Movies, TV, Books, Games, Apps, Social Media), age and stage (Preschoolers 2–4 through Teens 13–15), and topic (Digital Parenting, First Phones, Social Media, AI, and more). You can start from any of these paths, or use the site search to jump straight to a title. The site's own tagline is "Ratings and reviews parents trust," and its stated purpose is age-based reviews and recommendations for families.

Start With the Media Type

If you already know what kind of content you're checking, use the top-level category navigation. The site lists these categories directly:

Each review page shows an age recommendation next to the title. For example, the homepage features You Can See Everything at age 15+, Sense and Sensibility at age 10+, Hollywood Arts at age 8+, and Crystal Lake at age 16+. A short content note accompanies each, such as "Gory, violent horror prequel has sex, language, drinking" — so you can screen a title before opening the full expert review.

Using the review itself

Open any title to get the full expert review. The listing format gives you the age rating and a one-line content summary first; the full review adds the detailed breakdown. This two-step structure lets you decide quickly whether a title is even worth a closer look.

Browse by Age and Stage

If your starting point is "what's right for my child" rather than a specific title, use the Parents' Guides by Age & Stage:

• Preschoolers (2–4)
• Little Kids (5–7)
• Big Kids (7–9)
• Tweens (10–12)
• Teens (13–15)

These age bands match the age labels on individual reviews, so a title rated 8+ sits in the Big Kids range. This is the fastest route when you want a batch of suitable options rather than a verdict on one title.

Browse by Topic

The topic guides go beyond individual titles and cover parenting situations around media. The site organizes them under Digital Parenting, with entries including:

• Anxiety
• First Phones
• Social Media
• Parental Controls
• AI Companions
• Generative AI

There are also "Ultimate Guides," such as the Parents' Ultimate Guide to ChatGPT and a guide to ChatGPT for parents and caregivers. Use these when your question is about managing a device, a platform, or a new technology rather than reviewing a single movie or game.

Editor Recommendations and Common Sense Selections

If you want curated lists instead of searching title by title, the site offers several recommendation channels:

• Our Editors Recommend — a browse entry point for age-based reviews across thousands of titles.
• Common Sense Selections — a curated designation applied across Movies, TV, and Books.
• Popular with Parents — titles other parents are engaging with.
• Best-of lists — for example, "50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12" and "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."

These lists are useful when you want a shortlist for a family movie night or a reading list, rather than a check on one specific title.

A Practical Search Workflow

1. Know the title? Type it into the site search and read the age rating plus the one-line content note.
2. Know the child's age but not the title? Go to Parents' Guides by Age & Stage and pick the matching band.
3. Know the platform or device concern? Go to the topic guides under Digital Parenting.
4. Want options, not a verdict? Use Common Sense Selections or a best-of list for that medium.

One caveat: the site presents age ratings as guidance, and the content notes describe what's in a title (violence, language, drinking, and so on). Treat the rating as a starting filter and the content note as the detail you use to match a title to your own family's standards — the final call stays with you.