The Benefits of Gaming for Children
You often hear parents complaining that their kids are forever on their Xboxes or PC’s while their lives are passing them by. If you are one of these parents, don’t fret. Science shows that playing electronic games on a PC or Xbox may actually hold some benefits. We will go into more detail here.
Resilience
With thingskids do every day they often react with frustration to failure. The same is not true with gaming. Instead of getting frustrated, they simply try and try again until they succeed. A good example of games like this today is the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane trilogy which whilst it is difficult it can be accomplished with strong resilience
Creativity
Kids were observed using the internet, cellphones and video games and it was obvious that children who played games more, regardless of which games they were, were more creative than those who didn’t. A good example is littlebigplanet which encourages children to create their own levels with endless creativity
Cognitive skills
Action video games can enhance children’s ability to learn new tasks. Regular players boast a faster reaction time and they were more attentive to boot. Spatial skills or the ability to notice detail better,were also greatly improved. These skills transferred well into real-life situations.
Stress
Children who enjoy casual games and who get a chance to practice this hobby regularly benefit from the stress relieving abilities it holds. If casual games are somethingthey enjoy it has a calming effect on the child. a good example of this is the game Journey which has a calming atmosphere throughout
Pro-social skills
Studies show that kids who take part in prosocial games, the kind that promotes teamwork, have an easier time of being prosocial in the physical world. They are more helpful and this is true for the short and long term. Even violent games that required cooperation (rather than competition) had this effect.
Problem-solving
Children develop their analytical abilities due to video games giving them the opportunity to solve problems through a series of trial and error. They need to think of new ways in which they can get past an obstacle until they find one that works and gets them to a new level. They can also be credited for increasing academic grades because of the fact that problem-solving is improved.
Whatever your stance on gaming for kids, there are definite pros in letting your children enjoy some time practicing this hobby. If you are skeptical about these results, give it a try and see firsthand what the results are. If not for anything else, it could give you an amazing bargaining chip for purposes of discipline.