Benefits of Children Playing Video Games
We’re often told that playing video games should never be part of our daily routines. As parents, we’re constantly informed of the negative impact playing video games can have. From poor vision to lack of concentration and one of the worst, violent tendencies. In a nutshell, we’re told that a child who plays video games too often won’t be successful. However, that isn’t necessarily true. Playing video games can have significant benefits for children.
Here are some.
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Helps Dyslexia and ADHD
Children who have difficulty paying attention in school, may find playing video games helpful. Recent studies have shown that video games with high action and changing scenery can help children to focus. If a child is playing a video game and wants to reach the next level, they have no choice but to pay attention to what’s happening. When they learn to focus via playing, they can transfer that skill to the classroom.
Improves Vision
You’d be forgiven for thinking that watching the TV or Computer screen every day would impair your vision. However, playing video games has been linked to improving eye sight. Think of it as an eye workout. You can find games with stimulating visuals here – https://superiorthan.com/superior/Roblox-vs-Minecraft-1052. Playing video games in moderation will allow your child eyes to quickly adjust to colours, shapes and shades.
Opens Doors
Playing video games isn’t just fun, it builds up skills. For example, a recent study of laparoscopic surgeons showed that the surgeons who played video games daily, were more likely to perform with the best results. Playing video games can also encourage leadership skills, quick reactions and self-confidence. They’re all traits valued by employers and all traits essential to high paid jobs. Many games ask players to be quick thinking during a crisis which can translate to everyday life. And the best thing about it is your child may not even realise they’re being taught.
A Starting Point for Passions
There are millions of video games to choose from and if you choose with your child wisely, you could encourage them to pick up passions. For example, many video games use actual historical events for the story lines. You may find that your child becomes interested in the details that aren’t included in the video games and wants to find out more. You may have a future professor of History on your hands. Similarly, games include decoding, different languages, thinking outside the box, music and many other things that could lead past the games. Take a look at examples for careers for game enthusiasts.
It’s Good Exercise
Not all video games have your children sat down for hours on end. Take the Wii for example. Your child can engage in games like tennis, bowling, dancing and many more. There are plenty of options that allow children to be on their feet and have fun at the same time. In fact, it’s a good opportunity for all the family to get involved. Loser does the dishes!
Keeps Your Brain Active
Have you heard how memory puzzles and brain games can prevent Alzheimer’s? The same goes for video games. The longer children and adults keep playing games that encourage brain activity and extend memory, the safer they’ll be from the inevitable aging process.
It’s a Pain Killer
If your child suffers an injury and has to stay home from school, you may wonder what you could do to distract him/her from any pain or discomfort. Yes, you may have been prescribed pain killers but nothing works better than distraction. Simply putting a good movie on the TV won’t do it. That’s because your child’s brain won’t have to do anything to enable the distraction. Allowing your child to play a video game will be a much better and more effective distraction than anything else at home.
Reduces Stress
Sometimes, it’s hard to know what a child could be stressed about. But, there are many things can affect a child’s wellbeing. Whether it’s bullies at school, arguments at home or teenage exams, they have their fair share of stress. Playing video games can alleviate the stress they feel. Just like books, video games are a form of escapism and they can do wonders for your child’s welfare.
Making Friends
There are some games that require your child to have video game headsets and play with other players online. This can be great for teenagers because it’s another way of socialising. Teens often find they connect with other players and can sometimes make life-long friendships or friendships that get them through difficult times. It is important to monitor younger children if you allow them to play these types of games.
Decision Making Skills
We live in a world where choice is everything. Playing video games will allow your child to develop quick thinking and quick decision making skills. In the video game world, if you take too long to think, you die. It’s a fantastic skill to learn and could lead to careers in A&E departments, Police departments or Fire departments. They all include jobs where decisions could be the difference between life and death.
Stop Cravings
Perhaps you have a teenager who became accidentally addicted to smoking and now wants to give up. Or maybe you have a child that needs to lose some weight but has a habit of snacking in the evening. Playing video games can be a distraction from cravings. Your teen may find that a few hours pass by while playing video games and there were no cravings at all. This also applies to adults who need a helping hand to beat their craving demons.
Playing video games in moderation isn’t just fun. There’s potential to learn some handy skills that can be translated to the real world. Of course, as with everything else, you have to be careful not to binge. If you’re concerned about how much time your child is spending playing, set a limit and set a timer every day. Two hours’ max per day is ideal.