The negative stigma associated with playing video games is not going away as fast as it should. Unfortunately, there are still so many parents that stop their kids from playing when the truth is there are so many interesting benefits that are lost.
While adult gamers start to use complex gaming marketplaces like e2p.com and get involved in gaming careers, the children just want to have fun. At the same time, they can end up experiencing the benefits below, among many others that could be mentioned.
Improved Reading
There were different studies that proved the fact that children that play video games end up with better reading skills. The boost may be small but it is important. This fact is actually even true for those that have reading problems and is seen even when action games are played.
The reason for improved reading is very simple. The kids have to figure out the text instructions or they cannot play the game right. If the child does not often open books and do not want to read books, the internet or a game can help them get this important skill.
Improved Visual-Spatial Skills
When playing some games, like the highly popular Minecraft, the environment is practically a 3D world. Kids need to go through this word without a smartphone map application or GPS. As a result, when playing the games, visual-spatial skills are naturally improved. Children end up better understanding space and distance.
Solving Problems
There is always a challenge in a video game. Some of the games are mindless but most of the others are filled with mysteries and puzzles. You even have some in which you have to manage virtual empires or cities. Children are quickly faced with the possibility to solve a problem and they learn how to look for solutions.
Researchers believe that the kids that play video games with problems in them end up improving in many important areas, like flexible thinking, organization, and planning. While it is not completely clear how these skills carry over in life, it is something that has to be considered.
Improved Social Connections
There are many kids that have problems when it comes to making real-life friends. With video games, they can have a refuge where they actually find people to end up connecting with. Contrary to popular belief, this experience can be very positive. Gaming can be seen as virtual playdates that you can have with your real-life friends.
In addition, video games allow children to have a very simple topic of conversation at school or in the playground with their friends. Nowadays, games are a huge conversation topic for kids. This is similar to music and sports. When two kids have a gaming interest it becomes easier for them to find something to talk about.
Conclusions
Playing video games is not a bad thing for kids. The only thing is that parents need to monitor the gaming activity so that they can discuss problematic elements that might appear in some games. When this happens, the experience is definitely a positive one.
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