A study showed 91% of children are gamers. And that’s because children as young as 2 and as old as 17 are into video games. That’s over 60-plus million young ones glued to the screen. Sounds scary, right? Before you throw your own two cents in the matter, know that video games are a lifesaver since the pandemic started. Without it, our children may fall short in coping with all the chaos that came with the virus.
Many parents are actually skeptical about video games. Even those who allow may have some second thoughts and may have given in to their kids’ nagging. To note, another study showed 44% of parents are in the conclusion video games are bad.
Of course, we all want the best for our kids. So the million-dollar question is: “Is video games good or bad for your child?” Your answer may be as good as mine. One thing’s certain. Too much of anything is poison. But you’d be surprised at how much video games have lent a hand during this COVID-19 period. So much, it’s not hard to conclude they’re indispensable. Check for yourselves. Below are three of the most iconic ways video games have become instrumental in helping kids survive the iron hand of the pandemic.
- Improves cognitive function
You might be wondering, how does a game help improve cognitive function? Well, it does. This is a bit dependent on the kind of game. But in most cases, it helps improve the brain’s cognitive ability.
One thing with games is that they make you think. Think about it. A child needs to decide every step of the way to survive. So in the process of enjoying himself, he must rack his brain to win, employing four aspects of his brain. These are memory, decision-making, perception, and attention. He must engage with all these to survive his online quest. And as the challenges become harder, the child needs to think harder.
Another interesting benefit is hand-eye coordination. People that play video games well have this coordination. That’s why they say video games help improve performance for professionals like doctors and pilots.
With all that, improving his experience online may be wise. For instance, getting him the best-prebuilt gaming desktop could go a long way in boosting his plays. Not only is it convenient, but it is also much more affordable as the games are preprogrammed, and the computer specs are enhanced for greater performance.
- Improves mental health
You may not realize it, but many children have mental health conditions during this pandemic. It’s true. It didn’t only affect adults, but children are prone to all the negativity. Talk about depression, loneliness, anxiety, and post-traumatic disorder. Many children feel all that with the turmoil in our daily lives projected in detail through the news. But thankfully, many have survived this, all thanks to video games.
With the help of video games, children have been able to deal with isolation and loneliness. How? The gaming community is the answer to all that. As a vast community, you get to meet people online and have fun together. Best of all, you don’t need to worry about getting infected by the virus. ; With this, many children have made new friends. All thanks to the gaming community, children feel they belong somewhere.
Such collaborative gaming is timely. Most importantly, it has given children a unique way to bond online when they’re forbidden to go outside and play like they used to be.
Indeed, video games are like a remedy for many children. In fact, the FDA approves video games as a treatment option for children with ADHD. Imagine that.
- Helps them learn
Online gaming can be integrated into online learning. And as games a great way to teach a child, it can as effective as you want them to be. What we mean by that is video games can be kept in line with existing curricula. This way, games can become a supplement to drive learning further.
For instance, video games can help children improve their literacy. As children need to read online instructions and interactions, their reading ability gets polished. A study from the United Kingdom pointed out that 35% of children who play video games are better readers than those who don’t.
Further, video games can be used to improve mathematics. Free math games from Prodigy Games, for one, have been shown to increase children’s test scores. There may be no better way to inculcate math into the minds of kids.
Add science, history, and even physical education subjects to the mix, and you know the scale is tipping towards how much beneficial video games are for kids, now more than ever.
With this information in mind, you might want to consider letting and encouraging your child to play some video games.
Meta Title: Video Games: Why Children Should Play in this Pandemic
Meta Description: Many parents are skeptical about video games for children. But they have become instrumental for kids, especially in a pandemic. Here’s how.
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