What are the benefits of video games? Have you seen any?

[LauraEMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

We all worry about how much is too much when it comes to screen time for children and it can be hard to know which video games are appropriate. But there are some benefits to video games - cognitive and educational ones for the players, and peace and quiet for the rest of the house.

We’re writing an article on the effects of video games on children and we’d love to hear your views. Do you think there are any benefits to children playing video games? What skills have your children learnt or developed through screen time? And do you have any advice for parents who are uncertain about how to approach this subject? Please share your thoughts below.

Thank you!

MNHQ

@Barnabeeboyo

It’s been proven that they don’t affect behaviour and can enhance a lot of skills. There are numerous studies on Google but many posters on here completely disregard them because it doesn’t suit there agenda

Couldn’t have said this better. Hundred of peer received studies and journals about this and MN thinks asking a very biased audience is a wise idea? Baffled.

DD credits the Professor Layton games for her gold certificates in the Junior/Senior Maths Challenge.

They are fun. Which seems like a pretty big benefit.

@HaddawayAndShite

"Couldn’t have said this better. Hundred of peer received studies and journals about this and MN thinks asking a very biased audience is a wise idea? Baffled."

And yet pretty much every poster on this thread has talked about the benefits. I'm baffled you didn't bother reading the thread before posting

Lots of disadvantages, of course, which I'm always wanging on about to the DC, but it's nice to think of some advantages too! Increased knowledge of building materials, and surprisingly, a good knowledge of aspects of the natural world through minecraft type games. Confidence and a talking point with which to help socialise. Helping others improve their game - I suppose that helps build team skills, understanding others and leadership. Improved upper body strength through active games like boxing type games.

Keeps my 9 year old son happy as he can play and keep in contact with friends in his free time. There has been a bit of competitive tears along the way though

DS - Oxford got a 1st has played some games - in moderation they are not a bad thing. (IMHO ) & also relaxing at times

There are 100's of peer reviewed papers on this, going back years. I used to teach college and uni level game design and development too and there's no exact answer. I'd start with analysing different characters and temperaments, understanding what each genre offers in terms of story and gameplay and consider impact in relation to well known, highly researched categorisations/classifications.

Right now, online games are the only contact my teenage sons have with their friends. Not all games involve fighting and violence, some are much more constructive and collaborative.

My 7 year old loves his wii. Lots of the games if there can be played as a family and in that regard it isn’t really that much different to a good old fashioned board game.

I’m not particularly bothered about any perceived benefits. I’m happy that he is having fun. Obviously, as with everything, it should be enjoyed as part of ‘a healthy diet’ of other activities.

@MNHQ why try to revisit this topic with a mixture of anecdotal and subjective evidence when there is a large multinational body of empirical data-based research and results regarding the social, emotional and developmental aspects of video game playing - both "good" and "bad". I'm sorry but this just seems like pseudo science from a social media forum which in turn may lead people to believe it is a scientific fact-based important piece of research.

I got cut off earlier, but also, a love of games has got my ADHD 11yo into coding. He's been interested in it for a while but hadn't got too far with it, and would never focus long enough to finish a project anyway. This evening he showed me what he's been working on for the last few days. It's a zombie shooting game which he's built from scratch, using a tutorial, but he's never been able to follow a tutorial before, and he's been adding his own bits into it - changing some of the ideas from the tutorial to suit the idea he had in mind. He was showing it to me and something broke, the zombies were moving towards the player and then just stopped so they all piled up making some kind of weird zombie hedge :o and he actually went and found the problem and fixed it I'm not exaggerating, I've not seen him do that kind of problem solving since he was a toddler. He usually just gives up at the first sign something might be hard.

When my son was little he had no interest in learning to read at school but when we started refusing to read instructions or words that came up on his games his interest in learning to read suddenly appeared but the balancing game of how much time
Is too much is hard work and as they become teenagers even harder
During lockdown glad they have had as they have something to do and can communicate with friends etc still but in normal times most teenagers spend more time than they should on them

During lockdown my eldest has played with other kids online, played games, watched YouTube and read gaming magazines. This is a child who was struggling with reading and now come on leaps and bounds. It gives us an avenue to talk about things (I use gaming metaphors a lot now!) and also a much better bribe than sweets. Sometimes we play together which is a good time to talk about our feelings. Eg. "It's frustrating when you lose a level isn't it? A bit like when you get frustrated with your little brother" that kind of thing.

There are some sulking episodes and toddler like meltdowns on occasion, but they have enhanced our lives generally and we had meltdowns before Over tv, toys, food etc. Before anyway. We couldn't have got through lockdown with no devices.

My ds was able to give the correct answer of ‘Obsidian’ at school to a question. He learnt about it from mine craft so I’d say educational
It’s also got my dcs interested in coding and the social and fun side of it is great.

I don’t think many on mn have a problem with gaming itself, just if it starts to become addictive and dcs don’t want to do anything else.

Online gaming is currently the only contact my son has with school friends. They all arrange to play at a set time. My kids game on pc and it's great for their overall computer skills. DS has dyspraxia and really struggles with handwriting so good computer skills help him to keep up in school using a laptop. Minecraft has taught both kids a lot about different materials and the reality of where our food comes from. My 5 year old delights in telling us what animal our meat comes from.

Skills I've picked up from years of gaming: Coordination and dexterity
Problem solving
Spatial awareness
Sense of direction
Map reading
Memory - memorising control schemes and pathways

It's also allowed me to visit countries I could never afford in real life, meet wonderful characters, explore gorgeous worlds, make friends and be part of communities. I really champion video games. They've been a hugely positive influence in my life.

We find it far more productive than simply sitting and watching telly. We don't really watch TV in this house and our slob time is generally game time instead. Same amount of screen time and level of sitting-on-bum not exercising, but it's more social.

When we play games together are constantly interacting with one another, which is nice, and we find it bonding which sounds cheesy

I was late to having a games console as a child, my parents opting instead to get us a home computer. Started with a Sinclair Spectrum ZX 128k, then went onto a Commadore Amiga 500+. We had a variety of games and learning programs. On Sunday evenings after tea, we used to play a golf game that had us connecting as a family.
Nowadays, games consoles seem to take the upper hand over home computers, probably due to the simplicity of use, and the variety of games categories available to suit everyone's individual interests.
I have an Xbox One, and this week we have my DG's DS staying with us, so looked to find some games that we could play together as a family, and that were suitable and interesting for him, him being a ten year old. At home he is allowed to play Call Of Duty which tbh I play quite frequently, but isn't a suitable kids game or family game. I found a crazy golf game called Golf With Friends on the Xbox Store, and it has been a wonderful success. We have had a great time playing the game, laughing at each other's pitfalls, though we have admitted defeat equally during the matches. There hasn't been any tantrums or frustrations, just the pure joy of playing a game together as a family☺️
I believe, though I am always open to other people's opinions and views, that video games are neither good nor bad. It's that investment as a parent/guardian into finding suitable games that your children are good at/can be good at/will enjoy, as well as serving as an educational tool that is the positive benefit. Showing an avid interest in what they are playing and how they are playing is important for both parent and child alike.
Though I have seen too many parents use video games as a 'well it will shut them up for a couple of hours' peace and quiet solution. And that in my opinion is setting a bad example. Children being left to their own devices on their games consoles and tablet devices, are being put at risk through negligence.
Too many stories exist of online predators reaching out to children, feeding on a child's passion for the game they are playing to try and coerce them into their clutches. It's not so much the games themselves that are bad for children, more bad choices of suitable games by their parents, and the ever expanding online communities widely available to youngsters in online gaming that some parents really should research first before exposing their children too then.

I don't think every hobby has to necessarily be beneficial other than a way to relax and switch off or have fun. Millions of adults sit watching TV every night, not much benefit in that unless you're watching educational programmes.
Benefits for my own child who is an only, well we live in Scotland where the winter can be dark and long with less opportunity for outdoor play so he can socialise with his friends on there, same with lockdown. I've always let him self regulate and as such he just switches off when he gets bored of gaming. The longer lockdown has gone on the less time he spends gaming. Weather has been amazing though so that makes a huge difference.

I would also say quite positive things about gaming, it has helped keep up my DS's social life going during lock down. Most of his class play so he is back in the 'group.' Also other kids from different classes play so it levels the playing field a bit. I have also been able to use game time as a reward for good behaviour, helping in the house and for doing school work (well)
The games themselves teach the kids a lot about setting and achieving goals on their own or with a team, working out plans together. The amount of study, time and effort that goes into being a good player is quite impressive.
The main concern is because he plays online and with other kids he needs to be reminded never to give out personal information... i also have to encourage more playing outdoors and find creative activities to do indoors when game time is over.

Only positives ime.
My little girl loves Minecraft and Roblox.
Minecraft has helped here with logic and building as well as mathematics. Sounds odd to some people perhaps, but Minecraft has crafting which takes specific materials specific amounts. Figuring out how.many logs to make into planks to make into sticks to make into torches etc etc.

Roblox lets her play with lots of others and she chats to them on the chat box and gives a wide array of games to play and figure out.

Plus, on a wider scale, if she carries on being I to games and tech, when she gets to older and she's here in the same room / house as me and playing games, she's not outside, doing god knows what with God knows who.

It helped my DD massively with her reading.

"Do you think there are any benefits to children playing video games? "

I think your original stance on this subject is disgusting. Literally. My 2 love playing x box. No problems, no bullying, no issues. They play all the time. Along with studying hard at school, playing football 3 times a week, going for runs, gym, boxing. Meeting mates in Nando's, meeting mates and riding on their bikes, etc.

They play loads and it's fantastic for hand skills, social skills, and develops deep friendships with all their school friends that play.

Yes it's quite addictive. Isn't everything? Wine, crisps, chocolate? Self control in life is hard for most of us!