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Parenting

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

91 replies

LauraEMumsnet · 27/05/2020 11:56

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 Flowers

OP posts:
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Weclapclapclapclapclaptogether · 30/05/2020 06:18

Good for hand eye coordination

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calllaaalllaaammma · 30/05/2020 00:41

My son is 13 and can touch type at 45 wpm through gaming.
He enjoys playing geometry dash and Minecraft, it has made him fast and he designed levels himself for geometry dash which introduced him to coding.

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SimplySteveRedux · 30/05/2020 00:30

All the personal accounts on this thread are brilliant, I'm really happy, and excited for the future, that gaming is producing growth, self-confidence, and real world skills. Fab thread.

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ritzbiscuits · 29/05/2020 20:06

I work in games software development for a living, so I have an open attitude to gaming for my 6 year old. He is developing creative skills through an amazing range of games I could only dream of at his age. Designing his own computer game levels in Mario Maker, learning to 'code' using Scratch Junior, designing his own island in Animal Crossing. Plus generally having fun playing excellent Mario titles like Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart. So many jobs will be completely digital when Themis generation becomes adults, I really don't believe in banning this type of activity.

Still, I do recognise his time on devices needs managing to make sure he has enough variety in his day. He plays at the end of the day once schoolwork is done and he's had sufficient outdoor play, exercise.

I am also extremely careful what he interacts with. No Roblox, Fortnite etc. I'll cross that bridge when I need to not at his age.

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Notenoughchocolateomg · 29/05/2020 20:02

Playing online gaming has helped me eldest son, 7yo to stay in touch with his school friends. Without this I think he would have struggled hugely. He plays fortnite..I refused for a long time, given it is a pegi 12 rating, but decided to watch some YouTube videos aimed at parents explaining the game. I decided I was happy for him to play it. He was delighted. He plays in the living room only so I can supervise, he is very sensible and knows to never speak with strangers-will always mute any that try to speak. He's shown me what s fantastic team player he is actually when playing this game. He is extremely supportive of his friends and kind. His friends will often bicker between themselves and he is a natural peace keeper. He talks about guns far more than I would like but he not in the slightest aggressive because of the game. It has also helped him build his confidence with reading as he has to complete daily challenges, that he has to read.

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pinktaxi · 29/05/2020 19:27

Understanding video games but overall a nice mannered 7 year old has become rude and loud! It calms down an hour or so later

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Ratasha · 29/05/2020 18:58

It really depends on the game. This thread it is a bit like asking 'what are the benefits of television shows'.

Some games are flat out educational.
Some games help develop puzzle solving, strategy and logic skills.
Some games help develop hand eye coordination and reflexes.
Some games are relaxing.
Some games are social.

Some games also have significant drawbacks, whereas others dont really have any drawbacks that I can see.

It's not useful to think about games as a collective. Parents should assess individual games on their merits.

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Lostvoiced · 29/05/2020 15:24

Video games are a good opportunity for sneaky learning! They often require a lot of reading and many games these days have "crafting systems" - so they can be used to help with maths. For example asking your kid: if we need 2 stone for our pick axe and 4 stone for our furnace, how many stone should we gather?

My son is far too young for video games at 4 months but I have no doubt they'll be part of his life- after all his mummy and daddy met on one! Grin

Though I do believe that when kids are young parents should engage with them when playing games and not solely leave them to it.

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LonginesPrime · 29/05/2020 09:22

Autistic DS17 has struggled with Maths over the past few years as a result of not being able to access learning in the classroom because of his various learning difficulties and sensory issues.

However, he's discovered a deep enjoyment of trading turnips in Animal Crossing, to the point he's doing daily online research on the 'Stalk Market', calculating his profits and performance as a percentage of his outlay, recording data in a home-made spreadsheet and writing algorithms in JavaScript to inform his investment decisions.

He's even thinking about a career in business now - it's given him so much confidence in his ability and has made him realise that Maths can be interesting and useful!

And for DD18, she won't ever drive IRL because of a disability, but she absolutely loves driving games on her PS4. She plays them with her friends online and is actually rather good at them, which gives her a real confidence boost, especially as she is always measuring herself up to others and feels her disability holds her back in so many other areas of her life.

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MerryTwinkletoes · 29/05/2020 09:09

I think that playing video games can be better than passively watching tv as at least the brain is engaged. I still don't like dc to spend too long on them though!

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Littlepond · 29/05/2020 09:01

Sometimes things in life can just be fun. Not everything has to be a learning experience. My kids enjoy playing computer games. So they play computer games. It really is that simple 🤷🏼‍♀️

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MyDogPatch · 29/05/2020 06:59

My 13yo and her dad both love playing Civilisation 6 on the PC. It has sparked my child's interest in history. She researches the leaders in the game, learning about their achievements during their lives. She has decided to take GCSE history. Her Dad, if it wasn't for personal circumstances at the time, wanted to take a degree in Ancient History when he was young.

They also play Animal Crossing which teaches economics (the turnips!) and my daughter loves Splatoon 3 because it's a total escape from real life. She uses Zoom and WhatsApp to connect with friends.

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Blackbear19 · 28/05/2020 23:21

fuckinghellthisshit
Is there any games you'd particularly recommend or avoid for primary school kids?

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Mathsnope · 28/05/2020 21:36

Helped a lot with friendships for a non-sporty DS, initially with Minecraft from about yr5.
He's now 16 & as well as playing with school friends he has online friends from all over the UK & Europe that he's been playing with for years. I like the way they can often all be playing different games solo or watching youtube but still chatting through discord at the same time.
As a PC gamer he's taught himself all sorts of computer skills & does all sorts of stuff that I don't understand.
Learnt loads of history & geography from games like Europa Universalis & Civilisation.

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Vagndidit · 28/05/2020 21:13

DS 12 is on the spectrum and has always had trouble in social situations with peers, especially since his classmates were football mad and he wasn't sporty at all. Somehow online gaming sort of levelled the social field for him, and he ended up with friendships he would not have ordinarily made through school. His confidence blossomed through his gaming cred.

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LizzieVereker · 28/05/2020 18:07

My DH, 2 DSs and I are all gamers (We enjoy different games ).

Benefits: They are fun, soothing and (depending on the game) allow the mind to decompress. They help with problem solving and strategising. They provide opportunities to socialise and bond.

Advice:
Obviously children need to be monitored interns of online safety, and having a healthy balance of online play and activities which aid physical fitness.
I would set time limits on game playing, but with flexibility - if a DC needs an extra 5 minutes because they are mid level/battle/build then so be it- no need to cause unnecessary conflict.
Talk to gamers about in game communication- it’s easy to misinterpret words without seeing facial expressions or gestures, and gaming language can be quite nuanced.

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TippingTulips · 28/05/2020 17:53

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request

Oblomov20 · 28/05/2020 17:01

"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!

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MomsPubis · 28/05/2020 13:35

It helped my DD massively with her reading.

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MonkeyToesOfDoom · 28/05/2020 13:34

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.

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Naimee87 · 28/05/2020 13:28

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.

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TakemetoGreeceplease · 28/05/2020 13:20

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.

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hunglikeanewt · 28/05/2020 11:42

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.

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Cherrytangfastic · 28/05/2020 09:27

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 Grin

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DoTheNextRightThing · 28/05/2020 08:29

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.

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