Computer Games and Kids

Just sharing my thoughts here on Computer Games and Kids.

So, computer games are bad for kids!

Not entirely true. This has been disturbing us seeing many kids spending many hours in front of PC, laptop, iPhone, iPad, mobile phones, PSP and PS3. According to some researches, there are a number of benefits. But, like all other things, too much of everything is not good.

After weighing the ‘goods’ and ‘bads’ of computer games, we decided to allow the little one between 30mins to 1 hour per session, mostly with either parent to guide and share.. (erhm…the fun!). We ensures that he gets a balance of indoor and outdoor activities, so as not to strain his eyes and getting sufficient fresh outdoor air.

Here’s one site I found which is pretty interesting and my little one enjoys a few games on weekends and during the holidays when he has completed his homework.

coolmath-games

The followings are Max’s favourites,

IQ Ball 

Color World 

Snorzees 

Civiballs 1 and 2

…and Maze, Feed Fribbit, Concentration, Memory, Knight Slider…

Castle Defense 1 and Upgraded 

another good site, Max has been enjoying. He loved the turkey in Tic-tac-toe :-D

Some good reading materials,

…adults can learn something and benefit from games, too. Research underway by the Office of Naval Researsch indicates that videogames can help adults process information much faster and improve their fundamental abilities to reason and solve problems in novel contexts...

Extracted from http://gametheoryonline.com/2011/06/07/video-games-positive-benefits-for-kids/

It's good to monitor your kids and do a review on the good and bad effects of computer or video or online games.

Good Effects of Video Games

·        Video games give your child’s brain a real workout.  In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking.  These skills are not even taught at school.  Some of the mental skills trained by video games include:  

  

Following instructions
Problem solving and logic 
Hand-eye coordination, fine motor & spatial skills

Resource management and logistics.  
Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives.  

Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions. 

Strategy and anticipation 

Developing reading and math skills 

Perseverance 

Pattern recognition 

Estimating skills
Inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing 

Mapping 

Memory
Reasoned judgments
Teamwork and cooperation when played with others 

Simulation, real world skills. 

·        Video games introduce your kid to computer technology and the online world.  You should recognize that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world.  Video games make your kid adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing.  This is particularly important for girls who typically are not as interested in high technology as much as boys.  

·        Video games allow you and your kid to play together and can be a good bonding activity.  Some games are attractive to kids as well as adults, and they could be something that they share in common.  When your child knows more than you, he can teach you how to play and this allows you to understand your child’s skills and talents.  

·        Video games make learning fun.   Your kid likes games because of the colors, the animation, the eye candy, as well as the interactivity and the challenge and the rewards of winning.  The best way to learn is when the learner is having fun at the same time.  That’s why video games are natural teachers.  Having fun gives your kid motivation to keep on practicing, which is the only way to learn skills.  

·        Video games increase your kid’s self-confidence and self-esteem as he masters games.   In many games, the levels of difficulty are adjustable.  As a beginner, your kid begins at the easy level and by constant practicing and slowly building skills, he becomes confident in handling more difficult challenges.  Since the cost of failure is lower, he does not fear making mistakes.  He takes more risks and explores more.  Your kid can transfer this attitude to real life.

·        Games that involve multiple players encourage your child to work cooperatively to achieve his goals. Your kid learns to listen to the ideas of others, formulate plans with other kids, and distribute tasks based on skills. Some online games are even played internationally, and this can introduce your kid to players of different nationalities and cultures.  This fosters friendships among different people.

·        Video games that require your kid to be active, such as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo Wii Boxing give your kid a good workout. When playing these active games for 10 minutes, your kid spends energy equal to or exceeding that produced by spending the same amount of time on a three miles an hour threadmill walk.

·        Kids are not necessarily drawn to video games because of their violence. The attraction lies in their being rewarded by awesome displays of explosions, fireworks, and yes, blood splattering. Also, violent games have the most emotional appeal for kids. But these factors are only secondary to what kids actually enjoy in these games - the opportunity to develop and master skills and have the freedom to make choices in the game universe.

·        Violent video games may act as a release of pent-up aggression and frustration of your kid.  When your kid vents his frustration and anger in his game, this diffuses his stress. Games can provide a positive aggression outlet the same way as football and other violent sports.

·        Playing video games is safer than having your teens do drugs, alcohol and street racing in the real world.

Bad Effects of Video Games

·        Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain. 

·        Too much video game playing makes your kid socially isolated.  Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends.  

·        Video games do not exercise your kid’s imaginative thinking.  Using imagination may be important in developing creativity.  

·        Some video games teach kids the wrong values.  Violent behavior, vengeance and aggression are rewarded.  Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are often not options.  Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.   

·        Games can confuse reality and fantasy.

·        Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games.

·        Video games may also have bad effects on some children’s health, including obesity, video-induced seizures. and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders, such as tendonitis, nerve compression, carpal tunnel syndrome.

·        When playing online, your kid can pick up bad language and behavior from other people, and may make your kid vulnerable to online dangers.

·        A study by the Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family suggests that video games can be addictive for kids, and that the kids' addiction to video games increases their depression and anxiety levels. Addicted kids also exhibit social phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted to video games see their school performance suffer.

Extracted from http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/34-the-good-and-bad-effects-of-video-games

Computer games 'do have benefits' -
Computer games can aid children's health and do not deserve a wholly negative reputation, an expert says. Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, says they can be a distraction for children undergoing painful treatment. Writing in the British Medical Journal, he added that games can also help children with attention deficit disorders gain social skills. But he said violent games, like violent films, might fuel aggression in some.  You can't tar all games with the same brush  Professor Mark Griffiths, Nottingham Trent University However, Professor Griffiths said this group could be prone to aggression, which could have been triggered by other factors such as witnessing violence in the home or seeing it on TV. After 15 years of research into video games, Professor Griffiths said he wanted to redress the balance of public perception of their effects….

An interesting article from BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4682801.stm

From the Guardian : Children who spend hours every day on their Playstation or Xbox video consoles may not be rotting their brains, as many parents fear. A report from the European parliament concluded yesterday that computer games are good for children and teach them essential life skills.

Contrary to fears about the violent reputation of some games, there is no firm proof that playing them has an automatic negative impact on children's behaviour, for example by causing aggression, said the report from the committee on the internal market and consumer protection…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/12/computer-games-eu-study