Video games are often held up as the bogeyman of entertainment, a frightening range of violence-promoting, brain-destroying diversions. However, there are a number of benefits to regular gaming.
Firstly, video games are designed to suck players in and get them involved in the immediate gameplay loop. This has been shown in some cases to help with attention disorders. The constant interaction from video games can help people learn to focus on the task at hand.
It’s also beneficial for hand-eye coordination. Having to concentrate on the screen while using a controller or mouse and keyboard to input commands means that you cannot constantly be looking down, especially in hectic moments. This also helps them learn how computers work, and may even improve typing speed.
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Using a computer helps you get better at using a computer. There are many tutorials and advice to be found on the internet even for console games. Online aspects of video games and the communities around them are a great motivator for children to interact socially and become more fluent with technology they’ll interact with in their future lives.
Surprisingly, video games may also help with reading. While not all video games contain a lot of text, more than a few have in-game books or encyclopedias.
Some RPGs get around having a large story with many characters by writing down all the dialogue. Even those games that encourage play over immersion have subtitles for videos.
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Some genres of video games especially encourage problem-solving and creativity. Fighting or smashing through the obstacles isn’t always possible, requiring players to figure out the solution with what they’re given. Creativity games like Minecraft use this as their central concern, but many games have puzzle mechanics or a requirement to outthink an opponent.
In short, while too much time on the computer is bad for you in a number of ways, video games encourage mental and physical development, and even social interaction both on- and offline. So maybe this lockdown is a great time to see what your kids are gaining from their preferred video games – in limited doses.
