Online video games can be a way to help support your child’s learning and teach them key life skills. Get insight on how some gaming benefits young players’ development.
Although games are a form of entertainment, with parents’ support and guidance video gaming benefits by helping them children develop their creativity, nurture relationships with friends and improve strategic thinking.
It can also help young players build perseverance to achieve goals, build resilience and improve their communications skills, especially in online multiplayer video games.
Studies show that certain games benefit younger children by helping them improve early reading skills with the support of parents and teachers. Games like ‘Times Table Rock Stars‘ that is used in primary schools and pre-school apps like ‘Endless Alphabet‘ can be great tools to help children learn in a more engaging way. Also, with the growth of connected toys, children can experience physical play while playing on devices. Educational toys like Osmo combines tactile play pieces with a device’s camera to bring to the in-play action to life.
Games that are immersive and require strategy and problem-solving skills to win require players to remember and take in a lot of information. Regularly playing these types of games can help improve young players’ short and long-term memory. They may also the brain process information quicker. Furthermore, video games capture players’ imagination, helping them to stay focused on certain tasks, building their perseverance to achieve a goal.
Games that require players to find items while fighting off other opponents call for attention to detail and quick reactions. Studies have shown that this type of gaming benefits young players by helping them develop their multi-tasking skills.
The more complex online multiplayer games help teach players how to be strategic and analytical to assess risk and reward. These games call for young players to react quickly to changes in the game. This type of gaming benefits children because the skills can be transferable to real-world jobs that rely on problem-solving, analytical skills and strategic thinking.
As games allow children to immerse themselves in virtual worlds and, at times, connect to people from around the world, it can be a great way for them to learn about different perspectives and cultures.
Whether children are playing online multiplayer games with friends or using family-friendly apps like ‘Heads Up’ with the family in the living room, these types of games can help nurture relationships through shared moments. They also improve children’s social skills. For children who may have disabilities, it can also be a way for them to make friendships they may struggle to create offline and contribute to overall child development.
Online multiplayer gaming benefits young players by allowing them to take on a number of roles such as managing teams or working with others to win. The shared experience can be a great way to collaborate and learn from each other to build children’s confidence.
The success of games like Pokemon GO and Just Dance are an example of how gaming benefits children by motivating them to stay active while gaming. Also, the rise of mobile gaming apps means that children can now game on the go. See our list of active apps that can help your child stay active while gaming.
There are a number of games and apps developed to help children manage their emotions and encourage kind behaviour, compassion and empathy. See our list of wellbeing apps to learn more.
Sometimes it can be easier to talk about worries in a virtual context, and gaming may benefit children by providing a safe place for children to express themselves.
Immersive games can help children experience stories in a different and engaged way. The way the story is told can spark creative skills and make the topics more memorable. Online safety games like Digital Matters can help children learn and practise important skills through storytelling.
Schools now use game-based learning more often to help students understand and think about complex topics. These may help children build math skills or get to grips with concepts in science. Gamifying learning and allowing children to see things in a different way can encourage them to grasp topics faster and in a more meaningful way.
Offers the opportunity to explore, build new worlds and take on new personas that aren’t possible in the real world.
Video games offer worlds to explore that don’t dictate types of behaviour or where to go. Young players enjoy this freedom as an extension of the playground.
Games offer an experience that can extend over a long period. Like a bed time story, regularly visiting a game and progressing the story is both comforting and compelling.
Online multiplayer video gaming benefits include connecting with people from all around the world, getting real-time feedback on how well you are playing, improving teamwork skills and building relationships with friends. Additionally, it creates a family friendly space where you can have positive online experiences together.
Depending on the games they play, players can get rewards such as tokens, in-game currency, virtual trophies and more as they move through the games and complete different levels.
The rise of eSports and games like Fortnite and Rocket League allow children to compete against each other to gain notoriety by winning. Some people even pursue eSports as a way to earn money.
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Watch videoChildren benefit from watching others because they can pick up tricks to complete stages of games, learn new strategies by watching walkthroughs and improve their video gaming skills on a particular game.
This is the biggest reason why children enjoy watching others gaming. It’s not just watching them play, but the commentary which can be humourous that they see as a benefit. Some are done by popular YouTubers, so it feels like a chance to get to know their personality and engage with them.
Children tend to share these let’s play videos with each other and discuss them together. If they are watching them live, they can also communicate with others watching and the person who is live streaming (which can often be a well-known gamer or YouTuber like PewdiePie).
Some of the language that is used in the videos is not family friendly. Therefore, it’s best to watch them with your child to get an idea of suitability.
If they are watching live streams, it may be harder to control the type of content that they might see. Use the YouTube Kids app to find suitable Let’s Play videos curated for children. There is also a YouTube channel called LearningWorks for Kids Let’s Play which provide tips to optimise game-play for children’s learning.
Watching the videos may have some gaming benefits like learning new skills and socialisation. However, unlike playing games, this is passive screen time, so monitoring the amount of time they spend watching is important. Remind them to take breaks and use parental controls to set up limits.
What makes a good video game?
Great games are those that both challenge and teach your child something they can use in the real world. But there is also value in the virtual experience. It enables children to prepare for a future where online and offline lives overlap. Like books, many games benefit young players’ lives because of their experience as a whole.
Take a look at family stories on AskAboutGames to get insight on age-appropriate games that will help your child do just that. Family friendly games allow everyone to get involved and play together.
My child would like a career in gaming. How can I support them?
If your child would like to get into eSports (competitive gaming) or help create video games of the future, start early and help them learn more about the different jobs and opportunities in the gaming industry. It’s a good idea to help them broaden their view of what’s available beyond the traditional roles of developers or streamers.
Take a look at the type of video gaming jobs available for them so they can understand their priorities. Ask About Games have created Thriving Futures: A rough guide to game careers, an advice series exploring available roles and actions young people should take.
Game performers include voiceover artists, actors, and even athletes and stunt experts who do motion capture work (special cameras that record movement to create more realistic characters).
There are many different approaches to producing games but, in general, game producers keep everybody working on the same page. They make sure a game comes together as planned: on time, to budget and at a top standard. Sometimes game producing can be a managerial role and in other cases, it can be creative. Game producers normally sit at the top of a team, working with lead game designers and game directors.
A game writer pens the script for a game, but they also do much more than that. Game writers might contribute to ‘world building’, where they provide back stories and supporting documents to help players – or fellow developers – understand a game world and the motivations of characters within it.
Some world building content might not even be included in a game but is vital to it feeling convincing. Game writers often deliver other in-game text and even work with performers and audio specialists to adapt game dialogue as it is performed and recorded.
There are many types of game audio roles. They may include those who record and edit voiceovers or composers who score game soundtracks. Games also include game sound effect designers and creators along with recording artists who go out into the world to capture real sounds.
Where should gameplay happen?
Encourage children to play in communal spaces to share the experience in a family friendly way. This help you catch any problems like worrying content or too much screen time. Keeping video games in family rooms turns gaming into a normal part of family life rather than something separate or hidden away.
If children are older and would prefer to play in their bedroom, consider steering them towards keeping the tech in a shared space. In any case, keep the conversation going about their gameplay and make sure you enforce your agreed rules to ensure they stay safe while gaming.
For what age is video gaming appropriate?
According to research, children typically start gaming between the ages of 3 to 4. On average, boys play nearly 4 hours of video games every day while girls average just over 2 hours. There is no age specification on when they should start, but it’s a good idea to manage the type of games they play to make sure the games benefit their development as they grow.
Additionally, physical safety is just as important as digital safety. Some people have reported experiencing nausea when playing VR games, for instance, so making young players aware of what to do if they feel unwell is key. Prolonged sessions of gaming can also affect developing eyes, so it’s important to take regular breaks (every 20 – 30 mins) and set up gaming stations in a way that will allow them to minimise the negative impact on their body.
For younger children, there are plenty of games and apps to learn different skills from reading to engineering. A lot of these games tend to be educational and encourage parents to monitor progress to see how well children are doing.
Pick games that are family friendly so you can play together, keep them motivated and help them develop these key skills. Examples include Stardew Valley, Towerfall, Nintendoland, Spaceteam and Overcooked 2.
For pre-teens, there are plenty of sandbox games like Minecraft, Roblox and Rec Room that allow them to explore and build new worlds to make it more immersive and engaging. These games give children the opportunity to be creative and use their imaginations.
For teens, available are more complex and immersive and tend to feature live interactions with multiple players. Examples include Fortnite or Apex Legends. These games may seem like pure entertainment but they may require a level of strategy and forward planning to move through levels and achieve goals set by the game.
With these types of games, it’s important to review them together with your child to make sure the content is suitable for their age. Remember to also keep the conversation going so they know what to do if something goes wrong. Learn what the PEGI ratings mean on games to help.
Need to create a family media plan? See this template from healthychildren.org
See resourceIf you have a game in mind for your child, do some digging about it to see what others think about the game and potential things you should watch out for. There are a number of sites like AskAboutGames that offer parents’ insights on games and other types of media to help you make a decision.
For younger children, you can get them started on free games available through web browsers. It’s important to note that some of these sites may have phishing or spyware so, googling for games to play on browsers can be risky. Sticking to reputable sites like Nickelodeon and CBBC is best as they offer a range of games that are suitable for a younger audience that features their favourite characters. These games are also often focused on learning a skill or explore a theme which is great for young children. You could also download free apps such as Lego apps or make use of systems like DS and 3DS to download free games which are great for younger kids.
To ensure that your child is engaged and challenged, make sure to give them a broad variety of games to choose from. You could mix and match Shoot’em up games with Puzzle games to allow them to use different skills to play. Also, make some time to talk about the content in the games to get an idea of their understanding of themes.
As an alternative to board games, video games can help enhance family moments and create a shared experience to relationships. Choosing games like Heads Up or Tetris inspired Tricky Towers are a great way to enjoy screen time together.
Get more insight: Top 6 great family games to enjoy over Easter Holidays
If your child has gaming friends, talk to their parents to get their point of view on games and get an idea of what their concerns may be. Check out popular game lists in app stores and game sites. This is a great way to look at trends and see what others are ranking as good games to invest in.
There are a number of games that you can play together virtually, these are a great way to stay connected and create moments of shared experiences.
Use PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) ratings and App store ratings to get an idea of what type of content the game will have and decide whether the game is age-appropriate. It’s important to note that these are just indicators so we’d advise finding out more about the game through a review or other parents before giving it to your child. The Pegi App is a great way to get a view of the game’s rating.
Also, popular sites like Steam (a distribution platform for buying and playing games) do not have clear ratings so reviewing the games may be to only way to find out.
Dependent on what your child’s hobbies are or areas of interest, try and find games that will help supplement these to get them engaged. If your child enjoys football, fishing or racing cars there are lots of games with this theme. Equally, games like this can be good at sparking real-world hobbies.
As they get more proficient in online gaming, playing web-browser games may become boring for them. Through regular conversations, check-in to see if they are enjoying the games and suggest more challenging games to make gameplay rewarding.
Before investing in the game try a demo together. Studies show that children learn more when parents join in.
See resource: Kotaku Best video games to play with kids
Whether you are investing in a boxed game (one that you put in the console) or a mobile-based game that is free-to-play, it’s a good idea to consider the costs of involved.
Some games feature in-app purchases and market to your child through ads so it’s important to consider whether this is something that you would like your child to be exposed to. Equally, consider the costs of getting subscription services to play online like Xbox lie and PSN. Cost of hardware and extra controllers should be reviewed as some can run high.
Also, if you are planning to invest a lot, consider how long your child is likely to play the game to make sure it’s a good investment. Other costs might include needing to purchase additional controllers and get subscriptions to services that allow online play.
Action – This is the most popular type of game that focuses on players reaction time and hand-eye coordination with progression through levels. As this is a catch-all, here are some sub-sections of the genre:
Strategic: These games require the management of resources to survive and win the game.
Example: Portal Knights
Point & click: Adventure games the characters are controlled on screen with a mouse.
Example: Broken Age
Racing: Games featuring racing competitions with vehicles or characters
Example: Forza Horizon 4
Massively multiplayer game Online: Features multiple players interacting with each other in real-time through voice or text-based communication online.
Example: Fortnite
First-person: Games where players see the game through the eyes of the character throughout the game.
Example: Apex Legends
Party mini-games: Multiplayer games that are short and simple with a focus on scoring points to win.
Example: Mario Party 9
Sports: Features real-world games such as golf, football, etc.
Example: FIFA 19
Turn-based: These types of games pause to allow either another player to make a move or the computer to take a turn. There are other sub-genres including turn-based strategy and turn-based role-playing.
Example: Wargroove
Puzzle: Games with a focus on testing problem-solving skills, logic, patterns or word completion.
Example: Tetris
Simulation games: These are games that closely simulate real-world activities.
Example: The Sims
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