Why video games are good for kids

There I said it! Video games are good for kids!

We all know that kids will take any excuse to play video games at normal times. I think we all agree that these are not normal times.

The kids are not only spending more time at home, but they are stuck inside too. It can be hard to keep them occupied every single second every single day.

This is why I have been letting mine play video games more than I normally would. I feel that video games are good for kids in moderation and there are many side benefits that gameplay has for them.

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Why Video Games Are Good For Kids

Online video gaming allows kids to interact with other kids outside of the house. It gives them a way to socialize and compare/share how they are feeling.

So here I am giving you some information on different types of video games and why they are important. I am not an expert, just a mom of kids who love to play video games.

One of the things that I have always liked is the option to play online with multiple people. Games that offer this give both kids and adults the option to chat within the game.

This is awesome because they can connect with friends and family that are far away. It also gives them the chance to meet new people at the same time. When it comes to my kids and online gaming, I make sure that I KNOW who they are talking to at all times.

I do this to make sure that they are using caution when engaging in online gameplay. This is also used as a lesson on how to live in an online world for them (my oldest is only 13). They learn not only how to interact with people online, but also the types of people to avoid.

Different types of games

MMO’s and Co-op games

An MMO is a Mass Multiplayer Online game. There are quite a few of them out there. The most popular are primarily for PC, but some are available on consoles too.

There is some argument that some of the console games that allow online play are not MMO’s because there is a limited number of players to a server.

But the other side of that is there are many different servers that the games can be played on. So, there can be thousands of people playing the same game and jumping from server to server. (If you didn’t know a server is where the game is hosted). Each server can only hold a certain number of players so they often bounce from one to another.

A Co-op game is one that has 2 to 4 people. These are mostly offered on consoles like Xbox, PS4, and Nintendo.

Some of the titles are available on each, so you can play your favorite game on your preferred platform.

Minecraft is one that I know is cross-platform and Fortnite is another. The cool thing about cross-platform games is that if you are on Xbox and your friend is on a Playstation, you can both play the same game if it supports cross-play.

My recommended games for kids

I have a few games that I really like the kids playing. Minecraft is definitely #1 on the list for me. Followed by Skyrim, Knack, Anything Mario, and many of the Lego games.

Honestly, the games that I like them to play are ones that I sometimes play myself. One of the things that I like about these titles is that there is an element of creativity and strategy that is involved in them. This means that the kids have to use critical thinking skills while they play.

I think that playing video games is important for kids (over the age of 5). When they play many of the games they have to figure out how to progress in the game, which teaches them to think in a strategic way about what they are doing.

One of the reasons that Minecraft is one of my favorite games is that it is an open world. The maps are customizable and if you can imagine it, you can probably build it. To some extent, Skyrim is much the same. You have quests that you complete, but it is still an open world and you can do pretty much what you want.

One of the things that have always bothered me is that there are a lot of “specialists” out there that say that video games are bad for kids’ development. They also claim that they promote violence and bad behavior. Cause short attention spans and are bad for kids’ socialization.

I disagree with this.

Many of the studies that you find online today feature outdated information. Much of it is over 5 years old and newer studies have not been cited as much. One thing that I know for certain is that the many positive effects outweigh the supposed negative ones

There are many positive effects that video games have on kids. The most important is that they cause kids to use critical thinking, develop strategies, and build social skills. Other benefits are that it improves hand-eye coordination, and encourages them to work as a team when they are playing online with other players.

Final Thoughts on Why Video Games Are Good For Kids

Since there is so much debate on the matter you have to wade through all of the information and come to your conclusions. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with kids playing video games if there is some moderation and attention from parents. As parents we still need to monitor the games and who they are interacting with. But, if you do your research on games that they want, you can be sure that they are playing ones that are appropriate for them.

If there are any other games that you think are good for kids let me know in the comments