You would think that video games would be the last thing on your list of family bonding activities. Goodness knows, many parents want to avoid introducing video games into their kids’ lives for as long as possible. But perhaps you should reconsider. Some parents of today would hand their child a tablet or a smartphone, teach them how to play a game, and then leave them to their own devices. This neither promotes growth nor bonding. And it’s usually how adult video game addiction starts. Playing video games as a family offers far more benefits to your child than letting them play on their own. Here are 8 surprising benefits of playing video games as a family.
8 Benefits of Playing Video Games as a Family
Family bonding
It should come as no surprise that doing a family activity together can strengthen family bonds. This does not exclude video games. Existing research on the benefits of gaming has proven that video games can help bring loved one’s closer together. This is especially true for families who experience poor communication from time to time. Spending a few hours every week (or weekend) can strengthen communication between family members, and lessen misunderstandings and quarrels. Much like any other bonding activity, playing video games can help mend and strengthen relationships. So if you’re on the rocks with your spouse or kids, video games could just be a well-needed remedy. If you’re wondering which video games are okay for young kids, this list should get you started.
Stress relief
Most young children may not need much relief from stress, but if you’re a parent, playing video games can help you blow off some steam. Recent studies show that the activity can greatly reduce stress levels and improve mental health. These can include anything from alleviating anxiety, boosting mood and even reducing depression. The psychological response you get from earning points and levelling up, releases a lot of feel-good chemicals into your brain. Dopamine, serotonin, endorphins; the usual superstars. These give off an afterglow of euphoria and general feeling of well-being, much like the kind you might get from taking narcotics. Which is why video games can oftentimes be a double-edged sword. On one hand, they make you feel good. On the other hand, they can be desperately addictive.
Cognitive stimulation
Some might think that video games could rot our brains, but research suggests otherwise. People who play video games likely enjoy a wealth of cognitive benefits like better attention, concentration, reaction time, hand-eye coordination and memory. While there’s some evidence that points to video games causing aggression in children, this is a simple problem to remedy. You should simply avoid playing violent and graphic games with your kids. Games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty should be avoided, as these feature a lot of killing and maiming. Not the kind of moral values you want to teach to impressionable young kids. Different kinds of games also offer different benefits. For example, shooter games improve your spatial cognition and decision-making, while role-playing and world-building games enhance creativity. Puzzle games on the other hand can enhance your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Teamwork
Many video games require collaboration with other players to achieve a common goal. Whether that’s to find lost treasure, defeat the final boss, find an exit, or simply reach the highest level. Learning to help each other attain the ultimate purpose of the game is a lesson in collaboration. In that respect, research has also shown that video games can help foster better teamwork among members in a unit. One study showed that co-workers in an organisation experienced a 20% increase in productivity. This suggests that playing video games together can greatly increase team cohesion. We can assume this translates in a family setting as well. After all, what is a family if not a small private, non-profit organisation? Playing video games with your kids may very well help them develop with crucial adult skills. Your kids learn to play well with others, and this can translate beyond the virtual world. As a parent, there are times when we need our children to cooperate—whether that’s to wash the dishes, do the chores or simply clean their rooms. As anticlimactic as this sounds, maintaining a family is a team effort. Every family member is a crucial component in the unit. If one member does not work well with the others, the entire unit falls apart.
Sportsmanship
Wins and losses are a part and parcel of any game. And life is sort of a game in itself. Learning to accept defeat with grace is one of the most valuable things you can teach a child. There will be many times throughout their adult lives when they will face bitter defeat. As adults, we may have an upper hand in games. Most children lack the kind of dexterity and mental acuity that it takes to manoeuvre complex virtual landscapes or perform combo movements. They will probably end up with more losses than wins. So let them experience defeat, but give them a taste of victory every once in a while too. When they see how positively you accept and react to defeat, they will mirror your good sportsmanship.
Entertainment
There are moments where you simply have a lot of time to kill. Whether that’s on slow, rainy afternoons or on uneventful errand-free weekends. That said, the pandemic has also definitely freed a lot of time for most people. Moreover, children tend to get a little anxious and fidgety if they’re stuck indoors for too long. So, what’s a better way to while away the monotony than with a video game?
Social skills
Video games are not meant to be played in isolation. Even remote gamers interact with other people, no matter if they’re on the other side of the world. Most video games are a collaborative effort and requires you to use interpersonal skills. Young children eventually experience socialisation in school, but there’s no harm in greasing the wheels. Video games are a good way to build and develop your young one’s social skills. This may just be the preparation they need before you send them off into the big bad world.
Teachable moments
Video games are a good way to trick your kids into learning things. There are plenty of educational video games that help them acquire new skills and improve on existing ones. There are video games that help expand your child’s vocabulary, help them improve their mathematics comprehension, and even help them learn historical and scientific facts. It’s important to foster a thirst for knowledge in your child while they’re still young. Curious children generally tend to do better intellectually and academically. It’s also a good way to find out what their interests are.
Families That Play Together, Stay Together
Super Mario, Minecraft and Animal Crossing—these are just some of the more popular and evergreen video games that you can start playing with your kids. As always, when it comes to technology, moderation is key. Stick to the weekends, where there’s plenty of free time to spare for the whole family. In addition, try to keep gaming sessions no more than an hour per day. There is always the temptation to go on for longer, such is the addictive pleasure of video games. But be sure to supplement the moments between with plenty of exercise and outdoor activities. However, as we are still living in a pandemic era and as such going outdoors may be a bit challenging, especially as our kids may not be vaccinated yet, you could consider video games that promote exercising or physical movements too. Some of these games include: Just Dance 2022, Ring Fit Adventure and Fitness Boxing, or VR games like Beat Saber and BOXVR. Whichever title you choose, just remember to have fun together always!
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