Contrary to popular (and unfair) belief, there are many educational games for your kid — here’s how to find them!
According to NewsChain, research shows that parents can help enhance their children’s skills by having a more significant influence on the kind of games they play in their free time. Studies have found that video games can be an excellent way for children to develop a variety of skills, including coordination, social communication, leadership, coding, and more, which can, later on, become an aspect of their daily school program.
Especially with many parents working from home these days, when the right options are chosen, video games can be an excellent way to keep kids occupied while developing other skills.
We present to you tips to help you and your child find the perfect games!
How to Choose the Right Game for Your Child
Not all oggames are ideal for kids admittedly, and some should be avoided at all costs. When choosing the titles your child can play, select a genre that you think your kid will enjoy, one that they’re interested in, and provide them with intellectual challenges.
The most popular genres are strategy, first-person shooters (FPS), and action role-playing games. You can research the best options by reading information and reviews from the internet or gaming magazines. Another option is to ask a salesperson if you are purchasing a game from a physical store; also, choose an appropriate game for your kid’s age by checking its ESRB ratings and ensuring that the hardware can fully support the titles.
While looking for the best games for your kid to play, also consider buying a pair of good headphones that will make the educational gaming experience more exciting and unique. You should also decide whether you want wired or wireless headphones. Additionally, headphones will keep the house quiet, helping you focus on your responsibilities. There’s no need to buy the most expensive pair of headphones as there are numerous high-quality options that can easily fit your household budget.
How Video Games Help Kids Develop Different Skills
Social skills are imperative for people to function properly in society, and most of these skills are implemented during childhood through play. Some video games like Mario Kart and Madden NFL are usually played in pairs or small groups, requiring the children to play fairly and share controllers. Other video games are based on the importance of setting goals and teamwork. World of Warcraft, for instance, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that allows players from across the world to work together to achieve a common goal.
Games like Portal 2 keep the kids’ minds sharp and alert through hours of amazing and unique puzzle-solving. These types of games emphasize the importance of adapting to a new environment and recognizing and using materials available in the game for different purposes. Moreover, problem-solving titles like The Legend of Zelda help children recognize patterns and strategize to win by solving complex puzzles and levels. These games not only help stimulate a child’s mind but also boost their confidence.
Keep Screen Time in Check, Though!
There are downsides to video games and titles that a kid should not touch — your child will not get more out of video games than they will get from playing basketball outside with their friends or riding the bicycle. If you’re using video games as a way to keep your kids busy while you work from home, as ZenBusiness notes, you’ll just want to mix in other activities as well.
Be sure to make time in your daily schedule to get outside for fresh air and exercise and/or to work on another hobby they enjoy. The key is maintaining a healthy balance between real life and the virtual realm. If you’re concerned about screen time and what they might browse for online, there’s the option to set parental controls either from the PC’s settings or the game’s configuration section.
In a Nutshell
Playing video games is now a child’s first choice of entertainment and education. It provides them with thrill, learning opportunities, challenges, excitement, and control while rewarding them with highly realistic graphics and audio – visual gratifications. Games get your child to socialize, cooperate, compete, and interact with other people while helping them develop several different skills like problem-solving and strategizing, all of which are so important in helping one integrate into today’s societies.
Boomer Biz is a resource for people in their golden years who want to start their own business or go back to work doing what they love. Carla is one of them. That’s why she’s with Gamepleton!