Video Games And Children

Much has been said about the issue of video games in children , about the violent premise under which a good part of them are structured. But, like many things in life, not everything is as black or as white as it seems. As in any business field, there is a whole conglomerate .

If we see it from a clearer point of view, children 's learning can benefit from certain games . We all know that young person who learned another language by playing or who found a career to pursue thanks to the console or the computer.

However, each parent or representative must be aware of the effects of video games on children , since recent years have shown a significant uptick in addiction to these technologies , a picture that has visibly worsened with social networks and confinement.

As they can model behavior, each family must know what the emotional effects that video games can cause in children are, as well as recognize what are the symptoms that would be telling us about the need to go to a mental health specialist to help the child. .

8 aspects about video games in children that you should know

How does technology influence the learning of children and young people?

It is increasingly common to hear talk in the world of pedagogy about the effects of video games on children , but especially about how to take advantage of technology in a positive way to exponentiate learning among children and young people .

For example, there are positive aspects of video games in children that deserve to be appreciated. Some require the little one to learn to solve problems to continue advancing or require him to better develop his motor skills to navigate through the various virtual scenarios.

If each child is different, why not bet on new and effective methodologies? Under the lens of the old educational model, many children were misdiagnosed with ADHD , when they were just not paying attention because they had different ways of learning.

10 benefits of videos in children

As a result of this idea, I have thought of clarifying first what are the benefits of video games that we can take advantage of at home and at school. Because the best education is that methodology that fulfills the function of helping to establish knowledge. Innovation is the key .

Reading agility

It must be recognized that perhaps the greatest impact of video games on society is that they motivate children, especially the youngest, to read, even to learn a language other than their mother tongue. This is because, compulsorily, they must read its instructions .

In the various investigations that have been done on how video games affect the brain , it has been found that they can be a good tool to motivate children to read. Although they do not replace traditional books , the little ones will want to know more just for fun.

Improves visuospatial processing

The mental capacity to analyze, represent and manage objects spatially is known as visuospatial ability . Taken to the virtual world, it allows children to read maps, locate their character within a certain place within the game, the distances they must travel.

I know there are a lot of arguments against violent video games , but this is one of the few positives that they have. The good thing is that they are not the only ones who achieve it, because there are games where children must learn to build their own universe .

Conflict resolution

Although later I want to emphasize that the use of violence as a tool to solve problems is one of the negative effects of video games , this is not always the case, since the resolution of challenges teaches children to make flexibility a virtue .

Social integration

In addition to being a tool that can be used positively in children's learning , games can help shy children to connect with other children who have the same interests as them, not only online, but as a topic of conversation in the classroom. school .

As always, you have to have some suspicion because the issue of violence in video games can condition them to develop antisocial behavior, but in addition to that; Some children who have difficulty forming friendships may also display the same behavior online.

Boost creativity

In general, we can point out that the great impact of video games on society is that they encourage children and adolescents to develop their imagination while having fun. They are a key to continue stimulating creative thinking .

Socially, it is frowned upon that after a certain age they maintain the habit of playing with certain tabletop activities, such as Legos. Consequently, video games in children come to meet this need, since they learn to tell stories, are inspired to draw and be more curious .

Inspires to find a professional career in the area

Another of the effects of video games on children is that it encourages some of them to think about studying a career related to the subject in the future. Not in vain, many young people dedicate themselves to learning to program , to design or to study professions that have been inspired by these platforms.

Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf, just 16 years old, won 3 million dollars in the Fortnite world championship . Although there is a thriving industry, you really have to be careful because video games in children can become an addiction as difficult to manage as drugs or alcohol .

It increases the ability to concentrate

Since we talked about how video games affect the brain , it is good to remember the great focus that children and young people take to achieve a goal. This, if you know how to take advantage of it properly, can be beneficial for other activities of a school or sports nature .

They promote teamwork

One of the effects of video games on adolescents and children has to do with the power of teaching them to form groups to work towards a goal . These types of tasks are usually seen more in online type games, in which they can connect with players that they do not even know personally.

Beyond the negative effects of video games , you have to know how to take advantage of certain aspects for the well-being of children. In the case of team games, they can learn that communication is necessary to achieve goals and how to develop leadership skills .

They teach to quickly overcome defeats

Although we must be aware that violence in video games can be the cause of emotional disorders in children and adolescents , more children learn to quickly recover from a loss, because they understand that it is a game and they can always start over.

Of course, it is necessary for parents or guardians to understand that the negative consequences of video games on children and young people can be minimized with adult supervision . Neither television, nor the internet, nor games can replace home education.

They allow you to strengthen ties when playing as a family

In order to reduce the chances that children will develop some of the diseases that video games cause , it will always be convenient to connect with children through what they enjoy so much. Be open to playing with him or her, to enjoying a family moment.

In this way, they will not only be preventing the child from developing the negative effects of video games on children as a family , but they will be able to show them together when it is time to stop playing and dedicate themselves to other types of activities.

When are video games in children bad for health?

Video game addiction in children and adults is already classified in the ICD-11 as a pathology that requires support from specialists in psychology , therefore; parents and guardians should be alert to the appearance of some of these behaviors:

• One of the most noticeable effects of video games on adolescents , children and adults is the change in behavior. Addicted people become much more irritable, do not tolerate losing as easily, and show anger or anxiety when they are not allowed to play.
• You want to play more and more and don't know when to stop.
• Stops doing other activities, including bathing or eating, to play.
• He lies about the time he spends distracted on the console or computer.
• He plays to get rid of his bad mood.

Problems due to the uncontrolled use of video games in children

Although there is not always a negative impact of video games on children , all families have a duty to inform themselves about what their little ones consume . After all, these types of distractions are quite common in this modern life.

So more than prohibiting them, you really have to be aware of what is happening, as long as it is in the right measure and at the right ages. He is not the same as a 17-year-old boy as an 8-year-old boy. In fact, only 10% of adolescent gamers are known to suffer from addiction .

• Among the consequences of video games in children and young people , we have that they may suffer from depression or anxiety.
• Most of those who suffer from this problem are men.
• Kids with ADHD are more susceptible.
• These children play regardless of tasks, interpersonal relationships with their environment or good rest.
• They show an increase in aggressive behavior.

Relationship between violent videos and child violence

It is difficult to avoid the subject, when 85% of these unfortunately involve a certain degree of aggressiveness . However, it must be clarified that not all violent video games cause behavioral problems , but it must be taken into account that:

• One of the effects of video games on children is that they manage to desensitize or immunize them against horror.
• The little ones can try to imitate her.
• They may display more aggressive behavior.
• They may think that violence is a way to solve problems.

How can video game addiction be prevented?

All parents or representatives have in their hands the possibility of avoiding the harmful consequences of video games in children . These are some of the recommendations that are usually made in these cases, in order to be alert to any changes:

Create a consumption plan

We have already seen that although the benefits of video games can be varied, the harmful parts often outweigh them. It is advisable to establish a daily plan with the children about the time they spend playing on consoles or on social networks .

You can establish hours and areas of the home where the use of electronic devices is prohibited, in addition to teaching them to avoid violent behavior that some video games generate in children , such as cyberbullying or teaching them not to give personal information to strangers.

Get to know the content so you understand the impact of video games on children

If we want to avoid the adverse effects of video games on children , we must know in advance which ones they like the most , what they are about, what degree of violence they involve. Check even the type of advertisements and messages to which they are exposed.

In addition, if we want there to be a minimum of harmful effects of video games on children , we must teach them to respect others , and above all; be a model for them with a behavior of zero discrimination and empathy with others.

Stay on top of behavior changes

Once we are aware that violent video games cause behavioral problems when minors participate in them without any supervision , it is necessary that we are equally attentive to any unusual change in the daily routine or interaction.

Maintain an open relationship with the boys, let them tell us how they feel, and above all; being willing to seek the appropriate professional advice in the event that irregularities get out of hand is essential to avoid the negative side of video games in children .

Encourage little ones to play in other ways

The adverse situations of video games in younger children are much more controllable by parents. The more infant you are, the more successful we will be in teaching you to have fun and learn with didactics more in line with your age , such as board games.

Engaging with them in a more traditional dynamic and in which they share with other children , will prevent them from becoming victims of the diseases caused by video games , in which we, the adults in care, have a great deal of responsibility.

Keep consoles and computers in common areas

Finally, one of the most effective ways to avoid the harmful consequences of video games in children is to prevent them from bringing smartphones, tablets or consoles into their rooms. You can even create agreements in which there are areas of the home without electronic devices .

Teach them that these entertainments are not vital . There are many arguments against violent video games , but the great responsibility of preventing them from falling into it lies with the adults who live with them at home, especially those who are going to copy all kinds of attitudes.

How to choose a video game for children?

In addition to limiting the hours of use to avoid the consequences of video games on children and young people , we must bear in mind that contact with them must be conditioned by age. As if that were not enough, it is advisable to know the classification guide according to the ERSB :

1. It is recommended that children between 0 and 2 years of age have no contact with electronic devices.
2. From 2 to 4 years of age , use time should be limited to one hour a day, to avoid the impact of video games on children .
3. The rest of the ages can gradually increase the hours of use, but never exceed two hours.

Final recommendations on the influence of video games on children

In our Camp of emotions , we are dedicated to the little ones having fun while learning to manage what they feel. Under the supervision of Mabel Code , a psychologist with more than 10 years of experience in the field of psychology and child education. Do you dare to take the step?

We know that the consequences of video games on children can mark them for life, and for this reason, we want to help your children become happy adults , self-confident, who feel capable of achieving what they set out to do and manage frustrations Correctly.

So, if we want to prevent video games in children from having a harmful effect on their emotional health, we must encourage them to practice other types of activities in which they can waste all their energy, such as sports, hobbies or reading