Online video games are always believed to provide negative
influences on growing children. This is mainly because most video games
are addictive and typically about violent battles and fighting. Majority
of parents and the media think and believe that these games rot the
children's brains and promote violence among them. Also, these games are
blamed for the anti-social, weird, rude and drastic behaviors of some
children.
However,
many psychologists, child experts, and scientists believe that these
games are actually beneficial to growing children. They are essential
and quite responsible in making a child smarter and teach him high-level
thinking skills that he may need in the future.
Online video
games provide good exercise for a child's brain. A huge number of them
require abstract and high-level thinking skills to win. These skills
include problem solving and logic, following instructions, hand-eye
coordination, math skills, and spatial abilities. They also teach a
child resource management and logistics, multitasking, and quick
thinking.
A huge percentage of the quests and battles in these
online video games involve characters that do multiple movements all at
the same time. And in order for a child to control his character, his
senses must be well-coordinated and he must be able to make fast
analysis and quick decisions. They also help a child develop better
reading and math skills; as well as, perseverance, better memory,
logistics, and strategy-making.
Teamwork, camaraderie, and
cooperation are also values that a child learns by playing online video
games with other children. Furthermore, in a game such as flight
simulation, the child becomes familiar with the airplane's parts and
controls; so if ever he decides to become a pilot when he grows up, he
already has an informal training and background on flying. This is
because the parts in the said flight simulation game are modeled
according to the actual parts of an airplane. Plus, it is set in
real-time.
These games are also instruments that introduce a child
to computer technology and the Internet. Being familiar with these
high-tech gadgets is necessary to keep up with the fast development of
the world. These games, when played together, allow a child to bond with
his parents, siblings, or cousins. They also make learning fun for
children who are very much fond of colors and animation. And lastly,
these video games may be the way for a child to release his stress. Just
like other games, online video games can also provide a positive
aggression outlet.