How Long Should Children Spend In Front Of Video Games During The Pandemic

There is convincing evidence that Video games in moderation can improve cognitive skills, such as processing speed, executive functioning, and cognitive flexibility. Additionally, gambling has been associated with an improvement in selective attention. Modest amounts of sets of video, about an hour a day, have been associated with improved psychological adjustment and self-esteem. “So,” says Randy Kulman, child psychologist, founder of LearningWorksforKids-yes, under these conditions it would be nice for your children to play video games.

But during quarantine, children spend up to 50% more time on screens than in the past. While more screen time helps them stay connected with their peers and stay safe indoors, How long do they have to play video games? Groups like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which previously advocated restrictive limits on screen time, have changed their approach to COVID-19 quarantine.

But there is a more basic reason why they should be playing video games and using other technology. Children learn by playing. Play is the primary tool that helps young children learn and helps tweens learn.

Research has shown that those who play action video games are better than others at identifying visual cues and shifting their attention between different stimuli. At the Max-Planck Institute for Human Development, Professor Simone Kühn studied brain scanner technology to analyze people playing Super Mario 64 DS., finding growth in three areas of the brain over a two-month period: the prefrontal cortex, the right hippocampus, and the cerebellum, all related to fine motor control and the ability to navigate through space.

Playing with friends often means using video games and other on-screen media. I’m not suggesting that you should stop your kids from playing ball or ball, hunting, board games, or capturing the flag. “If they keep playing an online game with their classmate, they at least socialize in their game Kulman said. Children need to play, not only to learn, but also to understand how to get along with others. Play is essential for the growth and development of children and all too often in today’s society play is absent from children’s lives ”.

Digital play in which kids are involved in technology (video games, coding, or social media) is simply a 21st century style of play, the most recent form of play. It’s not the best or the worst kind of game, just a new way for kids to interact with each other. The game is evolving.

It’s not that video games and tech games are replacing simple forms of play like drawing with pencils, playing with dolls, or building with wooden blocks. The toys, games, tools and opportunities available to children to play they have changed radically over the past decades. Just think of how many boys participate in organized sports today compared to how many 50 years ago, and how many of them were girls 50 years ago.

“Consider the number of toys that many children have in their closets,” Kulman continues. While play has always been a learning tool for children, less than a century has passed since play focused on the use of toys in their games. Lay people, for example, were introduced to the United States in 1962. The game continues to change and the future game that uses holographic technology, virtual reality and artificial intelligence are on the horizon.

“There is no doubt that modern forms of playing are based more on playing instruments than on traditional, old-fashioned playing. Kühn says. Years ago it was more common for children to play outside. The game often revolved around toys “made up of whatever was available: sticks, cardboard boxes, old clothes, discarded materials or imaginations”. In the past, play was often seen as a practice for the roles that children could take on as adults.

“Explore in the forest; build a fort with found materials; or playing at home, school or cops and thieves are great forms of gambling, and I encourage parents to make sure their younger children do all they can in this regard, ”says Kühn.

But modern forms of digital games also have their place. The problem is when they replace all other types of games with such captivating screens. Digital options don’t require searching for toys or a special place. For 70% of children whose cell phones are always at hand, available 24/7. As a result, parents need to put more effort into ensuring that children have a healthy “play regime” in which digital play is balanced with other forms of play. “Parents, educators and child care professionals children need to find ways to help children engage in a variety of alternative play, because this is how they will learn the most from their play and also broaden their experiences, ”says Kulman.

The digital game has a clear advantage over other forms of play: it lends itself to technical expertise that can be useful for success in school and for preparing for 21st century jobs. It can be similar to language immersion at a young age. Children who master technologies have greater control over their use and, as technologies evolve, they can apply them effectively in education and employment.

One of the biggest parenting dilemmas of the 21st century is whether children should play video games and use other screen media. “I think the answer is clear,” Kulman said. Yes, okay, your kids should be playing video games. However, I would like to rephrase this dilemma. The most important problem is how to get your children to develop and adopt interests beyond screen media. “

“While we are under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic – completes Kühn – leaving more time in front of the screen is a useful tool for shelter and security. If you can offer to explore other passions with various games and hobbies, you will be helping your child long after confinement is over.

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