Not a lot of people would like to admit it (especially parents and guardians), but video games do teach kids some important lessons they will use in life. Of course, this discourse on whether or not playing rots your brain have contributed to it.
If you are a parent reading up on that, you would be hesitant to buy your kids video games too. Not to mention the game ratings these days range from PG or M, so you will have to go to Domayne’s games and movies classifications guide every now and then to help you choose which games to buy for your kids.
Science has shown that there are benefits to playing video games
But a number of studies have come out that said playing video games changes the brain in very positive ways. In a research paper published by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, they found out that video games can change the regions in the brain focused on attention and visuospatial skills and makes them even more effective. So you see, it does not rot the brain, rather it enhances skills that may prove helpful in school or at work.
More than that though, video games can also teach kids life skills for personal growth. Here are some of them.
The further you go, the harder the challenges become.
All games start at a level one difficulty. But the further your progress into the game, the harder the puzzles and tasks become. These are meant to make you cleverer and stronger as you near the end of the game.
In real life, as we grow older, we level up. And as we level up, our challenges become even harder. But while you do not have an upgraded arsenal of weapons or items, what you do have is accumulated knowledge and experience you can use in the future.
Side quests can contribute to your growth.
Straying off the game’s storyline every now and then is beneficial because you get to have cool upgrades and powers you would not necessarily have when you just follow the main narrative. The same concept applies in life. Your side quests may be learning a language, getting musical theatre classes, or starting an art project. These are not necessarily part of your main path (although, it can be if you want), but it adds value to your personal growth.
Tutorials will come in handy in the future.
It is tempting to skip the tutorial stage because you can always “learn by playing the game.” But there are handy tips and hacks only a tutorial can help you with rather than just by trial and error.
Now, think about the lessons you have had in your school. Have you ever thought when you will ever convert pounds to kilograms in real life? Well, think about it this way: you might not find any use for it now, but you might find yourself needing to teach it to a friend, a niece, or even your kid. It might not look handy now, but it will be in the future.
When in doubt, press the pause button.
There are many reason why we press pause during the game: the task is too difficult, we need to get more food, or someone is calling us from the other room. Whatever reason it may be, it allows us to take a break. What this teaches us is we can always “press” pause when an obstacle is proving too hard at the moment. Taking a breather will make you feel more relaxed and refreshed, ready to take on the challenge again.
Learn to let go when something it is not helping anymore.
In video games, we tend to hoard items that are not necessary in the journey anymore and will only weigh us down. But we do eventually learn to let go of these and make room for items that can actually help us finish the game.
You only have room for so much, whether it is possessions or people. Learn to let when these are more toxic rather than helpful in your personal growth.
You will not be alone.
The most important life skill video games can teach us is learning that we are not alone. You will always have healers, tanks, or junglers helping you traverse life. There will always be friends or family to help back you up when there are major hiccups in your life.
See? Video games do not just benefit your kids’ brain development in a way, but it also teaches them how to persevere, how to solve problems creatively, and how to ask for help when they need it.