Most parents are of the opinion that video games have a damaging effect on a young child’s development. While it’s true that an unhealthy balance can have certain repercussions, there is no denying the fact that playing video games and online games may help enhance learning.

We tend to be focused on the potential disadvantages than on the advantages of video games, but what we need to be aware of is that video games are an integral part of modern childhood. In this blog we focus on the benefits that video games can have on a child’s learning and how they can be used to help them develop certain skills.

Improve focus

Some people think that playing games deteriorate a child’s attention span, but researchers believe that this may not be the case. Students who are avid gamers have exceptional focus and are much more likely to filter out distractions than their non-gaming counterparts.

Encourages problem solving and strategic thinking

Video games encourage children to think fast on their feet. Gamers make use of their critical thinking to solve problems and progress ahead to complete levels. This is highly essential in improving their reasoning and accuracy skills and their ability to creatively think outside the box. 

Reduces stress

Video games can be helpful in lowering stress levels in kids. Games like Angry Birds that have easy graphics and that don’t require major time commitments to play can result in better moods and decrease anxiety.

It is important to supervise the kind of video games that your child is playing and how much time he/she is spending on it. Choosing games according to your child’s needs and age is vital to ensure that she/he is benefiting from playing.

Skill-building

Many video games help children with specific technical skills. Mystery and adventure video games contain maps which supports practical thinking along with map reading skills in students. Angry birds, a popular game, teaches basic coding to kids. Football management games, for instance, teach basic finances and project management. These games help with reasoning, perception and problem-solving.

Faster decision-making skills

Gaming helps in retrieving information and reacting to external stimulus quickly. Gamers improve their adaptive skills as they deal with large amounts of new information that is displayed during a game.  A research shows that gamers who played fast-paced games were faster in responding to queries about an image they just saw compared to non-gamers.

Improvement in motivation levels of low-performing students

Many teachers believe that games can motivate struggling students. Poor performing kids often find themselves detached from what is happening in the classroom and require personalized learning tactics. Games have helped in solving these learning gaps. In a survey that was conducted, 78% of teachers said that digital competitions were vital for helping in grasping course content and subject skills for the low performing students and these games also help with extracurricular skills.

This is why at Knowledge Platform, we encourage students to play and learn. We have designed over 600 learning games according to the national curriculum. With Learn Smart Pakistan, parents won’t have to worry about which games their children are playing.

To play and learn, head over to www.learnsmartpakistan.org and sign up for free!