Walk into any school classroom today and there’s a good chance you’ll find children playing educational games – video games, computer games and online games.What started with Pac Man and a game of Pong has turned into a 21 billion dollar industry producing games that incorporate sophisticated strategies, spectacular graphic effects and multi-layer, multi-player gaming platforms.Gaming is almost impossible to avoid in today’s tech-saturated world. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 65 percent of households play computer or video games, and many children have had quite a bit of practice with the mouse or game joystick before they even hit kindergarten. But, is this a bad thing?”In my experience, today’s kindergarten class is equally divided by those that are exposed to gaming and those that are not,” says Stacey Kannenberg, parenting expert and author of Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten. Kannenberg charges that gaming, while entertaining, actually helps develop fine motor skills, primes a child for computer learning and uses repetition to teach basic skills. ”The children who are not exposed to the computer might have slower motor skills in the areas of coloring and cutting with a scissors.”Part of the reason for an increase in digital game-savvy kindergarteners is their parents, explains Kannenberg. “More and more parents are realizing the value of gaming because many of today’s parents are digital natives who grew up during the evolution of gaming.”In many cases, teachers are using digital games as teaching tools for traditional subjects and finding that children are motivated beyond the basic objectives of the game to challenge themselves past their typical skill ability. “Young kids are playing sophisticated games with layers of learning,” says Kannenberg, adding that a child who earns digital coins in a game to take care of and feed her digital pet doesn’t even realize she’s learning. “You have to ask yourself, what would you rather do: sit at your desk and listen to your teacher talk about the value of coins or play a computer game that teaches the same thing by allowing you to earn and spend money?”Tracey Christman, an education columnist and mother of two, was thrilled when a computer game helped her son with math. “My son had difficulty memorizing his math facts and we used a computer game program to help him practice,” says Christman, who is also a school psychologist for Milwaukee Public Schools. “I think some games online are wonderful, engaging, challenging, and reinforce the targets for the grade. My son would have never learned his math facts without the aid of a computer program.”While there’s no denying the educational benefits, gaming also presents parents and teachers with unprecedented challenges. Despite the fact that over half of digital games purchased in 2008 were rated “E” for “everyone” (6 years and up), or E10+ for “everyone 10 years and up,” content is a concern.“Let’s face it there are many violent and inappropriate games on the market that could be detrimental in the development of a young child,” says Kannenberg.Christman agrees. “A huge negative for me as a parent and professional is the use of realistic violence in games. The games kids play can involve killing people, hurting people. Exposure to this level of violence is not part of the normal development of children and comes out in their play, drawings, and stories.”Even non-violent games are a worry for parents. Amanda Robison, a mother of two children ages 9 and 12, believes gaming affects her children’s behavior. “I see a direct correlation between my kids’ bad behavior and the amount of time they spend in front of game screens. They get crabby and irritable, very much like when they haven’t gotten enough sleep.” Robison also has concerns about her children’s activity levels, and sets time limits in order to help them mix up their activities. “Gaming – working on the computer – is addicting, and both kids are less active than they used to be,” says Robison.So what is a concerned parent to do? Practice good old-fashioned parenting: set limits, define boundaries, and enforce rules. This takes vigilance, foresight, and the ability to communicate clearly, all of which, of course, can be exhausting. The rewards, however, are more than worth the effort. When it comes to online gaming safety, sticking to clearly defined rules is of paramount importance if kids – and their parents – hope to enjoy the benefits of educational (and entertaining) games.While it has been difficult, Robison believes that consistent parental guidance teaches children another important skill – to be cautious and critical when it comes to digital games. “Through educational and monitored child-friendly network opportunities, [my children] have become savvy and smart technology users! We are cautious parents who always do our homework with regard to what’s age and developmentally appropriate and still fits our moral compass – we try to keep games with weapons at a minimum!”Over time, Robison feels consistently enforcing her family values and boundaries when making gaming choices has helped teach her children to do the same – a critical competence that will come into play as they become more independent. “By now, enough time has passed that our kids have shown us they are consistently conscientious and careful, too.”Sharon Miller Cindrich is a mom, the author of E-Parenting: Keeping Up With Your Tech-Savvy Kids (Random House 2007) and the syndicated column “Plugged In Parent” featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide. Learn more at www.pluggedinparent.com
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