| In this article I'd like to weight some of the pros | | | | of the things it taught me were binary logic and |
| and cons of video games for kids, because in | | | | hand-eye coordination. These two things have |
| spite of all the negative press video games get, | | | | been invaluable throughout my life and either one |
| especially in regard to kids, I do believe there is | | | | of them is grounds for further investigation into |
| the potential for a lot of good. | | | | this. |
| The Cons of Video Gaming for Kids | | | | In terms of binary logic, while playing the earliest |
| Starting with the obvious reasons parents usually | | | | video games I came to understand the idea of |
| cite for not allowing their kids to play video | | | | yes/no processing. And since all computers are |
| games, probably number one on the list is that it | | | | based on this idea, this helped me to master the |
| is very bad for their eyes. With the new wave of | | | | personal computer later on in life. Understanding |
| high vision television sets I'm not sure if eye | | | | how electrical appliances work and mechanical |
| damage is as bad as the old cathode ray TVs, | | | | systems can all be derived from this simple |
| but I'm sure it is still not all that good for the | | | | understanding and by playing video games it was |
| eyes, and this is not limited to children either. It | | | | instilled in my without the least bit of study... which |
| would be great if a TV screen could be made | | | | is quite a difficult way to understand its |
| that wasn't so harmful... or at least not to the | | | | implications. |
| degree that non-reversible damage is done. So if | | | | Second, in terms of hand-eye coordination, those |
| this issue could be addressed, I'm sure that would | | | | early games developed my reflexes, and |
| take quite a bit of sting out of the debate. | | | | response time to the point where they are |
| Second on the list is that video games are bad | | | | actually a force to be reckoned with. Again, this |
| for their brains. In this regard I would have to say | | | | has been invaluable throughout my life. |
| it depends on the game, but with the tremendous | | | | Finding the Middle Ground: Pro meets Con |
| lack of responsibility on the part of the game | | | | I'd like to offer a potential solution to all this |
| makers the negative reputation is surely | | | | contingent on the premise that television makers |
| deserved. Were the quality of the games a bit | | | | provide a non-damaging alternative to their |
| higher, with less a degree of wanton violence and | | | | current offerings and that is in the forum of |
| destruction, perhaps parents would not be so | | | | Edutainment. |
| negative to the idea. | | | | Edutainment, as you might have guessed, is the |
| Third on the list is that time spent mindlessly | | | | marriage of entertainment and education. If |
| playing these games takes away from time that | | | | games were designed that actually taught |
| kids could be spending playing 'real' sports, | | | | something and the game makers exercised some |
| studying or engaging in quality time with their | | | | responsibility in the games they produce there can |
| friends or family. Kids are so busy nowadays that | | | | be a whole genre of video games that have |
| time management has become an issue even for | | | | tremendous value. |
| 2 year olds, but with a balance of proper | | | | In future articles I will discuss this idea of |
| scheduling I'm sure there would not be the need | | | | edutainment in greater detail, but I believe it is the |
| to poo-poo the entire idea of kids playing these | | | | direction video games need to take in order to |
| games just on that account. | | | | make them more acceptable... anything less and |
| The Pros of Video Gaming for Kids | | | | the cons tend to outweigh the pros which tends |
| Turning to some of the pros for kids playing | | | | to make video games just another endangered |
| video games I'd like to draw from my own | | | | species. |
| experience of playing video games as a child. Two | | | | |