Battle of the Video Games

Worried about how many video games your kids have played over the holiday break?  Based on conversations at the Y’s family swim this afternoon, my mom friends practically had to drag their sons out for some actual exercise.

My boys went to the pool willingly enough – probably because they’d had their fill of Wii hockey and Angry Birds (and they can’t find the Nintendo DS). It’s kind of amazing how much time they can spend with screens if you let them.

And while you should boot your kids off the couch now, there are plenty of benefits of computer games.

A quick search of recent studies on ScienceDaily found the following:

• Fast-moving games with lots of action build visual attention (a skill that comes in handy when driving and other tasks where we’re receiving lots of data through our eyes).
• Extended game play builds visuomotor skills (for example, reaching one way while looking another)
• Playing high-speed action games can increase the speed and accuracy of decision-making and heighten awareness of one’s surroundings (useful in everything from multitasking to reading fine print in contracts).

Scientists are also developing many therapies using video games, including obesity prevention/healthy food choices, anger control, stroke recovery and surgeon training.

Still, it’s clear there are downsides to some video games, especially those that involve realistic violence and graphics that are more appropriate for adults. The key is to know what your kids are playing and to steer them toward educational games. Even Angry Birds, with its emphasis on trajectory and angles, fits the bill here.

According to a 2010 report that looked at the educational benefits of its mobile phone apps, 97 percent of kids liked it when their parents played with them. For younger kids, this might mean teaching them the game; for older kids, it might simply be admiring their skills.

In my household, that means I will probably have to learn how to play Wii hockey. Wish me luck!

By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting