Do Video Games Affect Young Children's Learning Ability?

Video games do have an affect on a child's ability to learn, but it is also important not to take this fact at face value. There are a number of different factors that come into play, including not just what kind of video games children play, but also what kind of learner your child is.

Types

There are numerous educational games on the market that are geared for specific age groups. Math, spelling and science-based games can give children excellent foundations to build their schoolwork on.

Puzzle Games

Puzzle video games help children learn how to become problem solvers and reason through steps needed to solve a problem. They also encourage kids to think ahead to the consequences of their immediate actions.

Matching Games

Matching video games (especially when this is a game-within-a-game scenario) can help kids hone memory skills. Many of these games are also timed, making kids think fast if they want to reach the next level.

Gender Roles

The world of gaming is far from gender neutral, and many games--even those for primary-school age children--depict women in a negative way. It's important to make sure that impressionable children aren't playing games that teach them that women are not created equal.

Reflexes

Video games build hand-eye coordination, a skill that's often necessary to progress within a game.

Social Interaction

One thing video games lack is a component of social interaction. It's important to make sure that children know how to relate to other people as well as they can relate to the TV or computer screen.