Should Kids Play Video Games?

This is a question I get a lot when people find out I work in the video game industry. I'm not sure what they expect as I don't know how they think they are going to get an unbiased answer. Of course I think kids should play video games. Where do you think my Christmas bonus comes from? To be completely honest, I don't actually get a Christmas bonus. My annual bonus generally appears around June but it is tied to sales made around the Holiday period.

While I work in the video game industry, I am also a parent of 4 children and so for those that want my true opinion on the subject, continue reading.

As a child, I participated in a study where I was asked to read several pages out of a book. I then played a popular video game at its highest speed for around 15 minutes. Then I went back and continued reading. Everyone in the test read significantly faster after playing the high-speed game. Since then, I have had a bit more of an open mind when it comes to the benefits of video games. That may even contribute as to why I work in the industry.

There are a number of studies that have emerged showing that there are positive effects of video games. One back in 2014 shows that video games can be considered part of creative play, which is healthy for both children and adults. Another more recent study done in Germany shows that kids who play video games learn better than those that don't. There are many more that show the positive effects.

So what do I think? I think there is some good that can be had by allowing your children to play video games. I also think it should be done in moderation. When your kids come home from school, it is fine to let them play a video game for an hour before having them start on their homework. It allows them to release some aggression pent up from spending the day in a classroom. I think that more than an hour is too much and recommend against it. I also think parents should take a proactive role in helping children select video games and not just let them buy anything. For instance, I am not a fan of allowing kids to play games with nudity and strong sexual content. However those are my values and I can't direct you to any studies saying that I am right. While those studies may exist, I have not come across them yet. There are benefits to having parents take an interest in the activities of their children and knowing what your kids are playing is a good first step.