Child Psychologist and Academic, Collett Smart, shares her thoughts on the positive effects gaming has on kids…
More than ever we’re seeing the emergence of video games within the home not just simply for entertainment but to help parents in their bid to reinforce positive behaviours and habits in their children’s lives.
In recent years I’ve seen many parents concerned about introducing too much ‘screen time’ in their kids’ lives. While this is really important to consider in today’s digital age, it’s also vital parents grasp the real and tangible benefits that gaming and mobile apps can actually bring to the table to make their lives easier and healthier.
An important discussion that lends itself to this perspective comes out of the Netherlands following a paper that was released on ‘The Benefits of Playing Video Games’ concluding that gaming can have positive cognitive effects for kids. The reason was that these ‘pro-social games’ as we call them, can provide optimistic feedback loops that can then help them to develop a healthy motivation to succeed in something.
It’s an interesting and powerful perspective and one that I’ve personally seen in action recently. Philips Oral Health has recently created a mobile gaming app that pairs up with one of Australia’s first Bluetooth connected toothbrushes for kids – the Philips Sonicare for Kids Connected Toothbrush.
My young son has been using this connected toothbrush now for a few weeks and both he and I are hooked.
It’s no surprise that kids often don’t want to brush their teeth because they can’t immediately see the benefits of it but really, it’s one of the most important parts of staying healthy. However, when parents introduce a positive gaming element to a habit like brushing your teeth the results can be amazing.
Now, for the first time my son looks forward to brushing his teeth (yes I know!) as he gets to brush alongside an animated character and friend ‘Sparkly’, collecting rewards along the way for brushing his teeth well but also for brushing for the recommended time of two-minutes. I don’t know about you but if these are the types of results I can expect from pro-social gaming, sign me up for more.
