Gaming can seem impenetrable to older generations, but more than that, it can seem like a waste. Time spent not studying, not socialising. But gaming has come a long way since the days of Super Mario, and our understanding of it has come a long way too. So, let’s peel back the curtains today and talk about how gaming can benefit a growing mind and how you can help them make the most of it. This one’s for all the parents out there.
Cognitive benefits
These days the complexity of video games across many genres often requires players to think critically, strategise and make effective on the fly decisions. According to the American Psychology Association, those who play games regularly will develop improved hand-eye coordination, enhanced spatial reasoning, and better attention to detail. Genres like roleplaying and strategy games can significantly boost problem-solving and analytical thinking skills, valuable traits in academics and the big wide world.
Social benefits
The days of a gamer being an island are long since passed. Most games these days have, if not a multiplayer aspect, a vibrant online community surrounding them and are a fantastic way to hang out with friends and have adventures together across gaming worlds. However, I will note that it’s still worth addressing internet safety before letting them run wild in online multiplayer games.
Stress relief
Gaming can be an excellent avenue for stress relief, giving us another world to escape from the pressures of school and everyday life. Getting away from the world with gaming can provide a much-needed break, reducing anxiety and promoting mental well-being. In addition, games often help foster a positive, resilient mindset and a feeling of accomplishment by placing challenges before gamers that they must overcome to progress. This feeling of satisfaction and reinforced mentality often carries over to academics, providing the resilience to push through difficult times.
Parental involvement and balancing gaming with academics
With all this said and the glowing praise I’ve heaped upon gaming, it’s still important to recognise the importance of striking a balance between recreation and academics. Setting clear boundaries can help foster better time management skills. Set specific times for gaming, and ensure they’ve finished what they need to do for their academics before letting them run free.
If they’re putting up a fuss, well, word to the wise, you can always put parental controls on your router; most (including all the ones we offer) come pre-equipped with these, allowing you to set strict cut-off times to make sure your teen knows when no means no.
Letting them game at their best
I’m sure you’ve heard it all before; they always need the newest console, monitor, PC part, chair, mouse, keyboard, etc. Well, we can’t help with all of that, but we can help cut the cost of the biggest expense of being a gamer, the hardware.
GeForce NOW Powered by Pentanet is Australia’s premiere cloud gaming platform, letting you transform any old PC or laptop into the high-power gaming PC your teen has been begging for by streaming the games through our advanced cloud gaming rigs, all for less than the price of Macca’s for dinner per month.
To make the most of online gaming (and cloud gaming), you’ll want to ensure they have a strong internet connection; trust us, it’ll save you and them many headaches. Thankfully, Pentanet connections are by gamers, for gamers, so our connections are optimised for gaming. Plus, a high-speed internet connection is generally a good home decision.
Whether you’re studying, working, gaming, or just watching Netflix as a family, the last thing you want is for buffering to let you down, so get a local, high-speed connection you can rely on.
