Years back, when I was kid, for me games meant going out and playing on roads, fields, school playground, etc. What it really meant was playing games with physical activities including, Hide and seek, Gilli Danda, Ling Ling Lingocha, cricket, soccer, khoko, etc. The only video game I had played at that time was the water-ring-game, and I had to fight with my siblings to get my turn.
turn.
But things have changed, currently video and online games have taken over the market. With advances in technology, smart phones, mobile gaming systems and easy access to the internet, they have flourished in the market. We like it or not, kids nowadays enjoy more video games than going outside the house and playing games.
Advantages of Video Games
- It improves eye-hand coordination and helps in better stimulus and reflex action.
- Sharpen your brains, help in strategizing and improve thinking.
- Reduces depression and loneliness.
- Play and communicate with online friends, without having to worry about surroundings and sharing your identity.
- Easy to take a quick break between important tasks (e.g. studies), play a quick online game, refresh your mind and get back to core business.
Disadvantages of Video Games
- Kids are easily addicted to Video games. The World Health Organization has done a lot of research and has come to the conclusion that Gaming addiction can lead to mental disorders.
- Reduced Social Interactions. Making it hard to deal with real life challenges, and affects personality development.
- Reduced physical activities are depriving kids and gamers a good healthy sleep, digestion issues and leading to Obesity.
- Financial burden on parents. Buying a console is a one time activity but you need to buy games which don’t come for cheap.
- Kids are getting used to violence and liking it.
- Too much of games may affect education.
Video games can teach us high-level thinking skills, but too much of anything can be bad. Video games aren’t bad for you as long as you aren’t overdoing it. So, enjoy your downtime and relax with your games but get out there and keep your life as diverse as possible as well, because eventually, you have got to win the game of life.
Video Games helps kids sharpen their mind with good Eye-Hand-Mind combination. But it should not be considered as an alternative for physical games.
People are getting more used to Urban lifestyle, and kids are not able to go out and play in field, or around their house premises. Parents should find out alternatives to let their kids go out and play.