Growing From Gaming

In society today, the industry of gaming is growing like never before. Almost all children report of doing some kind of gaming throughout their daily lives, whether it is on a console, mobile device, laptop, in school, or at home. With gaming on the rise, it has become more important than ever to make sure it is done safely, and in a way where children are able to benefit from it. To do this, parents and teachers are becoming more involved in their children’s gaming lives. Educating children on what safe gaming looks like and what to be aware of is crucial in a place where they spend so much time. This may include being aware of things such as payment scams, online bullying, and violence. Taking note of what children are learning from the games that they play is important, to make sure that they are benefitting from it in some ways. If they are, then it may be a good idea to incorporate it into other parts of their lives. Teachers can do this in the classroom. If they take note that students are into a popular game, and are able to infuse it into lessons, then it may improve children’s engagement with the class content, as well as teaching them a valuable lesson on the important parts of their gaming habits. Communicating the benefits of gaming to children, from both parents and teachers, is crucial for them to develop a healthy relationship with gaming, so that they are able to gain valuable life skills and stay away from the risks of it.

Since I am becoming a teacher myself, there are many tips that I would share to both parents and fellow educators about gaming through personal experience with students. First, I would recommend for all parents and teachers to set gaming boundaries for their students. This includes making them aware of the types of games they are able to play (age rating), for how long, and who they can communicate with. If you set strict, yet healthy boundaries from the get-go, then they are able to incorporate that into their daily gaming habits, and it will become routine for them. The second tip is to monitor it closely. Many parents and teachers automatically assume that gaming is a safe space for their kids, when in reality it can be quite the opposite. It is always a good idea to watch and/or check in with your children and students throughout their gaming experience, to make sure they are being respectful and navigating the gaming world safely. Lastly, always make sure that the children are benefitting from the games their playing in some way. Most games teach some kind of life skill, even if it’s minor. It is important to make note of these lessons that the child may be learning, because it is always good that the child is playing a game that they are getting something out of.

One of the most popular games on the market right now, and one of my personal favorites as well, is the mobile game called “Among Us”. In this game, there are multiple people that are included in the game and are assigned tasks. Within those people, there is one person who is the “imposter”, who secretly try to “kill” everyone else in the game. The job of everyone in the game is to try to figure out who the imposter is, all while the imposter is trying to convince everyone else they are not it. This game became a viral sensation during quarantine, and teachers took advantage of this during online school. There are now many lesson plans that include this popular game to keep students engaged. Here is one article from boredteachers.com on ways that you can include this popular game within your lesson plans. This game gives the opportunity for students to learn team work skills, problem-solving skills, use critical thinking, and will even help motor skills! That is why games like Among Us are great to include in a child’s lifestyle.

Gaming has become a large part of the everyday lifestyle of adolescents. It is important for adults to learn the proper way to monitor children’s gaming habits, and foster healthy gaming choices. Video games can be a fun way of teaching children different life skills, as long as healthy gaming habits are established! We should not be afraid of video games, rather, we should just pay attention to how they fit into our children’s lifestyles.