Being a video gamer is something you may have been doing for years now. If so, no doubt you enjoy the distraction video gaming gives you from the daily world.
So, if you have a young child at home, what age do you think would be right for them to take up video gaming?
You want your child focused on their studies and other important needs in life. That said having them play video games can be one of the better decisions you make for them.
According to a 2020 report from theesa.com, some 70% of Americans under the age of 18 play video games on a regular basis.
Set Your Child up for Video Gaming Fun
Coming up with the right age to allow your kid to play is a decision you and only you (and your spouse if you have one) can make.
That said you want to weigh different factors so you can come up with the right decision.
For one, is your child in school? If so, how would playing video games during the week impact his or her schoolwork?
You also want to think about the types of video games he or she may play. Are they old enough to play certain games? You want to make sure that any game you allow them to play is appropriate for their age. The good thing is there are plenty of games on the market that are appropriate for younger children to play.
Last, you should think about your child’s hand-and-eye coordination and how far along they are. Find video games for them that they can handle at a young age and then progress from there to more involved games.
When you have signed off on allowing your son or daughter playing video games, here are a few things to hone in on:
- Providing them with top equipment – Your kid will lose interest in rather fast if he or she has bad equipment. That said do your best to find them equipment that will last for years and make it easy for them to enjoy gaming. From a sound headset to gaming mouse pad and more, you want equipment that is not going to let your kid down. If the equipment is not getting the job done, there is always the danger your kid will lose interest in playing.
- Have a good place for them to play – Where at home might your child play in the first place? One thought would be their bedroom. The only hesitation you may have would be they could be in their room for hours with the door closed and playing. You may want a little more of a watchful eye over them, thus meaning they play in the living room or if you have a family room.
- Playing with them – Last, if you play or have an interest in gaming, this is a great way of bonding with your young one or ones. You could even set up a family night or two of playing video games. The time spent together is something to enjoy given how fast kids grow up.
When you say it is okay for your child to play video games, let them get their game on.
