Your daughter just came home with an outstanding report card and an academic achievement award. She is already taking classes for college credit and is only in the tenth grade. Her brother, who is two years older, is graduating this year and going off to college for the summer. He will be attending a major university on a full academic scholarship. And he was the one you used to think he’d be better off attending trade school. You and your spouse like to think that you’re both pretty smart and that your two gill sons are just a couple of splinters off the old blocks. But before you start thinking too much about your own DNA, you should be aware of some recent scientific studies that say you and your spouse aren’t the only ones who should take credit. Video games played on systems like the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and PSP (Playstation Portable) should also get a lot of the credit for making your kids so smart.
One thing is for sure, and that is the fact that your children are growing up in a world that is quite different from the world they grew up in. Technology and its influences are much more ubiquitous now than they used to be in its infancy. The entire learning experience is mechanically different. For example, you grew up playing puzzles instead of video games. Puzzles are good for visualizing geometric patterns, along with recognizing and recalling geometric designs. The theory goes that if puzzles are good at this, then video games are even better because the shapes and designs are constantly changing and moving, making them more challenging. In essence, a more challenging learning experience means that a child is exercising more of her brain and this makes her smarter.
There are many other benefits that come with playing PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PSP games. Recent studies have shown that playing video games helps develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and sequential reasoning skills. They are also good for developing spatial reasoning and memory skills, since most games involve placing objects in three-dimensional spaces, as well as using plans, maps, mazes, and puzzles.
Video games are also good for developing artistic skills in children. Many games have incredibly creative graphics and stories that are sure to inspire any youngster with creative inclinations. They are especially good for children who dream of becoming a writer one day. It’s important to be able to build imaginary worlds as a writer, and many of the fantasy-based games show you what’s possible when you think creatively.
Playing computer games can also be good for language skills. Many of the games involve foreign languages and translations from Japanese to English and vice versa.
There’s also the cultural aspect of playing a game that was made in a foreign country. Many games depict settings found in the country where it was made. Children can learn about the differences and similarities between themselves and people in other countries of the world. They can access anthropological information every time they play a video game on their Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii consoles.
Not all video games offer an escape into a fantasy realm. Some have real world geography that teaches kids about the planet they live on. These types of games also teach them navigation skills, since they involve the use of maps and directions.
So if you’re wondering why your kids are outperforming in school, you need look no further than your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and PSP consoles and games. You may have been the one who taught them their first words, how to walk, and how to ride a bike, but your video games taught them things like problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and sequential reasoning skills.
If you’re a parent with a child who can’t seem to get enough PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii games or PSP downloads, and is starting to feel like the teacher’s assistant rather than the teacher, I wouldn’t worry too much. You have one big advantage over computer games and that is the ability to enjoy the fruits of your labor. When you see your kids graduate into mature, well-educated adults, you can be sure you did a good job raising them, with the help of video games, of course, who, by the way, will have no idea they were partly responsible. . so that their children grow up as smart and well-adjusted.