Video Game Advantage for Kids: Video Games = Good? (Part 5 of 6)

By: Kate Camillo

Welcome back guys! I hope everyone has been enjoying this series so far. We are almost done and will be moving on to a new topic in the next couple of weeks. Before we get down to business, I just want to suggest to you guys to follow ONCEKids and Fujimini Island on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates, posts, and much more! 

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Let’s talk about parent-child relationships. It can sometimes be hard to relate to your child if you have completely different interests. Video games can be a great way to connect with your child. You can play together or against each other. Video games also switch up the dynamic between parent and child. It will be your child’s turn to teach you how to do something. This will give your child a chance to have a leg up over mom and dad in something. This can do wonders for a kid’s confidence and overall mood. By giving a child the opportunity to teach a skill, you are helping their communication and social skills. They are also learning the value of practice and patience. Playing a game together is a great way to bond, the conversation between the two of you will come naturally. Playing against each other is also a great way to bond. It will spark a healthy competition between the two of you and will create a continuous setting to spend time together. No one gives up after a loss, there is always a rematch! Always a “same time, same place!” Always an “I’ll get you next time!” This ensures more time to bond, compete and grow a relationship. 

Video games help as a way to alleviate many things such as anxiety, stress, pain and cravings. The focus needed for games can be used as a helpful distraction from everyday bothers. Video games let you escape the outside world and completely dive into a new one where those everyday stresses do not exist. What a great book can do for some, a great game can do for others. Your kid had a hard day at school, let him go play his favorite game for an hour and watch his bad mood get replaced with an awesome one!

I am going to take this opportunity to drop a quote from a CBSNews article about a study done on effects of video games on children and I am sure it will speak for itself. “Those who played video games ... were associated with the highest levels of sociability and were most likely to say they were satisfied with their lives. They also appeared to have fewer friendship and emotional problems, and reported less hyperactivity than the other groups." 

The next time you see your child playing a video game ask to watch or even join! Hope you enjoyed this week’s blog and we’ll see you next week!

Video Game Advantage for Kids: Video Games = Good? (Part 3 of 6)

By: Kate Camillo

This week, we will be discussing how video games can spark children’s interest in history and culture! If you’re new, check out our previous blogs on other awesome benefits video games can bring to children- self-expression and problem-solving skills are on the rise! We’re halfway through this series and if you’re not on board yet, you are about to be! So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the virtual ride!

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Children divulge into other worlds and outer dimensions easily; they dive head first into other cultures and new places, learning about cultural traits and exploring places through their games. Most popular games bring kids into a new virtual world, leading to expanded perspectives and knowledge of the surrounding world. The content in these video games inspires kids to learn and research. And we certainly cannot forget that content counts! As a parent, there are many opportunities to encourage your kids to learn about all sorts of topics such as world history, geography, ancient cultures, and contemporary international relations. It's time to take advantage of these opportunities and spark your child's interest in history, culture, and all related subjects. Video games are part of our contemporary culture; we need to embrace and pull out the best elements and benefits of them. 

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As we know children's brains are like sponges, absorbing everything. It’s time to embrace video games’ learning and growth opportunities. Whether it’s the history of the very streets they walk on or the culture of a country thousands of miles away, children are constantly learning about what interests them and their peers. This creates a bigger platform for you, the parent, to be more involved in your child’s interests. This is a way to connect to your children; help them learn more about the place where their favorite or loathed character lives – whether it’s ancient Greece or the farmlands of Scotland, video games animate what can tend to be a boring subject for many – history! (sorry Mr. Moore; my high school history teacher). Learning history through a video game is a great tool that we need to take advantage of, parents!

The Fujimini Island Adventure book series, website, social media and game app appreciates and strives to expose children to Asian culture. While playing our game and reading our books, your children will be learning and having fun at the same time! Which truly is what we want, right?

Thanks for tuning in and staying clicked in! Next week, same time sound good to you? Awesome, see you then!

Games Help Your Child Learn

Practically every child has played video games or some form of virtual game. These games can take hours to complete, are highly immersive and deeply competitive. They also trigger psychological responses. More mature games allow the player to make life or death decisions. These games can be taxing and addictive. Younger children generally don’t play darker and longer virtual games. But the virtual games for kids can have a similar impact on them. The question is, are kids of any age learning from these virtual games? Games build skills that are critical for learning. Games are best when they are designed to instruct or help kids explore a virtual extension of a theme or book. Games are most instructive when curriculum or reading based. Games can generate interest in certain subjects. Games can also improve language fluency and acquisition.

ONCEKids has several games, including digital coloring sheets, to supplement their Fujimini Island Adventure Series.