Access to computers has increased significantly over recent decades, and the

number of children playing games on computers has increased too. This essay
will consider the positive and negative impacts of this and discuss ways to
mitigate against the potential negative effects.
With regards to the positive effects, playing computers games can develop
childrens cognitive skills. Many popular games require abstract and high level
thinking skills in order to win, skills that may not be taught at school. For
example, children need to follow instructions, solve complex problems and use
logic in many of the games that are currently popular. Such experience will be
beneficial to a childs progression into an adult.
However, concerns have been raised about the prolific use of computer games
by children, much of this related to the violence they contain. The problem is that
in many of the games children are rewarded for being more violent, and this
violence is repeated again and again. For instance, many games involve children
helping their character to kill, kick, stab and shoot. This may lead to increased
aggressive feelings, thoughts, and behaviours.
In order to minimize these negative impacts, parents need to take certain steps.
Firstly, some video games are rated according their content, so parents must
check this and ensure their children are not allowed to have access to games
that are unsuitable. Parents can also set limits on the length of time games are
played. Finally, parents should also take an active interest in the games their
children are playing so they can find out how they feel about what they are
observing.
To sum up, there are benefits of computer games, but there are disadvantages
too. However, if parents take adequate precautions, the severity of these
negative impacts can be avoided.

Advantages and disadvantages of playing video games

a.) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of playing video games?
b.) How can the bad effect of computer games on children be minimized?
Computers have become indispensable in the modern times. From information to having fun, you can
possibly do everything with the help of this amazing machine. For the modern day child, computers are vital
and the amount of time that they devote on them has constantly been on the rise.
One of the most popular things with children when it comes to the computer are video games or the
computer games. From puzzles to racing, action to sports, strategy to adventure, computer games are
possibly the biggest addiction with most children. With companies such as Sony and Microsoft going all out
to promote Xbox and Playstation to children worldwide, the allure to these games has only got better.

These video games not only help in making childs brain sharper through mental stimulation but it also helps
relieve them of anxiety or pain. In some cases, games have proved to aid in dyslexic kids reading better.
Since adults also love playing games, it can be a time of bonding between adults and children, increasing
the amount of time spent together especially when time spent by parents and children is very less
nowadays.
On the other hand, the addiction to these computer games can severely harm the child. Since children keep
on playing for long hours, it can lead to eye damage. The impact of excessive visual medium is evident as a
large number of children these days start wearing spectacles from an early age. Long hours of playing
computer games can also result in headaches and dizziness.
But, one of the biggest concerns of playing excess computer games is that a child does not go out and play.
Playing outdoor sports not only increases fitness but also helps in better growth of children as they are able
to adapt better socially. Some of these games are violent and that is in turn harmful for growing children as it
can make them hostile.
It may not be possible to ban children from playing these games. However, parents and school have to
encourage children to play outdoor sports. It is imperative that a time has to be allocated for them to play
video games and adults should try and monitor the type of games being played by children.
Also, it needs to be ensured that a certain amount of distance is maintained between the television and the
child. This is to lower any possible damage to eyes as well as avoiding any health hazards that may result
out of playing video games. A fine and delicate balance can go a long way in ensuring that children are not
only able to have fun and derive benefits from these video games but in the process do not lose out on other
essential parts of life. UPFRONT
Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social
skills, according to a review of research in American Psychologist.
The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the
effects of violent media on youth. An APA task force is conducting a comprehensive review of research on
violence in video games and interactive media and will release its findings later this year.
"Important research has already been conducted for decades on the negative effects of gaming, including
addiction, depression and aggression, and we are certainly not suggesting that this should be ignored," says
Isabela Granic, PhD, of Radboud University Nijmegen in The Netherlands, lead author of the article.
"However, to understand the impact of video games on children's and adolescents' development, a more
balanced perspective is needed."
While one widely held view maintains that playing video games is intellectually lazy, such play actually may
strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception,
according to several studies reviewed in the article. This is particularly true for shooter video games, which
are often violent, the authors found. A 2013 meta-analysis found that playing shooter video games improved
a player's capacity to think about objects in three dimensions just as well as academic courses designed to
enhance these same skills, according to the study.
"This has critical implications for education and career development, as previous research has established
the power of spatial skills for achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Granic
says.
This enhanced thinking was not found when playing other types of video games, such as puzzles or roleplaying games.
Playing video games may also help children develop problem-solving skills, the authors said. The more
adolescents reported playing strategic video games, such as role-playing games, the more they improved in
problem solving and school grades the following year, according to a long-term study published in 2013.
Children's creativity was also enhanced by playing any kind of video game, including violent games, but not

when the children used other forms of technology, such as a computer or cell phone, other research
revealed.
Simple games that are easy to access and can be played quickly, such as "Angry Birds," can improve
players' moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety, the study said. "If playing video games simply
makes people happier, this seems to be a fundamental emotional benefit to consider," said Granic. The
authors also highlighted the possibility that video games are effective tools for learning resilience in the face
of failure. By learning to cope with ongoing failures in games, the authors suggest that children build
emotional resilience they can rely upon in their everyday lives.
Another stereotype the research challenges is the socially isolated gamer. More than 70 percent of gamers
play with a friend, and millions of people worldwide participate in massive virtual worlds through video
games such as "Farmville" and "World of Warcraft," the article noted. Multiplayer games become virtual
social communities, where decisions need to be made quickly about whom to trust or reject and how to lead
a group, the authors said. People who play video games, even if they are violent, that encourage
cooperation are more likely to be helpful to others while gaming than those who play the same games
competitively, a 2011 study found.

Video games are a part of todays modern world. If you look around you, everyone is playing
a video game. The father and son having a coffee and a milkshake are too busy playing
video games to communicate. The teenager who is struggling in school, instead of
considering her studies, is playing a video game because she is addicted to it. What is a
video game? This electronic game involves human interaction with a user interface to provide
visual feedback on a video device. Are they good for you? Well, maybe there are
advantages. But, the disadvantages greatly outnumber the advantages.
Firstly, lets consider the health repercussions of video games. Sitting in one place, moving
your fingers or thumbs around, cannot be good for health. According to research, playing
video games increases the risk of various diseases including heart diseases, arthritis,
diabetes and many more. In addition, usually when sitting in one place, one tends to munch
on snacks, and these are not the healthy ones! Too many calories with too little exercise
results in obesity. Obesity can increase your risk of heart attacks and diabetes, high blood
pressure etc. So, a healthy life is out of the window and this is the main disadvantage of
playing video games.
Secondly, video games are addictive. All you care about is forging ahead to the next level.
You sit and play for many hours and forget about everything else. All you care about is
overcoming your obstacles in order to get to the next level. So, the moment you come home,
you switch on your game and sit and play because you really cannot think of anything else.
Your friends call you to go out, your term paper is due in a few weeks and all you that is on
your mind is your video game. You are falling behind in your academic studies and you dont
care. This form of addiction is another disadvantage of video games.

Computer vision syndrome is a condition many computer users get by staring at a computer
screen the whole day. This is not a specific problem; rather it is a range of eyestrain and pain
associated with frequent computer use. This is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. Continued
focus on one thing can strain the eye muscles. It is very different to the focus you give when
reading because a computer screen has a glare in the background, the screen flickers from
time to time etc. Most often, constant use of computers or video games can cause blurred
vision, double vision, headaches and eye irritation all related to computer vision syndrome.
Video games can have many disadvantages for children. For example, according to
research, violent games produce aggressive children. Playing video games that have a lot of
shooting and killing in them increases childrens anger and brings out aggressive behaviour.
So, does this mean playing video games has to stop? No. It simply means that we must
know when to stop and say thats it! Im done for today. We must be able to get up and walk
away, have a good social life and lead a healthy life. These are far more crucial than a game.