In recent years, a rapid increase in educational games entering the industry of video games has been noticed. Several games are promoted to provide educational value for kids, such as problem-solving skills or enhancing their creativity. But are all the video games educational? And can someone rely on video games for the improvement of literacy skills?
During the 70s, the first ever shooting game was released. During those days, video games, especially first person shooter games, had a negative impact and were titled as a waste of time and something that promoted antisocial behavior and teenagers. But have you ever acknowledged the process involved in playing video games?
However, in the development era of shooting games, several games started to be more complex, along with increased educational values. Below are a few ways video games can improve literacy skills.
- The outside activities-
For instance, a multiplayer shooting game like Mech arena, today comes with restricted instructions, and this encourages a child to hunt for some information they need. Due to this reason, your child will be referring to several resources to find detailed information, including YouTube videos, reading guides, Google, or even walk-throughs. Most of the content they come through might be written professionally or, keeping in mind, teenagers and adults. In the course of the research, your child will be reading at a beyond-expectation level as their passion drives them to hunt for more information.
- Gaming to enhance writing-
The passion for gaming will not only enhance your child’s reading capabilities, but also have a positive impact on your child’s writing skills. Once your child gets passionate about a certain game of their interest, such as a robot war game like Robo defense or Mech arena, the idea of writing will eventually become cool. When they take an interest in a particular game, it will result in them posting about it in the gaming forums, participating in online discussions, and even writing reviews. If they go deeper into a game, they might even start replying to numerous complex questions and provide detailed answers. Even without a minor prompt from parents, a child will write a number of words in a single day.
- Creative stories-
Several games allow the user to create their own world, choose a character, tell their own story, and even create different amazing stories each day. The concept of fan art, where you draw your favorite animated character from a show, is a concept that comes from the rise of fan fiction. In this case, your child can even write stories about their favorite character and experience, alternative scenarios, and endings. It will drive your child to think more creatively and increase their imagination in the process.
There is definitely a lot more to video games than only pressing a few buttons and staring at the screen for hours. Playing video games improves your child’s problem-solving and creativity skills. They also enhance their reading and writing skills; the key point is their increasing passion for video games every day. When your child is passionate about something, they themselves will explore new heights and boundaries without any conflict or guidance from a grown-up. This is the real power of passion.