Video Games: How Much is Too Much?

Modern parents must find balance in so many areas - only one of which is controlling the amount of time that their children spend playing video games. Studies show that kids spend more time on the computer than ever before and much of that time spent game playing. If you add that to the time playing game systems and hand held video games, today's children are definitely techno savvy. The question is - where do you draw the line? When it comes to video games, how much is too much?
Exercising Their Minds
One of the biggest concerns about children's fascination with video games is the sedentary nature of the entertainment. A generation ago, children played outside - running, swimming and riding their bikes to keep them occupied. Today's kids are undoubtedly less physically active than their parents were, so care must be taken not to allow them to use video games as their main source of amusement.If a balance is met, however, between physical activity and video games, many experts feel that allowing children to play on the computer can be beneficial to them. By choosing high quality games, children can learn a lot. From games that are clearly designed to be educational to those that help children with logic and problem solving skills, a good video game can help to exercise a child's mind.
Preschool Kids
Computer games can help pre-readers to enjoy stories, using interesting sounds and animation to make the tales come alive. Many games also help young children to learn about colours, sorting, patterns, letters, and shapes. Preschool children often take great pleasure in drawing on the computer, creating works of art that they can print once they've perfected their artwork.Parents of preschoolers can enjoy the fact that the computer will read, again and again, some of their child's favourite stories to them. Although nothing can replace the time spent snuggling up with your child and reading a story, having a little help is appreciated by exhausted parents everywhere!