I worried he'd get hooked - but video games can teach children about problem solving and dealing with failure, say psychologistsThree or four times a week, my son Xavi, four, and husband Mark settle on the sofa and lose themselves in 1990sare their vintage favourites: Xavi’s eyes widen in excitement as he tells me about new shields they’ve gained or bosses they’ve defeated.
But shielding children isn’t the answer, educational and child psychologist Michele McDowell confirms – to my relief. Instead, she recommends equipping children with useful skills. “It’s important parents support their children in navigating an online world that will be a norm as they get older,” she recommends. “Boundaries and monitoring are key.” While Xavi doesn’t know social interaction between players is possible in more contemporary games, McDowell recommends I educate myself.
I don’t restrict the time Xavi plays with Lego or drawing, unless it clashes with us going out or eating together, but we do have timers for tablets and video games. When the children code using Scratch Jnr together or play Numbots – a maths app supplied by their primary school – I’m less regimented, but games are limited to 20 minutes.plays and allow this to dictate how you manage their time and the types of games they play,” McDowell recommends.