BENEFICIAL ASPECTS OF VIDEO GAMES IN OT
While brainstorming ideas for this week's open blog post, I came across another writer's blog post about iPad, Xbox, and Wii games having beneficial occupational therapy aspects for young children. This was very intriguing to me because in all my human development and psychology classes so far, I've learned that a child should not spend his/her time on media, but rather playing outside with toys or other children. So, what is different about these games that makes them beneficial to other games and media such as watching TV? The games that the blogger listed are...
IPAD
- Temple Run and Fruit Ninja (for visual tracking and task concentration)
- ABC tracing and Dora ABC's (for learning the alphabet)
- Cookie Maker and Pizza Maker (for following multi-step directions)
XBOX
- Kinect Dance Central (for strength and gross motor imitation)
- Kinect Sports (for hand-eye coordination and timing of movements)
- Kinect Training (for strength and endurance)
- Dance Dance Revolution
WII
- Wii Fit Plus (for body awareness)
- Wii Sports (for hand-eye coordination and timing of movements)
Through the list of games provided, it was clear that each game provided
certain tasks such as following directions, learning letters, and even
balance and coordination to help with the child's development. These
games do not have any violence and are interactive unlike television
cartoons children may like to watch, which makes them beneficial
compared to other games and TV. And, because they are video games, the child doesn't even know that they are practicing essential skills for development in their life, they just think their playing a fun game. For this reason, games like these can be very beneficial to young children and can make stimulating a child's development fun for their parents as well.
WORKS CITED
"12 iPad, Xbox, and Wii Games That Help With Occupational Therapy." The Friendship Circle Blog. 19 March 2013. Web. 9 April 2013.
I find this very interesting because I never thought of video games as something that aided a child's development. I wonder if there is a difference in development between kids who have these games and play them regularly and those kids without these games.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting point and topic, I would not have thought of this to be so beneficial. Whenever I see my brother playing video games I just think about how he is wasting his life away. Do you think that they might be recommend as a treatment one day? or are they already?
ReplyDeleteAre parents now considering these games to be an acceptable alternative to normal interaction and learning like we all had as kids? Do you think that they could be part of learning someday, maybe like homework?
ReplyDelete