One of the ways to get children interested in sports is to introduce them to video games. Not only will it get them fascinated by sports, but some of the video games have become educational tools for young people. The market is full of video games that are available both online and off the net. Thus it can be time-consuming and overwhelming when you are looking for just one or a few video games. Some of the things that you should take into consideration include:

Purpose of the Game

You should first define what you want to use the game for. For instance, if you are looking for a fun video game that they can play when they are taking a break, you simply need to choose a video game that appeals to them. Things are different when you want the game to act as an educational tool. In this case, you will evaluate how the game is played, including whether the game has some sort of assessment system that allows you to check if the child is progressing intellectually.

Content of the Game

There are games for almost every sport. When going for the right games for 4 year olds, you should avoid the ones that are overly violent. You should also be on the lookout for foul language that might corrupt the child. Checking content will also give you an opportunity to examine the complexity of the video game. You do not want the child to end up feeling frustrated because they cannot figure out the game.

Screen Time

Whether the video game is educational or being used for entertainment, you must factor in how long the game takes. Four year olds are better off playing games that are short and fast-paced. This makes it easier and convenient to manage screen time as soon as a game ends. It becomes irritating when you have to keep stopping them when they are midway in all their games because they were playing for too long.

Cost/Scalability

Always check to see how much a video game might cost before you introduce them to the children. You do not want to splurge on one game and then have to buy many more as the child grows. You should also look at scalability and whether the video game allows the children to scale up as they advance in age.

While looking for games for four year olds, spend a lot of time doing research and consulting so that you choose what works best for the child’s development.

There was a time, not quite long ago, when nobody would have imagined that video games would even get a mention when educational tools are being discussed. They were thought to be the “evil thing” stealing learners’ attention. In fact, there are some teachers who admit that they punished several children for playing video games in class. Times have now changed and many educational institutions are incorporating these games in their curriculum. The digital age, and some researches that indicate children learn better when different modes of teaching are used, have been great factors in determining how children retain information.

How Video Games Help in Education

If there is one thing that the global pandemic has taught educators, it is that they need to move with the times. Who would have imagined that many institutions would banish face to face learning and explore different models? Well, even as educators went to online learning, video games became an integral part of learning, as teachers tried to find ways to connect with children without necessarily being present. Developers of educational games such as MentalUp have come up with different games that can be accessed online through the guidance of an adult.

Most children who do not perform well in school always cite boredom as one of the reasons why they zone off. They tend to perform much better when other educational tools, like video games, are introduced. It is becoming more apparent that if teachers want to command the attention of their children, they need to meet them at their unique learning interests. That is why video games have a special place in the future. Learners embrace variety and are more likely to develop curiosity in learning if they are presented with different choices.

Video games are also a great way of retaining information when complemented with things like textbooks, classroom learning, group work and hands-on assignments. People across different ages are more likely to retain the information they got from a teaching aid that allowed them to be actively involved. More companies are now open to making video games for different ages, including children with learning disabilities. In short, it is becoming increasingly easier to involve many kids in the learning process through video games.

Cautionary Note

One of the issues that always comes up when the discussion on whether video games are the future of learning is the effect they have on young learners. Admittedly, younger people who are introduced to video games can easily slide into addiction if not monitored. The good news is that most reputable video game companies are now coming up with innovative mechanisms that allow effective control of the amount of time young people spend on the games. Some have automatic switch-offs and passwords that do not allow children to go past a set time. Moreover, educational tools that are used in school follow protocols whose aim to teach, so it is just the mode of teaching that changes. The content in the educational video games it to impart knowledge and give learners the much-needed break from traditional learning where a teacher drones on in class for hours on end.

It is always advisable that teachers and educators who want to use video games as an educational tool first sample out a series of the games they have in mind, so that they can objectively decide if they are appropriate.