Playful Parenting: The Positive Benefits of Mobile Games For Kids

Mobile games are a fun way to spend your free time. With the major changes to home life and school in the past few years, we have also had to rely on our mobile devices for entertainment. Aside from classes and homework, your child may also be playing video games, watching videos, and finding other sources of entertainment on their mobile phones.

As a parent, worrying about your child’s screen time is reasonable. However, it is a common misconception that video games are “bad.” Making games a family affair and playing together opens the dialogue about safe and responsible gaming.

Understanding the benefits of mobile games together helps you and your child have more honest conversations about games and how they choose to spend their break time. To help you strike a balance, we’ve listed some of these benefits below:

Brain Stimulation

Help your child build on their developmental skills during playtime at home. Take advantage of your toddler’s natural curiosity by choosing educational games that involve shape recognition, spelling, reading, and reflex skills.

For older kids, there are many options for math-, language-, and logic-related mobile games that are engaging and age-appropriate. Games that test a child’s mental capability can complement their lessons in school. Thought-provoking mobile games can keep your child’s mind active and healthy.

Stress Relief

Your child may be excited to see their teachers and friends as they go back to school for face-to-face classes. This transition means they can finally take lessons and play with the schoolmates they met online. However, after a few years of the same online learning routine, they might struggle with the changes.

The learning environment in a school is quite different from the one you have created at home. Since your child will spend weekdays outside the house, they may encounter difficulties adjusting to this “new” setting. When this happens, encouraging them to play their favorite mobile games can help relieve stress and other pent-up feelings to improve their overall mood. Home can now be a place for them to rest and relax after a hard day’s work at school.

Development of Social Skills for Kids

Mobile games allow kids to make meaningful shared experiences with friends and family. Many multiplayer mobile games teach teamwork and collaboration. Playing games is also an opportunity to make new friends and expand their social circle.

Games may also provide a space for kids to discuss their interests and express themselves. You can learn more about your child by asking about their favorite video games. Perhaps you can observe them while they play or ask if you can play alongside them. You can even help improve their problem-solving skills by assisting with their game strategy.

Doing this boosts your child’s confidence and opens up a line of communication with them. Through this, they learn to talk about their needs, wants, dreams, and other ideas to you, friends, and others in their community.

Avenue for Bonding

If the past few years have taught us anything, the importance of family bonding and community is paramount. Game night is a fun activity where family members can spend quality time together. Strengthen these family ties by trying themobile versions of popular board games everyone can play.

There are many types of mobile games that families can play together. These days, casual match 3 games, where you match three-of-a-kind objects in a grid, are quite popular even among adults. Many story-driven video games have immersive plots and interactive gameplay that you and your kids can enjoy together.

For a more challenging and educational experience, memory games, word games, and puzzle games are great ways to learn together with your little ones. If you’re feeling bold, trivia games about general knowledge topics and other cooperative games played in teams can be more exciting with older children and their grandparents.

With this renewed attitude towards mobile games, we hope you discover new ways to connect and support your child while having family fun during playtime. — (TGM)