Importance of Video Games in Adolescence

In this article, we'll discuss the importance of video games in adolescence, as well as their benefits and risks.

Video games are becoming more and more important to teenagers nowadays. Online games are actually one of the most popular forms of entertainment for teens. That’s why parents often worry about the influence of video games in adolescence.

There are video games about all sorts of things. Some of them are based on sports, like football or basketball. Some of them are action, strategy, puzzles, etc. However, some of them are very violent.

We recommend that parents pay attention to what games their kids play, and keep track of the different things they do in them.

In fact, these games are extremely common among teenagers. More and more people prefer to play with their consoles than watching a movie, reading a book, or listening to music.

The possibility of having fun, meeting challenges and playing online with people from all over the world are some of the reasons why teens love playing these types of games.

The importance of video games in adolescence

This type of entertainment has a very prominent role in the lives of teens for a few reasons:

1. Competition

In the first place, for teenagers, video games are a way to feel like they’re good at something. They present a challenge for the players, who feel a sense of achievement when they win or move on to the next level.

Certainly, reaching your goals, advancing to the next task, and improving your skills can give you more confidence. In addition, video games provide constant feedback through their leaderboards, achievements and progress bars. Therefore, the goals are tangible.

2. Socialization

Oddly enough, video games in adolescence are a perfect tool for socialization. Even if you play most video games individually, playing them is a part of a new culture for teenagers. They exchange games, talk about them at recess or between classes, etc.

In fact, thanks to online games, you can even meet new people from all over the world while playing them.

3. Actively participate in the activity

On the other hand, actively participating in something and being the main person doing the activity is what motivates teens to want to play.

Unlike movies or shows that they can watch on TV, video games force the players to call the shots and face challenges in the first person.

4. Fun

Finally, it’s obvious that fun is one of the most important reasons why kids and teens want to invest so many hours in video games. The fact of being able to play with a console or the computer helps them clear their mind and concentrate only on what they’re doing at the moment.

In addition to having fun, they help teens forget the pressure they feel towards other commitments.

Tips on using video games

Your teenager might spend many – perhaps too many – hours playing video games. If this happens, know that it’s very complicated to get your teen to play less.

However, here are some tips that you can use to help your teens use these games in safe and effective ways:

• Show interest in knowing what kind of video games your child likes.
• If possible, don’t have the console in your teen’s bedroom.
• Control your child’s media use, whether it be television, video games or the internet.
• Establish time limits for video games.
• Monitor your child’s use of the internet with him to see how the online games are.
• Share information about certain games with other parents.

Finally, don’t forget that video games in adolescence have a fundamental role, given their popularity, advantages and risks. That’s why it’s important to control the time your children spend playing them and the kind of content they see.

Additionally, we recommend that teens avoid games that are aggressive or violent, and aren’t age appropriate.