Somewhere, right now, a princess is learning to solve complex problems. Also, a rock icon is developing an understanding of music theory. And somewhere else, a pro skater is figuring out the fundamentals of physics.

This is not some kind of professional development workshop: we’re talking about kids playing video games. And if we, for a moment, put aside the idea that video games will rot kids’ brains out, we can uncover a side of this entertainment not often discussed: one that makes our kids smarter and happier.

“There is nothing inherently good or evil about video games,” says Jason Callina, dad of Seth, 10, and Luke, 8, and co-founder of video game culture site playaslife.com. “They’re just another medium.” And rather than focusing on the medium, Callina suggests that focusing on the content is a better approach. “Some games have a tremendous amount of reading,” he says. “For Luke, this means that if he wants to get to the next step within the game, he’ll have to read carefully. Often these games have vocabulary words that are new to him, and we’ll discuss the meaning together.” He also points out that his older son has benefited from games that involve difficult moral choices — such as stealing equipment in a role-playing game, a decision that may impact other players. “As the storytelling matures, these decisions are not always black and white and require some fairly sophisticated and complex thinking,” says Callina.

brain boost?

“The terms smarter, better, healthier are relative,” points out Dr. Kiki Sanford, neuroscientist and online host of This Week in Science and Dr. Kiki’s Science Hour. “It does depend on the child and the amount of time spent playing video games. That said, there are several studies that suggest playing video games increases reaction times and improves IQ scores and memory.”

Studies have found that some games may increase brain processing speed, improve vision, improve attention and help develop fine motor skills. Take, for example, research completed by the Mind Research
Network of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They tested 26 adolescent girls who each played the popular puzzle game Tetris for 30 minutes a day over the course of three months. The players developed a thicker cortex than girls who didn’t play. The cortex is related to planning complex, coordinated movements and coordinating visual, tactile and auditory information. Researchers at the University of Ottawa have also discovered that daily use of Wii Fit and Wii Sports significantly improved the static balance of patients with Parkinson’s disease.

play along

Before letting a child loose on his game system, parents should make sure what he is playing is appropriate. Children this age should stick to games featuring E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) or T (Teen) ratings, if your child is older. “Violent video games at an early age, before the child has the life experience to put the games into proper perspective, may influence the brain and the child’s behaviour negatively, whereas non-violent, educational or process-based games may lead to brain and behaviour benefits,” asserts Dr. Sanford.

Toronto-based tech journalist Amber MacArthur says she’ll be ready to hand over the controller when her one-year-old son Connor asks for his first video game. But, like everything, parents need to be involved. “I think parents need to impose guidelines, monitor what their kids are playing and adhere to game ratings,” advises MacArthur. And perhaps the best way to learn about the games your kids are playing? Play with them. You might just get hooked yourself.

CF’s Megan McChesney started to play video games at age seven and has been an avid fan ever since.