How young is too young for children to play video games?

[SineCosine]

The rubik's cube would do well for a kid.
He/she will be known as the young-cuber in his/her school XD
Imagine, a 5year old kid solving the cube and stunning the teacher

[EDIT]
Woah..
I just watched the vid Blade posted ._.
That was deep.
I don't even wanna' make jokes out of it.

 

[13lade619]

Some people just don't like sports (Me).

Maybe because you discovered video games FIRST
and THEN lost interest in sports?

Oh, yeah it is. Kids get into it so easily and it really helps develop some of their skills (like their brain and hand-eye coordination).

Which has better hand-eye coordination?

Moving the mouse and pressing keys or

Throwing a good pitch / Shooting a basketball?

 

[thewrongvine]

I would say you need a balance of both. Or I mean you don't need it, but there's nothing wrong with both. Obviously kids should get exercise and be out when young (and in all life), but video games can help the brain. Puzzles and stuff, and random knowledge. So if you play a lot of games, you get a lot of random knowledge, and soon you'll have so much, that it'll make sense.

But answering the question... I don't think there's an age too young, since when they are very little, I doubt they actually understand what's going on. But more mature content should obviously be for kids when they are mature.

~Hai-Bye-Vine~

 

[Renendaru]

The issue is probably tied to the parents themselves as well. Even if you play games, that doesn't mean anything about your psychological development. It has a small factor, but parents are what make you, you, essentially. Right?

 

[Sevion]

The issue is probably tied to the parents themselves as well. Even if you play games, that doesn't mean anything about your psychological development. It has a small factor, but parents are what make you, you, essentially. Right?

Partially right. It's your environment that makes you, you. Parents are definitely a big role in that (if you have your parents).

Maybe because you discovered video games FIRST
and THEN lost interest in sports?

Not really. I went out for a few sports, but I never really enjoyed it.

 

[thewrongvine]

Partially right. It's your environment that makes you, you. Parents are definitely a big role in that (if you have your parents).



Not really. I went out for a few sports, but I never really enjoyed it.

Yeah, video games aren't the sole items that affect a person.

Well... that also depends on if you were good at them,

~Hai-Bye-Vine~

 

[NightShade]

Children should only be introduced to games once their out of their toddler years.

The environment your in does shape you, but when your really young and most affected, it's mostly your family.

I once played sports, but whenever you lose, That's it and it's a bad feeling. If you lose in an online world, whatever.

 

[tom_mai78101]

I once played sports, but whenever you lose, That's it and it's a bad feeling. If you lose in an online world, whatever.

Unless you're in a tournament, playing regular sports and losing shouldn't be that bad.

 

[ReVolver]

People also need to know, if your poor like me or just couldn't wait for that new generation games/consoles like I did in the 90s. I would adventure off at my public library and even volunteer :thup:

 

[sqrage]

Unless you're in a tournament, playing regular sports and losing shouldn't be that bad.

Yea I take losing worse in video games. Cuz when I lose in a sport at least I got some physical activity done.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Maybe it's because of fear of losing and will affect socializing with people, right?

Then why not let the winning team's coach treat the entire losing team a big Häagen-Dazs ice cream? That way, everyone will be happy and encourage more physicial activity.

 

[DDRtists]

Chances are, the fear of losing is INCREASED by video games. You lose a friendly game of soccer, what happens? A few people go "You loose!" and joke around, nothing major however. You lose a video game, you may lose items or stats, and it's much more "severe" to you, so you get used to not liking to lose.

Face it guys, video games general ruin kids social skills if played too much. Yes, parents have a lot to do with it and should go and do stuff outside with their kids, but it still damages the kids social skills.

 

[Jackal]

I'd personally keep children away from video games until about 13. They need to learn to have fun in the real world playing sports and actually having a physical activity. Before 13 it is way too easy for them to build up a dependence and view games as the only means of fun.

I would hate to be your kid. I'd be reduced to crayon-drawing and watching the oh so awful daytime TV.

Chances are, the fear of losing is INCREASED by video games. You lose a friendly game of soccer, what happens? A few people go "You loose!" and joke around, nothing major however. You lose a video game, you may lose items or stats, and it's much more "severe" to you, so you get used to not liking to lose.

That isn't what I've seen in personal experience to the 'football crowd' who end up fuming when they lose a game, but I guess everyone's personal experience is different.

 

[FireCat]

I'd be reduced to crayon-drawing and watching the oh so awful daytime TV.

What if there were no computers at all?!
Would you still Just drawing and watching on tv?

 

[DDRtists]

That isn't what I've seen in personal experience to the 'football crowd' who end up fuming when they lose a game, but I guess everyone's personal experience is different.

Thats professional, or competitive sports. I'm talking just going out and playing a friendly game of a sport with your friends or other random people at the park or something. Yeah, pro sports get fumed when they loose, but thats different.

 

[NightShade]

Chances are, the fear of losing is INCREASED by video games. You lose a friendly game of soccer, what happens? A few people go "You loose!" and joke around, nothing major however. You lose a video game, you may lose items or stats, and it's much more "severe" to you, so you get used to not liking to lose.

What video games do you play?

Face it guys, video games general ruin kids social skills if played too much. Yes, parents have a lot to do with it and should go and do stuff outside with their kids, but it still damages the kids social skills.

My extremely bad social skills are what got me into single player gaming, then from that to multiplayer.

Thats professional, or competitive sports. I'm talking just going out and playing a friendly game of a sport with your friends or other random people at the park or something. Yeah, pro sports get fumed when they loose, but thats different.

But if you loose at tournaments, then it puts you off playful sporting.

 

[DDRtists]

What video games do you play?

I used to play random games as a kid, and then I played WoW from the second day it came out until a few months after WotLK was released, pretty much allll day everyday as I was homeschooled. Then I started getting out and doing things outside and going to events and meeting new people, and I enjoy my life so much better now. I too thought the same way everyone else did, and my social skills were shit, then I started getting out and doing things and playing games less, and my social skills are awesome now. Really, its so much more enjoyable getting out and hanging with people compared to just playing a game.

My extremely bad social skills are what got me into single player gaming, then from that to multiplayer.

Multiplayer doesn't constitute social, it is better than single player, but people are still "fake" compared to in person. Social isn't just talking, it's interacting, and you don't "interact" in games.

But if you loose at tournaments, then it puts you off playful sporting.

I guess thats a person-to-person thing. With me and my stuntriding, when I get beat at something, I strive to do better next time...

 

[Miz]

I mean it really depends, I watched my old sister and my cousins (all of them older) play games and there was no chance I would get to play. But I mean the first games I played were usually with other people and they were like Simulation and Tycoon Games. Like Sims Ant, Sim City, etc.

Oddly enough I am one of the few people, who suck at most games that are popular except for like Mario franchise but unlike the majority of the population I am one of those who are actually really really good and dedicated at games like Sims City. Those kind of games are super productive and you do learn things. I mean what other game is going to tell you how to create and manage a city of 13 million people. Basketball isn't going to teach you that kind of crap.

As for real "Video Games", I first played Goldeneye 007 when I was around 5 and lets just say I have been preparing to fight the Ruskies and former Soviet Terrorist Groups for a good 11 years now.

But all in all its on based upon in moderation and the child's maturity in my opinion.

PS - I still only own a Computer, N64 and a Gamecube. So yes I still am playing Goldeneye

 

[Azlier]

Well Mario teaches you that jumping into pits is counterproductive!

 

[ElderKingpin]

there is more behind the video game than the game itself. Like the video "the only thing i know" games unite people from all walks of like under one common interest, although i rarely go to gaming conventions, i dont think video games destroy all the social skills you may have.