It’s an all too common complaint from parents that their children spend far too long playing videogames.
But experts have now suggested that it could be more beneficial for them to take part in the gameplay than to try to discourage it.
According to a new study, a third of parents in Britain play computer and videogames with their children daily – with 80 percent of those questioned considering it to be “quality time” and a further one in three saying that it had strengthened the bond between them and their children.
The research also said that playing games together allowed all generations to gain a greater understanding of technology.
One in five parents said that their children had become more tech-savvy as a result of computer games, while many grandparents had also learnt to play games in order to become closer to younger family members.
And despite concerns that computer-game playing youngsters shun the great outdoors, three-quarters of parents said their children also exercised regularly and ate healthily.
The research focused mainly on “casual” gaming, which has become hugely popular after being made widely available on smartphone and tablet devices.
The growth in casual games, such as Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies – both of which have been best-sellers on the iPhone and iPad as well as other devices – has resulted in children as young as two being able to get to grips with technology.
Around 27 percent of those who took part in the study said their children borrowed their smartphone or tablet device every day to play casual games.
About 3 250 parents and grandparents took part in the research conducted by Goldsmiths University and gaming company PopCap, whose games include the smartphone favourite Bejeweled.
“These findings are important because they highlight the social benefits of playing videogames,” said Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Reader in Psychology at Goldsmiths.
“Previous research has tended to look only at the individual effects of videogames, but in the era of social networking, games appear to play a vital role in enhancing social relationships.
“The fact that both parents and grandparents are using games to connect with their children and grandchildren, and quite successfully, suggests that videogames can improve social skills and make a key contribution to both effective parenting and child development.” – Daily Mail