87% of 6 – 10 year olds and 96% of 11 – 15 year olds are playing online for fun and social interaction.
Gaming has become a favourite pastime for Australian Children. There are some benefits to gaming and some very important things to be aware of.
An Australian study conducted in 2014 reports that children who play age-appropriate games for only an hour a day are not negatively impacted. In fact, this DA14 research indicates that gaming can help children with Dyslexia and provide a distraction for children who are experiencing sickness, pain from medical procedure, or anxiety. Research conducted in 2016 at RMIT also reported that online gaming can help boost maths and science results and improve analytical and problem solving skills.There are even active video games that can increase physical activity. So if you’re concerned about your little couch potato it might pay to invest in a Wii Fit!
But do you know who your child is playing with online?
The average age of online gamers is currently 32 years old. Yep, that’s right! It’s not just a child’s play. If your child is playing online you need to be involved.. Why?
Firstly, because appropriate content for a 32 year old is not appropriate content for children. While they play they talk. Do you know what conversations are taking place that your children are listening to or are involved in?
Secondly, online predators are using gaming platforms as a medium for grooming children. Children will chat and play. Over time predators will build a relationship with a child and find out information about them, perhaps without them even being aware that they are sharing. The aim is to trick the child into believing that they have developed a trusting friendship so that if anything untoward occurs the child will feel a loyalty to them and guilt associated with ‘dobbing’ on their new friend. This is frightening but true. The predator’s identity is hidden so the child can be tricked into believing they’re playing with another child of their own age.
Our 4 top tips for supporting positive online gaming experiences.
- Ensure that your child is playing something that is appropriate for them. Playing violent or sexually explicit online games can have many negative outcomes.
- Know who your child is playing with, sit with them, check their friends list and get involved. Make sure they are only playing with people they know. Check the settings on your child’s games to ensure strangers are blocked. Accepting a stranger in an online game is like inviting a stranger into the playroom to hang out with your child
- Limit online gaming time. An hour per day is more than enough for the experience to be a positive one and not enough time to get hooked!
- Play online games with your child. Step into their world, talk to them about it, learn about what they play and interact with your child while they are playing. This will open the lines of communication should they need your support somewhere down the track.
For advice about the best ways to manage online gaming in your family, contact Cybersafe Families.