Parents often start to worry if their child is spending too much time playing video games. But how much is too much, and is gaming always bad for kids? An expert recommends that parents take an approach of 'relaxed scepticism.' — Photo: Jan Woitas/dpa
BERLIN: Kids today play a lot of video games – and there are lot's of ways to play them: on a computer, a console or a smartphone.
This can be a real challenge for parents – especially for those who did not grow up with video games. Daniel Heinz, head of a German games advice centre, provides answers to important questions.
When can a child be introduced to video games?
"That always depends on how they are supervised and what they are playing," says Heinz. Hectic games with fast-paced images are not for children under the age of five or six. And, of course, there are also some genres that should always remain off limits for children and young teenagers, including first-person shooting games.
However, there are games on the market that can be played with three or four-year-olds in short intervals. But the games must be child-friendly – for example they must have a pause function. And young children should never be left alone in front of a game.
"At pre-school age, nothing should take place unaccompanied," says the social and media games educator.
How much time in front of the console is okay?
There is no definitive answer to this question. Instead, there are various guidelines that parents can use. For children aged five and younger, the recommendation is no more than 30 minutes of screen time a day, Heinz says. For those aged six to nine, no more than one hour.
"As they get older, it is usually advisable to negotiate a weekly time quota," he advises. Similar to pocket money, this teaches children and young people how to organize their time. According to a survey conducted by Germany's Federal Statistical Office in 2022, 17-year-olds spent an average of one hour and seven minutes per day on video and computer games.
What should parents watch out for?
Heinz recommends paying attention to why your child is playing a game in addition to the time spent. One motivation could be whether "gaming is needed to compensate for any real-world deficits." If this usage behaviour persists over a long period of time or if other things such as hobbies or friends and family are neglected, "then you should talk to someone or seek help, for example from educational counselling centres," says Heinz.
In extreme cases, gaming can become an addiction. However, a computer gaming disorder only exists if various signs, including loss of control over the duration of the game or loss of interest in previous hobbies, occur over a period of at least 12 months. In principle, children "have a right to digital participation, including games and gaming," says Heinz.
"But of course everything has to take place within limits, and parents have to set those limits."
Can gaming promote children's development?
"It definitely can," the educator says. In many games, children and young people can communicate with other players via chat or audio messages. In some video games clans are formed in which the participant learns to communicate in a social group, work out strategies together or take responsibility for the team.
Some games are also set in different eras and environments and offer incentives to learn about history, for example. Strategy or educational games can also incentivise learning about various subject areas.
What negative effects can gaming have?
Some computer games contain sensitive content that can put children under psychological strain. It is therefore essential to pay attention to the age labelling when buying or find out about the various games beforehand.
In addition to these so-called content risks, we now know that there are also interaction risks, says Heinz. "This means that there is a possibility of contact with strangers and there are risks of bullying," explains the gaming advisor.
Money traps, such as extra content that can be purchased for the game, are also a potential problem. The same applies to bonding factors, for example mechanisms that encourage players to play a lot.
"Parental control settings on gaming devices can ensure greater safety in many cases," Heinz says.
Overall, he advises "relaxed scepticism." Observe what is going on but don't drive yourself crazy. – dpa
