Best Video Games For Kids
How much video games children should be allowed to play can be a contentious topic at the best of times. Some older parenting styles will recommend as little time in front of the TV or console as possible, while newer generally treat video games as a reward for a job well done.
Regardless of when or how kids are allowed to play video games, it’s important to try and make the time spent productive and growing for kids. There are some video games out there that are pushed as purely educational, and they are educational, but they aren’t always fun. Kids will hardly ever find a game centered around math or spelling enjoyable, and it remains beneficial to allow them to enjoy their free time on the console or computer.
Fortunately, there are some incredibly fun games out there which can teach kids about a range of different life skills.
Little Big Planet
The latest in the series, Little Big Planet 3 is a fantastic all-round game, but previous versions also offer a very enjoyable experience for kids of all ages. Little Big Planet is recommended for children of 7 and up as there are some scenes which could scare much younger children.
The game is a 2D platformer game in which the player will need to solve a variety of different puzzles, either alone, with friends at home or friends on the internet. It may seem like a pointless game until you try it yourself and realize that little big planet requires a remarkable amount of thinking and logic from a person that age. Some 7-year-olds can fly through the game, while some 20-year-olds struggle.
Little Big Planet does an amazing job at teaching Maths, critical thinking, teamwork, deliberation, communication, problem-solving, logic and time management skills. All of these skills are very real-world skills which kids can use on a daily basis.
Two Point Hospital
The latest release of Two Point Hospital has proven to be a huge success and a fantastic follow-up to the original variant of the game, Theme Hospital. Two Point hospital is rated PEGI 3 for mild violence, but more in a slapstick and joking manner, the game is light-hearted and a great play for kids of any age.
Management is the name of the game in Two Point Hospital as you build and manage your own hospital from the ground up. Details like staff compliments, hospital layouts, and even decoration are all freely customizable.
On an overview, Two Point Hospital is played from the same top down prospective as games like The Sims but has a lot more real world educational elements along with the fun. Two Point Hospital excels at teaching resource management, time management, business management, critical thinking, logic, crisis management and many other important life skills. Being a majority single player game helps keep kids away from any possible internet threats yet can supply many hours of fun and learning for all ages, including adults too.
