Why You Should Let Your Kids Play Video Games Over Break

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If your kids received a new phone, computer, or the latest video game as a gift, they may have been among the 72 percent of kids who asked for a game-related present for the holidays. In 2023, the most requested presents included game subscriptions, consoles, accessories, and in-game currency, according to a survey conducted by the Entertainment Software Association. Even though parents are the most likely purchasers of these electronic gifts, there is often ambivalence on their part to let their kids spend too much time using these technologies.

Many adults want to give their kids these alluring presents, but then tell them not to use them too much. Good luck! Once your child receives a new video game or electronic device, they’ll want to play with it—sometimes nonstop.

Rather than trying to restrict access to screens during winter (and other) breaks, consider allowing more freedom for gaming as a method to distinguish play time from work time. After all, we know that vacations—especially those where you play—are healthy for your mind and body. In addition, helping a child learn the difference between learning time and playtime can be useful when they need to return to school in a few short days.

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Adults should know better. When we get a new toy—whether it’s a piece of clothing, a kitchen gadget, a phone, or even a new car—we want to try it out immediately. Kids are typically even more excited by novelty. Beyond the fun of the newest toy, there are many other reasons to consider allowing your child more access to gaming time during school vacation. Here are a few:

1. Good video games are great for learning. Many modern video games are good at sensing the child’s level of mastery and presenting the right amount of challenge. These games also give immediate feedback on performance. Students who do not learn as well in traditional settings often find digital technologies and media to be incredibly powerful tools for learning academic subjects.
2. Game time can become family time and strengthen family ties. Playing together can make for closer relationships among family members. It’s 2023—if the family playing a board game is the only way you envision engaging your kids in family fun, you're still in the 20th century. Just as board games have provided quality family time over the years, video games are a great way to engage and bond with your kids.
3. Video games teach 21st-century skills. The skills kids will need for jobs in a future, where they are likely to be competing with AI, are those that machines don’t do as well as humans. The development of 21st-century skills is arguably the most important goal of our educational system and video games help kids practice skills such as collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving.
4. Video games practice and teach executive functioning skills such as organization, planning, and cognitive flexibility. Recent research suggests that video games can improve mental flexibility, planning, visual working memory, visuospatial processing, fluid intelligence, and verbal working memory performance (Léa Martinez, Manuel Gimenes, Eric Lambert, 2023)
5. Restricting screen time during vacations labels it as bad for you. Most screen time can be productive, as long as children have other activities in their lives. In the 2020s, children's time and play is often dominated by their use of screen-based technologies. Developmental psychologists have historically equated children’s play with their learning. However, 21st-century kids often spend too much of their time involved in digital (or screen-based) play to the exclusion of engaging in other play activities. There are many benefits to video games and “playing” with technology, but it needs to be balanced with other types of play. I have developed the construct of a play diet to help guide parents and childcare professionals to encourage children to engage in a mix of social, physical, creative, and unstructured play and, if necessary, limit digital play. Typically, 60-90 minutes per day of recreational screen time seems to be beneficial to most children, but many factors need to be considered for each individual child.
6. Video games can increase factual knowledge, social awareness, and empathy. Video games often do more than just entertain. Kids can learn about poverty and war in the third world ("Darfur is Dying"), laws and government ("Do I Have a Right"), and energy conservation ("World Without Oil"). They can learn about NASA moon missions ("Apollo"), underwater ecosystems ("BBC Earth: California Coast"), and finding a balance between nature and technology ("Bioharmonious").
7. During vacations, there is more time to play! Play is the single best tool for children’s learning. While some parents may need to force their kids to go outside or leave their screens behind, most kids are open to engaging in other vacation activities. Vacations are a great time to go on day trips to visit relatives, explore nature, and engage in all types of fun learning experiences. After kids get enough of their screen time, they’ll be looking for something else to do.

So when your children want to use a bit more of their vacation time to engage with a screen, let them, but also try to make it a learning opportunity—a bit more digitally nutritious. When your child wants to transition from unwrapping to plugging in, let them.

You should even think about joining them. With the right guidance, input, and even participation, you can make the technology they want the most really work for them.