Games pros and cons - Sample

Computer games are said to be almost as old as computers themselves. However, the effects of computer games on the development of children are still hotly debated - while some say that computer games negatively affect children and should be avoided at all costs, others believe that computer games have a role to play in the development of children in the modern world. In my case, I find myself agreeing more with the latter.

Computer games, like everything else, have many downsides, especially for children. Extended and unsupervised gaming sessions can cause many issues, ranging from physical ones such as nearsightedness and joint pain to psychological ones like addiction. These problems have the potential to adversely (=negatively) impact the lives of anyone, but they are especially damaging to children in their formative years. As such, excessive gaming is generally frowned upon by health experts, and it is recommended that parents should both limit the amount of time their children spend playing video games and keep an eye on the games they play.

However, computer games may also bring benefits to the development of children. Various studies were able to measure a considerable increase in hand-eye coordination in children who spend at least some of their time playing video games compared to their peers who don’t play at all. Some games, such as strategy or puzzle games, can even teach children critical thinking and forward planning. Needless to say, these are beneficial skills and traits that can help children blossom and develop. Therefore, it can be concluded that there are also physical and mental benefits of computer games that can positively contribute to children’s growth.

In conclusion, while there are undoubtedly many potential problems that computer games can cause, they mainly stem from excessive and uncontrolled gaming. On the other hand, choosing the right games and playing them in moderation can have a lot of positive impact on children’s development.

(Band 6.5-7.0)