As far back as the days of Pac-Man and Tetris, parents were worried their kids were wasting too much time playing video games. But as it turns out, all those hours spent on Minecraft, Pokémon, or Fortnite may actually be doing kids and teens a lot of good. Here’s a closer look at the benefits of video games, including advice from an expert.
Benefits of Video Games: An Expert’s Opinion
Jeff Knutson is a former teacher and current Director of Education Marketing for Common Sense Media. He’s an avid gamer and enjoys playing video games with his 8- and 12-year-old kids at home, where—for now—he holds the household record for the best time in Mario Kart. We asked him to share his thoughts on the benefits of video games.
Video games, when thoughtfully applied as learning experiences, can create all kinds of opportunities for kids to learn and practice a host of different social and emotional learning skills.
—Jeff Knutson, Common Sense Media
The Importance of Learning Through Play
“First and foremost, there’s no more powerful force for kids’ learning than play and exploration,” Jeff says. “Games and video games are a great way to ignite kids’ learning through play.”
The value of play-based learning is well established. We know that some of the most authentic learning happens when kids play, whether through free play or guided play. Kids feel like they’re just having fun, but they’re really picking up lots of important skills. (Find out more about play-based learning here.)
Jeff notes, “Games of all kinds—even those not designed for learning—have learning potential. But depending on what you’re teaching, some games can be better suited than others for facilitating kids’ learning. The best games center on free play and allow for exploration, imagination, and, often, failure.”
Video Games as Comprehensive Experiences
Video games have benefits in the classroom as well as at home. Teachers can make the most of them by viewing them as part of the learning experience itself. “It’s best for teachers to view games as experiences, not instruction,” Jeff advises.
“Prep for a game in the classroom the same way you’d prep for a field trip or a film screening: Set the context, then explore with your students,” he suggests. “Help students unpack the experience afterward; resist the urge to offer instruction too soon. But also keep an eye out for key teachable moments.”
Think of video games as a type of hands-on exploration activity you can use with students. For instance, when kids take on a STEM challenge, they aren’t specifically trying to practice or learn engineering or science skills; they’re just problem-solving. Video games can provide the same type of experience.
“Remember that some of the best learning opportunities often appear by accident, during play that feels chaotic, pointless, or ‘just for fun,’” explains Jeff. “It’s crucial for teachers to have tolerance for some of the messiness of experiential learning and an eye for the teachable moments that gaming experiences provide.”
“Learning” Games Aren’t Necessarily Better
“Many games that are designed specifically for learning actually miss the mark, using play as a simple reward for rote academic practice or repetition,” Jeff observes. “But there are some learning-specific games that offer kids great play while also giving teachers clearer connections to curricular concepts.”
In other words, it’s fine to use online learning games for some practice or enrichment. But these games don’t provide the same benefits that richer video games can.
“Teachers should generally avoid games and video games that use play as a simple reward for rote academic practice or repetition. Instead, present games and video games as experiences, and center exploration, imagination, collaboration, and, yes, even failure as key components to the learning you want to see in your classroom,” Jeff maintains.
“Big takeaway: Whether it’s through creative play that centers expression, sandbox-style play that focuses on experimentation, or puzzlers that support tinkering and deep thinking, games of all kinds—even those not designed for schools—have learning potential.”
—Jeff Knutson, Common Sense Media
10 Surprising Benefits of Video Games
Still not convinced? There’s been plenty of research into the benefits of playing video games. And while of course kids shouldn’t spend all their time on screens, playing interactive games can actually be better for their brains than passively watching videos or scrolling social media. These are some of the ways video games benefit kids.
1. Better cognitive performance
Kids who play video games are better at processing, remembering, and synthesizing information. A 2022 study showed that kids who played video games had better working memory (the ability to temporarily store information for immediate use in problem-solving or task completion). Researchers theorize that the fast-paced environment of many video games contributes to the development of working memory.
Other cognitive benefits of video games include:
- Strategic thinking
- Attention and focus
- Spatial reasoning and visualization
- Visual processing speed
- Language and reading comprehension
- Mathematical processing
Kids also develop real-life skills like:
- Resource management and budgeting
- Map reading and navigation
- Scheduling and time management
- Digital literacy
- Data analysis and interpretation
2. Increased autonomy
Video games require kids to make choices, encouraging a sense of ownership and self-directed learning. An NYU study in 2024 found that children often felt empowered by video games. Making your own choices, without parental or teacher input, is a powerful experience for many kids. In a world where they’re usually expected to do as they’re told, video games provide a space to do things the way they want to.
Perhaps more importantly, video games provide a safe space to try and fail, then try again. These games encourage a growth mindset by their very nature. Learning that it’s OK to make mistakes is a vital part of growing up. When kids play levels over and over again, determined to get it right, they’re building a sense of resilience that will benefit them their entire lives.
3. Higher motivation to learn
In 2013, researchers found that well-designed games could significantly increase a player’s desire to learn the skills needed to win the game. They looked specifically at math games for middle schoolers, where they discovered that the kids who played these games were more interested in mastering the skills than outperforming their friends. They also enjoyed the games (and the learning) more when they played with friends, whether collaboratively or competitively.
4. Boosted creativity
Some video games are inherently creative, requiring players to design and create characters, buildings, even entire worlds. But problem-solving games can boost creativity too. A study in 2017 found that games like Minecraft and Portal 2 significantly increased the players’ flexible thinking as they worked to find solutions to problems. The willingness and ability to think flexibly is vital to creativity, and video games can encourage this type of thinking.
5. Improved problem-solving skills (and better grades)
At their heart, video games are all about solving problems. Whether you’re gathering the items you need to build something, finding the best route through a map, or figuring out the right way to defeat an enemy, video game players need to draw on all sorts of logical thinking and reasoning skills. It’s no surprise that a 2013 study that followed video game players through their high school years found that those who played strategic games felt much more confident in their problem-solving skills.
What might surprise you, though, is to learn that those same teens who felt more confident in solving problems also tended to have higher academic grades. While correlation may not be causation, it’s certainly true that every child can benefit from building their problem-solving abilities at any age. Video games may be one way to do just that.
6. Improved motor skills and multitasking
Researchers have found that playing video games can have a significant impact on hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and multitasking. Especially in their younger years, kids are constantly fine-tuning their motor skills. As students get older, they need to be able to coordinate motor skills with cognitive thinking. For instance, learning to drive demands the ability to use your hands and feet to manipulate the vehicle, but also requires the driver to think about road conditions, traffic patterns, directions, and more.
Video games support the development of these skills, especially action and platformer games like Super Mario, which require a player to advance their character through increasingly difficult challenges. These require quick reflexes, plus fast and accurate manipulation of a keyboard or game controller. Players must perform these physical tasks at the same time that they monitor their in-game energy or resources, strategizing while they play. These are complex tasks, with complex payoffs.
7. Stronger social relationships
As video games became popular, people began to worry that kids who played them would become isolated (or even violent). But research actually shows the opposite. Whether kids are bonding over their mutual love of a game or learning how to work together to play one, they’re building relationships with their peers and others.
“So many of the most popular games that kids play today are collaborative experiences that don’t just encourage but require kids to work together, communicate, and problem-solve amongst themselves,” Jeff Knutson says. “Most kids who play video games today will already take for granted that these things are part of gaming. But just like with free play on a physical playground, kids can often benefit from some thoughtful adult guidance and intervention, and someone to help model the pro-social skills that make gaming fun, fair, friendly, and a positive learning experience for everyone.”
8. Greater self-confidence
Anyone who’s ever played a game knows the amazing feeling of defeating that final boss, solving the most difficult puzzle, or snagging the highest score. In addition, a virtual environment frees many people and allows them to act more naturally, overcoming anxiety or shyness. In fact, the self-confidence benefits of video games like Roblox or Minecraft can be so great that therapists often use them with clients during counseling sessions.
It’s worth noting, though, that some aspects of video games can be damaging to self-confidence, especially when it comes to girls and women. The idealized or overly sexualized appearance and behavior of some female characters can lead to body image issues. Other games may reinforce negative stereotypes. Parents and teachers should monitor games for diversity and representation to ensure every child can truly see themselves in the characters they play.
9. Better teamwork
Many popular video games are made to be played in teams. Whether playing online or in person, players must learn to work well as a part of a team if they want to succeed. Researchers asked participants in a 2021 study to play Halo or Rock Band for 45 minutes, then tested their productivity against those who hadn’t played the games. The teams who played video games first significantly outperformed those who hadn’t.
Video games can also help kids become team leaders. In 2024, researchers published a study linking playing video games like Minecraft with the development of leadership skills. They also noted that MMO games such as World of Warcraft are inherently designed to promote teamwork and leadership.
10. Increased emotional regulation
Everybody gets mad at video games sometimes—who hasn’t thrown a controller down in frustration once or twice? But if you want to beat that final boss, you’ve got to find a way to overcome that frustration, keep your anxiety in check, and slow your heart rate so you can focus on the task at hand.
In research published in 2018, scientists found that regular gamers were able to cope with emotions during games that they struggled with in real life. They suggested that players can learn to use the same strategies in the real world as they do in their games. The study also noted that many players use video games as a way to gain control over their environment, reducing stress and anxiety.
One caution: This same study found that excessive video game playing can have a negative effect on emotional regulation. Like other studies, this one shows that “moderate” video gaming has benefits, but too much time spent playing can be detrimental to kids as well as adults.
How much video game time is too much for kids?
While it’s important to recognize all the benefits video games offer, parents and teachers must also remember that unlimited screen time isn’t good for any of us. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry recommends no more than two hours of non-school-related screen time per day for K-12 kids. But the amount of time isn’t the only real consideration.
Jeff Knutson offered these thoughts: “At Common Sense Media, we stress the idea that not all screen time is created equal. We have a major focus on what we call Media Balance and Well-Being. We don’t just talk about screen and media use in terms of ‘How much screen time?’ but also in terms of the all-important question: Why?”
Parents and teachers should consider both what kids are playing and when they’re playing it. Jeff also notes the importance of helping students reflect on how their media choices make them feel. “Modeling this type of practice around media use helps students build important mindfulness skills that they can use throughout their lives.” Video games have benefits, but it’s up to parents and teachers to help kids learn to play them responsibly.
Don’t forget to grab our free printable trackers to get a better understanding of how your child spends their screen time!
