When Are Kids Old Enough to Play Videogames?

A piece at the MTV Multiplayer blog is exploring the issue of kids and gaming, wondering aloud how old is 'old enough'. A recent CES talk indicated that you should wait until at least seven to introduce your children to Mario, and we've talked in the past about the educational role games can have. MTV's Tracey John spoke to a pair of mothers who offered their own opinions on this topic: "When I asked Alisa why she thought that games weren't imaginative and explained that many games have challenging, puzzle-solving elements, she conceded a little but remained skeptical. 'Honestly, I haven't really explored video games thoroughly, and I'm sure there are video games that fit more the bill of something that I'd be interested in, but I'm kind of hard-pressed to find a game that's like reading a book or something like that. I understand the kids like it, so I allow them to do it; it's monitored but it's not my favorite thing for them to be doing.'" What's the right age for a kid to start playing games? Do you see games as more or less acceptable than traditional kid pastimes like TV or reading? Does it matter if the parents are gaming-savvy?

Comments

My kids did not "start" it has just always been...

[netsavior]

I have 2 kids, 2.5 and 1.5 they both have always had video games around I mean they probably heard Zelda In utero. They both know how to move a guy on the screen with a d-pad, they both know how to push buttons, how to get a game to boot up on a gameboy (insert game switch power on).

There was no "start" I played games with the kids in my lap from the first day they were born. It is part of their life, part of their culture, part of their education.

It is like asking how old they should be before they are allowed to listen to a conversation...

Re: Let me answer your question with a question.

[hoppo]

This drastic change has certainly yielded some positive results -- book reading and stimulus of imagination being two of them.

But... TV and video games are two widely accepted social norms. They're your kids, so how you raise them is your business. But consider that perhaps allowing restricted TV watching and video games would yield a similar positive result, but also allow your children a solid frame of reference for social interaction with their peers.