06/07/2022
Digital games can provide a forum for a diverse group of people to come together. That’s especially important now, while our physical locations are restricted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, undergraduates have shared with me the vital importance of digital games for their social connection.
Digital games also encourage various forms of participation in a group activity. Some people in the digital space may be lurkers, for example, and simply watch the action. Others comment and ask questions via text or audio. Still others play, moving along the action of the game.
Families, too, can use digital games to set up collaborative endeavors within the home where each family member participates in their own way. For instance, a child doesn’t need to actively play the game in order to meaningfully participate and develop problem-solving, communication and spatial reasoning skills.
Observation is a crucial first step for learning how to fully participate in any activity, and digital games are no exception. Caregivers who look closely will see that children who appear to be merely observing a game are also asking questions, strategizing and hypothesizing, or posing “what-ifs.”
Minecraft, a game in which players build protective enclosures against monster attacks, encourages collaborative problem-solving either in person or online. Playing with another gamer means having more resources to build with and more strategies to employ, since different players bring different expertise.
Like Minecraft, online games that run on mobile technologies, such as tablets, allow family members to play next to each other at home or while they’re on the move. This allows caregivers to understand and supplement the quality of children’s gameplay by participating in the game. They no longer worry about the quantity of screen time from an outsider perspective.
