A recent study by PopCap and Goldsmiths University has found that playing casual games together can increase the bond between children and their parents. The study estimates that around 3.8 million parents in the UK play video games with their children.
Many parents see gaming as a way of bonding with their children. 32 percent of parents surveyed reported playing games with their children on a daily basis and a third of parents reported a greater level of bonding as a result of playing games with their children. Even grandparents see games as a way of being closer to their grandchildren.
Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Reader in Psychology at Goldsmiths said:
“The fact that both parents and grandparents are using games to connect with their children and grandchildren, and quite successfully, suggests that video games can improve social skills and make a key contribution to both effective parenting and child development.”
Cathy Orr, Senior Director of International PR, PopCap said:
“Videogames are becoming as popular a mainstream lifestyle entertainment as movies or music and finding a place in family life alongside traditional parlour or board games – or in many cases, providing a new videogame format for family favourite board games.”
Not only does playing games bring families together, it also helps children to master technology – with one in five parents reporting that playing games has helped their children to develop a greater understanding of technology. Children as young as two have become proficient in the use of smart phones and tablet devices as a result of gaming.
The study – a partnership between casual games developer/publisher Popcap and Goldsmiths University – differs from many other studies into gaming in that it focuses on the social aspects of games rather than the individual effects of gaming. Researchers focused on the role casual games play in helping parents and grand-parents bond with their children and grand-children.
