Guest Blog: Kaily Sosa, from Mrs. Hogan's 5th grade class.
Some video games are very popular, but some people (like parents) think they’re bad and might not let you play. There are various reasons why video games are good for you. Playing some video games can improve your hand and eye coordination and problem solving skills.
First, playing video games can improve one’s hand and eye coordination. For example, you might be playing Breath of the Wild (from The Legend of Zelda) and run across a monster in the field. You could run, hide, or fight it. It doesn’t matter which reaction you choose, because it will still use hand and eye coordination. Another example is Tetris, because a block comes and you have to figure out where it goes quickly, which is also hand and eye coordination. Hand and eye coordination is important because it’s essential for reading and decoding. Without hand and eye coordination, it would be difficult for people to focus on an object as it moves or to pick something up. Humans also rely on it for writing and typing.
Second, some games such as Tetris, all games from The Legend of Zelda series, and 2048 help you improve your problem solving skills. For Tetris, having to quickly figure out where the block goes makes Tetris a problem solving game. In The Legend of Zelda series, the player has to solve puzzles. Sometimes the player can’t move on in the game unless the puzzle is solved. In 2048, the player has to move blocks and decide where they all go. People need problem solving skills because it can show others that you have logic, creativity, imagination, lateral thinking and determination. Problem solving is more like a mental process that involves analyzing and solving problems.
Now that you know the benefits of playing video games, apply those hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills to real life!