Consider video game usage in family day care and its affect on social development.
If you have selected family day care for your child(ren), be sure to find out what types of activities the children will be participating in. Some family child care settings offer video games as a form of entertainment or recreation.
In terms of child development, I believe that children learn best, in all areas of development, from real life. Their interactions with other children and adults and their experiences and activities are important to learning and impact school readiness.
Lilian Katz in her article Another Look at What Children Should Be Learning recommends that daycare activities should be evaluated for whether or not they promote development in skills, knowledge, disposition, and feelings. Therefore in terms of social development, do video games help develop social skills or knowledge about social expectations? Does it help them acquire the ability to acquire a friendly, helpful, or cooperative disposition, and does it help them feel safe, secure, confident and competent.
Studies vary, but most show that when children are focused on video games, it interferes with this type of social development. In fact their social interactions become disorderly, rushed, and unproductive.
As a parent you should be aware of the possible effects of of video games on early childhood development. Make it a point to find out if video games are being used in your child’s daycare environment. I tend to believe there is good and bad in everything and that balance and moderation is key.
I think it’s also important to find out what games are being played, to find out how often, and to ask the provider what type of learning they are encouraging by offering specific games. Whatever your position, be clear, and make your voice heard.
For more information about family daycare, please see my article In-Home and Family Daycare.
