Computergamesandconsolevideogameshavegrownovertimefromarelativelysubcultureintomainstreamentertainment.Manychildrenplaycomputergamesdaily,tothepointwhereplayinggamescanbecomeaconcernforparents.Playingcomputergamescanpotentiallyhaveseveralnegativeimpactsonkids;however,theeffectswillvarybasedontheindividual,gamesplayedandparentalguidance.

　　Inthispicture,aboyisseenplayingcomputergameswithagleefulexpressiononhisface.Formanykids,playingvideogamesisdoesnotbecomeaseriousproblembeyondthefactthatitcanbecomeadistractionthatconsumeslargequantitiesoftime.Manyvideogamestakehours,ifnotdays,tocomplete,andonlinegameshavenospecifiedendpoint,soanunlimitedamountoftimecanbespentplaying.Excessivevideogameusecanmakekidsforgetaboutrealworldobligationslikehomeworkorchores,andmayleadtolessrealworldsocialinteractionandpersonaldevelopment.Somecomputergamesinvolvelowlevelsofmentalstimulationthatinvolvelittlecreativethought,similartowatchingTVoramovie.

　　Althoughcomputergamescanhaveanegativeimpactonchildren,playingcomputergamesdoesn'tguaranteeanynegativeeffects,andinsomecases,computergamesmaybebeneficial.Educationalcomputergamesandgamesthatdevelopcriticalthinkingandstrategycanbebeneficial.Maturechildrenmaybeabletodissociateviolentgamesfromtherealworldandplaygamesstrictlyforentertainment.Parentsshouldmonitorthetypesofgamestheirkidsplayandcontroltheamountoftimekidsplaytoreduceanynegativeimpactgamesmighthave.