4 Game Genres That Develop Your Child's Problem Solving Skills

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4 Game Genres That Develop Your Child's Problem Solving Skills
by Allan Race

Video gaming provides a tempting entertainment selection for children, with Game Informer reporting that over three billion hours are collectively spent gaming. 99 percent of minor male gamers devoted at least five hours per week to games. It may sound like an excessive amount of time spent on video games, but that's only if you look at the hobby as some sort of mindless entertainment source. Video games convey a number of mental and physical benefits for children, with problem solving skills at the forefront. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 59 percent of parents actually feel that video games lead to more family quality time spent together, so it might be time to dust off the second controller and indulge in some game playing with your kid. Not all game genres are created equally for this type of skill development, so here's a few genres to keep an eye out for when selecting games for your kid.

Hidden Object Games

This genre gives you a game field and asks you to pick out various types of objects, sometimes as the entire game objective or other times as part of an overarching storyline or gameplay mechanic. Hidden object games by iWin and other gaming companies are often accessible and appealing to very young children, as they improve problem solving skills by having the child figure out where all of the objects are hiding. The Washington Post also reports that hidden object games help to develop situational awareness.

Roleplaying Games

RPGs typically revolve around an in depth storyline that features multiple characters and viewpoints, plenty of plotlines, puzzle elements as you move through the world, and strategy when it comes to battling. These non-linear games engage the mind, encouraging brainstorming consequences of actions, and introducing expansive worlds with plenty of details to keep track of. Another way that RPGs help develop your child's life skills is through reading. While many games these days have voiceovers, there are still subtitles and a significant amount of non-spoken text that help encourage your kids to read.

Simulation Games

Simulation games, such as The Sims and SimCity, puts the player in the role of a city planner. You have to take care of a number of problems and accomplish your goals, such as having your sims be successful, or creating a viable city that isn't burning down every other day in SimCity. These games take real life situations and scenarios and bring them to your kids in a way that is accessible and fun.

Strategy Games

Both real time strategy and turn-based strategy games involve making countless decisions every step of the way. Do you build more units for your army, reinforce your bases, scout out your enemy's position, or deploy one of the many other actions you have available in the game? These games help your children develop fast problem solving skills, as there's a limited amount of time to act and react to situations.