How to get the most out of gaming
In the UK, 83% of children and young people enjoy playing video games. Gaming isn’t just fun—it’s also a hobby with plenty of benefits. Discover why it’s great for kids!
Why gaming is a great hobby
In the UK, 83% of children and young people love to play video games. Gaming is a great hobby—not only is it fun, it can have tons of benefits, like:
- Helping you de-stress after school
- It’s a great way to spend time with friends when you can’t be together
- Gaming helps you practice skills like decision-making, problem-solving and teamwork
- Games are great ways to express yourself creatively
- Gaming lets you experience challenging emotions, like frustration and anger, in a healthy and safe way
Because games challenge us and push us to achieve, they can also help you to build resilience, which means your drive to keep trying something difficult until you succeed. That feeling of achieving a goal after trying really hard, like the feeling you get when you beat a final boss, can be amazing!
Talking to adults about gaming
Gaming is for everyone, no matter your gender or your age— in fact, 50% of adults in the UK love gaming, too. Lots of adults have negative opinions of gaming, but they even be gamers themselves without knowing it if they enjoy mobile app games like Candy Crush!
Sometimes it can feel like adults just don’t understand what makes gaming special and important to you. It can be especially hard if they are from a generation who didn’t grow up playing video games. It’s often not helped by messages in the newspapers and on TV warning that video games can be unhealthy.
While there can be negative effects if we spend too much time on consoles, it’s important that your foster parents have a balanced view of gaming and respect and celebrate your hobbies and interests. Here are three tips to help your foster parents understand your love for gaming.
- Tell them what you love about gaming. Tell your foster parents the benefits of gaming and why gaming is important to you. For example, you could tell them how gaming is the perfect way to relax after school with your friends, or how you love the sense of achievement you get when you win a match with your team.
- Play a game together. This can be a great way to have fun together, and your foster parent will feel special knowing that you want to share something with them. Ask them to play one of your favourite couch co-op games, show them an exciting build you’ve been working on or invite them to watch you play a match on your favourite game. Playing together can also help to put their mind at ease about the content of your favourite games.
- Respect boundaries. If you have certain restrictions in place around gaming, then they are there for a reason, and that reason is to keep you safe. The restrictions your foster parents set out may seem unfair or stupid, but it’s important to follow them and understand why they’re there. Following these helps build trust and makes sure that you’ll always have a fun and safe gaming experience.
Staying safe while having fun
Here are some common rules which lots of families follow to keep gaming safe, and why they’re important.
Rules you might have at home | Reasons why it’s important to follow them |
You can only play games that are recommended for kids your age, or your foster parent uses parental controls which limit what you can do in the game. | This can be really hard if you were allowed to play these games before, or if all of your friends are allowed to play games that are 16+ or 18+. You might feel embarrassed or as though you’re being treated like a little kid. However, these ratings help keep you safe because they make sure that you aren’t seeing things which could frighten or upset you.
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You can only play on the console for a certain amount of time. | You may have heard the phrase ‘having too much of a good thing.’ Gaming is super fun, but if you spend too much time playing you might lose out on the really important things, like keeping fit and healthy, getting enough sleep and spending time with people you care about. Playing too much could also mean that you miss out on important tasks, like doing your homework or getting to school on time, which can get you in trouble. |
You can’t play online with strangers, and can only play with people you know in real life. | This rule is one of the most important, as it makes sure that you don’t come into contact with online bullies or anyone else who might be dangerous. People aren’t always who they say they are online, so it’s important to only play with people who you know and trust. You should never talk to strangers or share details about your life online like your full name, where you live or where you go to school. |
When to take a break
Gaming can be amazing fun and has so many benefits, but it’s important to be balanced and make time for other hobbies like playing sports or getting crafty. It can be hard to take a break all on your own, so it’s okay to ask for help. Talk to your foster parent or another trusted adult if:
- You find it hard to put down the controller and do other important tasks, like homework, eating, showering or going to school
- You are experiencing changes in your body like sore eyes, headaches, tiredness or pains and swelling in your wrist
- You feel angry or upset during your game or after you finish playing
- You’re missing out on other hobbies you enjoy to stay home and game
- You’re not having fun playing, but you feel like you can’t stop
- You feel like you have to keep something about your gaming a secret, like who you’re playing with, how late you’re staying up or what games you’re playing
- You’re worried about how much money you’re spending on in-game purchases, like loot boxes, season passes and skins, or you feel like you can’t stop spending
Did you know?
If someone online ever makes you uncomfortable, you should talk to a trusted adult and reach out to CEOP. CEOP is an organisation which protects children and young people from online abuse. Their website also has tons of games and great information to help you stay safe online, and you can talk to one of their friendly team if you need help.
[Click here if you want to talk with CEOP]
Most importantly—have fun!
We hope that these tips will help you to have fun, stay safe and get the most out of your gaming experience. Ready to learn more? Check out our tips on how to stay safe online.