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U-M study: Video game play among teens affects school work, not socializing

• Jared Wadley

ANN ARBOR—Kids who spend a lot of time playing video games are finding time to socialize with friends too—though that’s not the case when it comes to doing homework.

A new study by the University of Michigan shows game players and non-game players spent the same amount of time with parents and friends. The study sampled nearly 1,500 teens nationwide.

For boy and girl gamers, the more time they spent playing video games with their friends on the weekends, the more time they spent in other activities with them as well, said Hope Cummings, a graduate student in the U-M Department of Communication Studies.

Cummings and Elizabeth Vandewater, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote the study, which appears in the July issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

But while video games did not negatively affect teens’ social interaction, the same could not be said for school-related activities. Compared to non-gamers, kids who played video games spent 30 percent less time reading and 34 percent less time doing homework.

The sample of 1,491 children ages 10 to 19 years kept diaries about how they used their time for 24 hours on one weekday and one weekend day, with each day randomly chosen. The diaries tracked adolescents’ time spent playing video games, with parents and friends, reading and doing homework, and in sports and active leisure.

In the study, 534 kids (or 36 percent) played video games. Eighty percent (425) were boys and 20 percent (109) were girls. Female gamers spent an average of 44 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and four minutes playing on the weekends. Male gamers spent an average of 58 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and 37 minutes playing on the weekends.

Among gamers, time spent playing video games without parents or friends was related to less time spent with parents and friends in other activities. For girl gamers only, the more time they spent playing video games with their parents, the more time they spent with their parents in other activities.

“Video game popularity continues its rapid growth,” Cummings said. “This creates concerns among parents, teachers and politicians who think video games will interfere with adolescences’ social interaction and academic success.”

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Should Homework Always Come Before Video Games?

Setting household rules can sometimes feel like navigating a minefield, especially when it comes to balancing discipline with leisure. My kids make a compelling case for why insisting on homework completion before video games seems unjust to them.

The tug-of-war between duty and playtime is a common scenario in many homes. What I’ve learned is that norms are not one-size-fits-all, and that finding a middle ground is often the heart of the solution.

In trying to understand whether my rules are too strict or just par for the course, I’ve considered research and expert opinion on the subject. Educational professionals often advocate for the “10-minute rule,” suggesting that children should have 10 minutes of homework per grade level each day. This means that expectations naturally rise as children progress through school. The goal is to foster good study habits without overburdening them. Balancing this structure with enough free time for rest and recreation is the key to a harmonious household—easier said than done, right?

Key Takeaways

• A rule’s fairness can be measured by its balance between discipline and leisure.
• Homework standards and norms are variable and should adapt to each child’s grade level.
• Effective strategies are needed to ensure kids develop good study habits while still enjoying free time.

Assessing Fairness in Household Rules

Sometimes figuring out the line between fair and overbearing can make parents feel like amateur lawyers in the court of family opinion. So let’s dive headfirst into norms and noodle on what’s up with rules and fun.

Exploring Cultural Norms

Here’s the scoop: cultural norms can be as varied as the flavors at an ice cream shop. In many places, the old “work before play” adage is the gold standard. It’s like brussels sprouts before brownies; you’ve got to get through the healthy stuff before you hit the jackpot of leisure time. It comes down to instilling a sense of responsibility — finish your homework, and then unleash your inner video game champion. According to some time-honored traditions, the homework-before-games rule is practically a rite of passage.

The Psychology Behind Rules and Fun

But wait, there’s a twist! I’ve read that psychologists like to talk about balance. Strict rules with no give can feel like a never-ending game of Simon Says. Let’s face it, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, right? It turns out that having moments of fun — those glittery video game sessions — could be golden for motivation. They’re like the marshmallows in your cereal; maybe not essential, but oh-so-satisfying. It’s about reward systems, my friends. Crush that algebra worksheet, and then it’s time to conquer digital worlds… because balance.

Strategies for Balancing Homework and Play

Let me tell you, juggling homework and gaming time is a high-wire act. But with a few clever strategies, it’s possible to keep the peace and the productivity flowing.

Setting Clear Boundaries

First off, I’m all about clarity. You’ve got to be crystal-clear about when it’s study time and when it’s time to hit the console. In my house, we have a simple yet undeniable rule: “Homework first, then play.” This isn’t just a random decree; it’s about setting priorities. I had a whiteboard calendar where we mapped out homework and playtime. It was like having a big-picture game plan – and yes, pun intended.

Reward Systems and Incentives

Now, let’s talk rewards. Everyone loves a good perk for a job well done, and kids are no exception. So, I put a twist on the classic carrot-and-stick approach. For every assignment tackled , there were points awarded, and these could be exchanged for extra gaming minutes. Think of it as arcade tokens you earn for swinging a pencil instead of a bat. It was a hit! Plus, there’s that delightful bonus of teaching my kids the value of hard work and delayed gratification – while keeping things fun!

Video Games, School Success, and Your Child

Does gaming mean lower grades new research explores the question..

Posted September 21, 2018 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

• Understanding Child Development
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Young people spend a lot of time playing video games these days.

Whether they're building new worlds on Minecraft , doing battle on Call of Duty , committing mayhem on Grand Theft Auto , or roaming any of the other virtual worlds available to them, video games have transformed the way most teenagers spend their free time in recent years. According to the latest Neilsen 360 report, over two-thirds of the U.S. population aged 13 and high now consider themselves gamers and the saturation point has likely not even been reached yet. As for the total amount of time spent playing these games, recent surveys suggest that children aged 12 to 15 spent up to 12.2 hours a week in 2017 alone and this statistic is higher in older teens. Even in younger children between the ages of 3 and 4, the time spent playing video games can average 5.6 hours a week or more.

Given the popularity of game playing, it's hardly surprising that parents and teachers have been worrying about possible harmful effects as well as the long-term impact that video games might have on child development . While much of this concern has been focused on the often violent content of video games and whether it might lead to greater aggression , other researchers have warned about possible health issues including loss of sleep and reduced social functioning.

But research looking at the impact of video gaming on school achievement has been more controversial. While some studies suggest that intensive video gaming can have a negative effect on school achievement, other studies have shown the exact opposite. Part of the problem with this kind of research is that most of the studies carried out have been cross-sectional making it extremely difficult to make assumptions about cause and effect. In other words, do video games affect school performance or are academic underachievers simply more likely to play video games?

Because of the often conflicting findings of the various studies examining how gaming affected school performance, different hypotheses have been proposed:

• the time displacement hypothesis suggests that the time spent playing video games means less time that could be spent on academic activities such as studying and homework. For example, young people who play video games regularly typically spend a third less time on homework than their counterparts who aren't gamers. Still, research comparing academic performance in students who own video game consoles and those who don't have found very little difference in their school performance.
• the sleep displacement hypothesis suggests that heavy gamers get less sleep overall than non-gamers. Along with getting fewer hours of sleep overall, the quality of their sleep is often poorer as well. Not only do heavy gamers go to bed later than non-gamers but the physical and emotional arousal produced by intense gaming sessions can reduce the amount of REM sleep they get and make them generally less alert and more prone to cognitive errors.
• similar to the other displacement hypotheses, the attention deficit hypothesis suggests that prolonged gaming can lead to attention deficits and increased impulsivity. By taking time away from activities that might help young people develop sustained attention skills (such as studying or homework), gaming can have the opposite effect. There is actually some research to support the link between overall screen time (video gaming, TV watching, and computer use) and greater attention problems though the correlation tends to be moderate.

But not all researchers share this pessimism about gaming. Supporters of the cognitive enhancement hypothesis point out that video games are often highly complex and can act as training programs for different cognitive skills. This would mean that regular gaming can lead to significant improvements in attention capacity, visual orientation, and overall memory .

And, yes, there are some research studies that seem to bear this out. Though these samples used in these studies tend to be fairly small, they have found that regular gamers scored higher than non-gamers on tests of executive functioning , fluid intelligence , and working memory. For young children in particular, the improvements appear even greater than for adult gamers.

So, is video gaming helpful or harmful as far as academic success is concerned? A new article published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture attempts to resolve the controversy with one of the largest studies conducted to date. A team of German researchers led by Timo Gnambs of Johannes Kepler University Linz conducted their research as part of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). Designed to follow a large sample of German students across their entire school careers, the NEPS has been the focus of numerous research studies looking at education across the lifespan.

For their own study, Gnambs and his co-authors analyzed questionnaire responses from 3,554 students (56 percent female) across three measurement waves beginning in Grade Nine (Wave 1) and continuing through to Grade 11 (Wave 2) and Grade 13 (Wave 3). In the first wave, students were asked about the amount of time they spent playing: (a) online roleplaying games such as World of Warcraft (b) games of skill or strategy, and (c) other computer or video games played on a normal school day. During the first two waves, students were also asked about their grades in mathematics and German. Students in Grade 9 and 12 then completed achievement tests measuring their actual skill in these subjects. Grade Nine students also completed tests of reasoning ability to be used as a baseline estimate of overall intelligence.

All told, 70 percent of the students sampled reported playing video games at least occasionally while 20 percent or more reported spending two hours a day gaming, even on school nights. As expected, boys spent far more time gaming than girls overall and there were also significant gender differences in competence scores. While boys tended to outscore girls on tests of mathematical competence, girls were significantly better than boys for reading competence as well as getting better grades in German.

In looking at the overall effect of gaming on academics, Gnambs and his colleagues found clear evidence that prolonged gaming on school nights was associated with poorer grades overall. Though the relationship was modest, the results remained consistent even when taking gender differences into account. When looking at actual competencies however, i.e., mathematical and language ability as measured by achievement tests, there didn't appear to be any link with gaming behavior.

What these results seem to indicate is that much of the hysteria over the academic impact of video gaming on school success is likely misplaced. While gaming does appear to have a negative impact on grades, the effect size, while significant, is still very small. As the authors pointed out in discussing their findings, students playing two hours a day increase the odds of receiving a lower grade in mathematics or language studies two years later by a factor of .8 at best. Even in the most extreme cases in which gamers play up to eight hours a day, the extent to which their grades dropped over time varied only slightly (a factor of .5).

Though these results provide some support for the various displacement hypotheses (and none for the cognitive enhancement hypothesis), more research is still needed to look at other factors such as loss of sleep, reduced social contact, or any of the other possible explanations that have been proposed by researchers. Also, it might be useful to look at different types of games to see if they affect young people in different ways. For example, there are numerous games that have been specifically designed to improve cognitive skills. Could they be more beneficial than action-oriented games in terms of school success?

In closing, this study does suggest that concerns about the potential dangers of gaming are likely exaggerated, at least as far as academic achievement goes. Still, much like the long-fought debate over whether video games make children violent, the question of whether video games help or hurt children academically is hardly likely to be settled anytime soon.

Gnambs, T., Stasielowicz, L., Wolter, I., & Appel, M. (2018). Do computer games jeopardize educational outcomes? A prospective study on gaming times and academic achievement. Psychology of Popular Media Culture. Advance online publication.

Romeo Vitelli, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice in Toronto, Canada.

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Q: How Can I Get My Teen to Better Balance Video Games with Homework and After-School Activities?

Teens will choose fun activities (like video games) over challenging, less pleasurable tasks (like homework) every time. how do parents set screen time limits — without triggering explosions our teen parenting coach explains..

Q: “My teen has a hard time starting any task, but when he’s playing video games it’s impossible to get him to switch gears! Should I limit screen time and video games? How can I teach him to manage his own screens?”

Yes, you need to limit your teen’s screen time . He will choose fun activities over challenging, or less pleasurable things every time, and you need to teach him how to create a balance. For great advice on regulating technology from toddlers up through high school, I recommend Screen-Smart Parenting , by Jodi Gold, M.D., for guidance.

To start, find a way to block Internet access, and other access to video games, after your teen has reached a certain limit.

You could also try making a deal with your child that he can play a video game for 15 minutes in between his first homework assignment, and his second. This strategy helps to teach delayed gratification by introducing waiting periods, though the multiple, quick transitions from work to gaming and back again can prove too challenging for some teens.

The continued use of such an agreement only works as long as he stops playing the game in the allotted time. Your teen must earn the privilege of playing the video game in between assignments by consistently stopping when the timer goes off.

[ “How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?” ]

If on Monday he plays for 30 minutes instead of 15, there are no video games on Tuesday. He can earn the privilege back on Wednesday. With technology, the punishment should be immediate and brief. He earns it on a daily basis, and loses it on a daily basis – not for months at a time.

Make sure to review the rules right before starting homework. Your teen may roll his eyes and repeat the rule with heavy sarcasm, but you know he has heard it.

Another way to give your teen more control is to ask, “How long can you do homework before you need a break to look at your phone?” Then, set up a study schedule using an app like Pomodoro . Your teen works for 25 minutes straight, then gets a five-minute break. When he has accumulated four of those, he gets an hour break for screen time. Your teen will be more invested if you negotiate the schedule with him, instead of imposing the schedule on him.

Encourage your teen to evaluate his own performance on the task – not in the heat of the moment, but later in the evening, or the next morning. Ask him to think about what he could do better, or differently. Or, ask, “How did you keep to your schedule? What did you say to yourself to stay on track?” This can make teens more aware of the internal dialogues and strategies that work best for them.

[ Free Download: Brain-Building Video and Computer Games ]

Technology should be balanced with physical activity and social activity, even if it’s not impacting your child’s grades. No one category should totally absorb your teen’s time.

This advice came from “The Teen Brain on ADHD,” a February 2018 ADDitude webinar lead by Peg Dawson, Ed.D., that is now available for free replay here .

Peg Dawson, Ed.D., is a member of the ADDitude ADHD Medical Review Panel .

Do you have a question for ADDitude’s Dear Teen Parenting Coach? Submit your question or challenge here.

The opinions and suggestions presented above are intended for your general knowledge only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your own or your child’s condition.

Dear Teen Parenting Coach: Read These Next

ADHD Symptoms in Teens: Your Guide to Warning Signs & Treatments for Adolescents

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Video games interfere with homework but not family

By New Scientist and Reuters

3 July 2007

Boys who play video games on school days spend 30% less time reading, while girls spend 34% less time doing homework if they play video games, according to a US study.

But the authors add that video games do not appear to interfere significantly with time spent with family and friends.

“Gamers did spend less time reading and doing homework. But they didn’t spend less time interacting with their parents or their friends, nor did they spend less time in sports or active leisure activities,” says Hope Cummings of the University of Michigan, one of two researchers who carried out the study.

The announcement comes as many doctors voice growing concern about the long-term effects of video games.

Prior studies have linked prolonged video game play with attention difficulties and poor academic performance. And some doctors have suggested that the games interfere with social development and might be addictive (see Mind-altering media ).

Gender differences

Cummings and Elizabeth Vandewater at the University of Texas at Austin, US, wanted to see how these games might affect academic pursuits and social relationships.

They gathered data from a sample of children aged 10 to 19 who tracked their activities on a random weekday and a random weekend day. Of the 1,491 who participated, 534 or about 36% played video games. About 80% of those were boys.

They found boys spent an average of 58 minutes playing on weekdays, and one hour and 37 minutes playing on a weekend day. Of those sampled, girls spent on average 44 minutes playing on a weekday, and an hour and four minutes on a weekend day.

Cummings and colleagues found video game use resulted in less time spent reading and doing homework, and these trade-offs fell along gender lines. “The reading was just for the boys. For the homework, it was just the girls,” she says.

Efficient or just slackers?

However, gaming did not seem to significantly affect time spent doing homework among boys, or reading among girls. Also, gamers did not spend less time with friends and parents. “These findings do not support the notion that adolescents who play video games are socially isolated,” the researchers say.

They add that the findings indicate that video game play can be a distraction from school-related activities, but that may not hurt grades (see Video game addiction ‘not mental illness’ ).

“Although gamers spend less time reading and doing homework, there have been some studies that show that high academic achievers spend less time doing homework,” Cummings says.

“Gamers may actually be more effective in completing homework assignments, and as a result, they spend less time doing homework. We need to look deeper into what is going on,” she says.

Journal reference: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

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5 Reasons Video Games Should Be More Widely Used In School

In an effort to curtail how much time young people spend playing video games, China has  banned students from playing them during the school week  and limits them to just one hour per day on Fridays, weekends and holidays.

The new rule took effect Sept. 1, 2021.

From my standpoint as a video game designer and scholar who  specializes in game-based learning , I don’t see a need to limit video game play among students during the school week. Instead, I see a need to expand it – and to do so during the regular school day.

Video games are one of the most popular mediums of our times. One estimate shows that by 2025,  the global gaming market will amount to US$268.8 billion annually  – significantly higher than the $178 billion it is in 2021.

The money spent on gaming does not just facilitate a virtual escape from the real world. Scholars such as James Paul Gee, a longtime literacy professor, have repeatedly shown that  video games can be used to facilitate learning  in the K-12 classroom. Education writer Greg Toppo* reached the same conclusion in his  critically acclaimed  book, “ The Game Believes in You: How Digital Play Can Make Our Kids Smarter .”

A long history

The use of video games in the classroom is nothing new. Many people who went to school in the 1970s through the 1990s may recall the iconic video game  The Oregon Trail , which made its debut in a classroom in 1971.

In the game, players lead a group of settlers across the Midwest following in the  footsteps of Lewis and Clark . The game came just before the video game industry  was established  with the 1972 release of the video game  Pong , an electronic version of table tennis.

Even though educational video games have been used in classrooms for 50 years – and despite the fact that research shows  educational games can be effective  – they are  not that common  in classrooms today.

Many educational games have been released since the days of The Oregon Trail. Some of the most popular are:  Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? , Math Blaster! ,  Zoombinis ,  iCivics ,  DragonBox Algebra  and  History Maker VR . Most games are for pre-K to elementary school students.

Here are five reasons why I think video games should be used in every classroom.

1. Video games can help students stay in STEM

In 2020, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology found that the nation needs to  create the STEM workforce of the future . One of the reasons students drop or switch out of science, technology, engineering and math programs is because of the difficulty of introductory courses such as  calculus .

The University of Oklahoma has developed a  calculus game  that can help students succeed in calculus. Research has shown student mastery of calculus  increases when using a purposeful designed learning game , such as  Variant: Limits  – another calculus game that was developed at Texas A&M University.

2. They provide experiential learning

Teaching students 21st-century skills, such as creative problem solving, is  important for the future workforce , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Games such as  DragonBox Algebra , where students solve math problems in a fantasy environment, can help students master skills such as critical thinking*.

In games such as  Civilization , players can be a civic leader and direct the prosperity of nations. In  ARTé: Mecenas , learners can become members of the  Medici family  and become patrons of the arts and successful bankers. Students learn through doing and can  gain skills and knowledge  through experiential learning that might not be gained in traditional classrooms.

3. Players learn from failure

Games are a natural way to allow students to fail in a safe way,  learn from failures  and try again until they succeed.

Some games, like Burnout Paradise* make failure fun. In the game, players can crash their cars – and the more spectacular the crash, the higher the points. This allows players to essentially learn from their mistakes, correct them and try again.

The late video game theorist and author  Jesper Juul  wrote in his book, “ The Art of Failure ,” that losing in video games is part of what makes games so engaging. Failing in a game makes the player feel inadequate, yet the player can immediately redeem themselves and improve their skills.

4. Students stay engaged in content

The average time a student spends learning in a classroom is only  60% of the allocated class time . Extending the school day to give students more time for learning has been shown to be  only marginally effective . A more effective way to maximize time for learning* is through engaged time on task. When students are interested and care about a topic and it is relevant, they are curious and engaged. This provides a much better learning experience.

In the classroom, teachers can engage students. But when it comes to homework, educators have to rely on other ways to motivate students. One way is through games. Educational games  can be designed to improve motivation and engagement , providing students with more engaged time on task.

5. Games make complex knowledge fun

Educational theories state that students cannot be given knowledge; they construct knowledge in their own minds. Learners build on previously learned concepts to construct higher-level and more complex knowledge to  make it their own .

The  periodic table of elements  is challenging to learn and remember for many students. However, learning a complex  three-dimensional matrix  with 27,624 values is easily accomplished by middle school students playing the popular video game  Pokémon . The essence of the game is figuring out how to combine the 17 different types of attack when battling other Pokémon. Each Pokémon has one or two types of attacks they can use. Players do not learn the different possible combinations by studying a large table with 27,624 entries, but by playing the game. Through playing the game, students gradually construct deeper knowledge of the game and  develop core skills , such as literacy, how to compete with grace and sportsmanship, and abstract thinking.

Pokémon was not developed as an educational game, but its design principles – and those of other popular video games – could easily be used to design video games for classrooms that enhance their educational experience.

* This link is no longer active and has been removed.

This article by Andre Thomas originally appeared on The Conversation .

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Video Games You Can Say Yes to After School

It's a modern-day dilemma: Do you ban gaming during the school week in hopes it will encourage more studying? Or do you use games as a reward for finishing homework but risk kids doing a rushed job?

Research on the positive effects video games have on players' brains may make those questions moot. In fact, all that decision making, logical thinking, and strategizing kids do while they're playing may not be wasted on enemies in Fortnite . Spatial reasoning, for example, is strengthened by playing games that emphasize building -- a lift that's especially good for girls interested in STEM careers . Action games can boost cognitive abilities including perception, attention, and reaction time. And some games can condition the brain for all kinds of learning -- sort of like how football players take ballet to improve their coordination.

So, how do you find the kinds of games that encourage the type of thinking that pays off? Look for games that include planning ahead, experimentation, problem-solving, and creativity. These games might not have the same appeal as Fortnite or Far Cry 5 (which can also serve up brain benefits) but might be the middle ground you and your kids can agree on for school nights.

Of course, it's still a good idea to make sure video games are balanced with plenty of offline brain-building activities and exercise. And taking an active interest in your kids' games and other media is another surefire way to boost learning. Check out these great games that you can "yes" to after school -- or anytime.

Math Blaster Online , 7+ Do your kids need help with equations? Math Blaster Online gives them plenty of practice as they join the Blaster Academy to save the universe using their math skills. It also lets your kids team up with other players to solve problems together in a safe, socially positive online environment.

Art Academy , 8+ Art Academy is more than a video game -- it's a fun art tutorial. The game walks you through the basics of drawing, shading, and other skills so you can apply them to real-life creations.

Lifeboat to Mars , 8+ Young scientists can experiment with creating a brand-new ecosystem on Mars to help support terrestrial life on Earth. Players can choose to work on microbes or on animal and plant missions to accomplish the task of terraforming the red planet. Even cooler, once they've finished a few missions, players can design their own missions for other players to try.

Minecraft , 8+ Minecraft can reinforce geometry concepts as it strengthens players' thinking and reasoning skills, creativity, and even collaboration. The game has a strong, positive online community and even has an educational module teachers can modify for classroom lessons on different subjects.

Oregon Trail , 9+ Oregon Trail has been teaching and entertaining kids for more than 40 years. The game continues to innovate through digital versions that provide realistic storylines and context. Players take on the role of a wagon leader directing settlers from Missouri to Oregon in 1800s America while dealing with issues such as disease, food, and weather.

GarageBand , 10+ GarageBand has exactly what fledgling musicians need to take their music to the next level. Kids can record vocals and instruments and mix tracks to create -- and share -- new songs while learning essential audio-engineering and composition skills. It's like having a professional recording studio in the palm of your hand.

The Political Machine 2016 , 10+ While The Political Machine 2016 may be focused on the main political players of the 2016 presidential race, the hot-button topics that candidates have to address are no less important today than they were then. Whether you're addressing issues like gun control, immigration, or global warming, players will have to figure out ways of swaying public opinion to their viewpoints, raise funds, and hopefully conduct a successful campaign.

SMART Adventures Mission Math 2: Peril at the Pyramids , 10+ Peril at the Pyramids is a story-based math app, where kids test their math knowledge to solve a mystery of disappearing artifacts at an archeological site. The app provides an engaging setting for players to use their logic skills as they solve engineering, science, and technology problems, as well as play mini-games that reinforce math concepts.

Walden, A Game , 10+ It's not often that students get a chance to explore a celebrated work of American literature in a video game, but Walden, A Game puts you directly in the shoes of Henry David Thoreau as he explores the wilderness around Walden Pond back in 1845. The game highlights many of the themes of the novel, including the simplification of your life, the importance of self-reliance, and the impact of nature.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI , 11+ With more than 20 cultures from around the world, Civilization VI is an ideal supplement to history class. Players lead a civilization from the Stone Age to the stars, using a variety of political, scientific, or military goals to accomplish their ends. Players can also found new religions, spy on rival countries, and explore various governmental systems through their country's development as they try to become the most important society in the world.

Spore , 11+ Can you design and develop the perfect creature? Spore lets you develop a species from its microscopic origins to an intelligent, social alien life form that can venture into space and interact with other sentient life forms. This is a great way for your young scientist to explore the methods and ideas behind biology.

As Common Sense's senior editor, head of games and digital Jeff Haynes spends his time doing things like blasting aliens, winning sports championships, and creating digital worlds to tell kids and parents about the best gaming and website experiences available. Having covered the gaming and technology industries for more than 15 years, Jeff previously worked at Entertainment Tonight , Game-Over Online, Inside Kung-Fu, MXB and other magazines, as well as IGN and TechBargains. His technology expertise has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal , Yahoo, MSN and many other websites, newspapers, and magazines. When he's not playing games, he fights ninja and pirates (on alternating Thursdays); debates the methods, merits, and madness of shows like Top Gear , Chopped , and MythBusters , tinkers with technology of all shapes and sizes, embraces his inner audiophile, and absorbs horror writing and movies of all kinds when his child is tucked safely in bed at night.

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Video game play impacts schoolwork, not socializing

By Jared Wadley News Service

Young people who spend a lot of time playing video games also are finding time for friends—but not for homework.

A new study by the University shows game players and non-game players spent the same amount of time with parents and friends. The study sampled nearly 1,500 children and teens nationwide.

For boy and girl gamers, the more time they spent playing video games with their friends on the weekends, the more time they were engaged in other activities with them as well, says Hope Cummings, a graduate student in the Department of Communication Studies .

Cummings and Elizabeth Vandewater, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote the study, which appears in the July issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

“Video game popularity continues its rapid growth,” Cummings says. “This creates concerns among parents, teachers and politicians who think video games will interfere with adolescents’ social interaction and academic success.”

While video games did not negatively affect socializing, the same could not be said for school-related activities. Compared to non-gamers, young people who played video games spent 30 percent less time reading and 34 percent less time doing homework.

The children ages 10-19 kept diaries about how they used their time for 24 hours on one randomly chosen weekday and one weekend day. The diaries tracked time spent playing video games, interacting with parents and friends, reading and doing homework, and in sports and active leisure.

In the study, 534 kids—or 36 percent—played video games. Eighty percent were boys and 20 percent were girls. Female gamers spent an average of 44 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and four minutes playing on the weekends. Male gamers spent an average of 58 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and 37 minutes on weekends.

Among gamers, time spent playing video games without parents or friends was related to less time spent with parents and friends in other activities. For girl gamers only, the more time they spent playing video games with their parents, the more time they spent with their parents in other activities.

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Videogames or homework? Why not both, as ACMI has 75 game lessons for you to try

Lecturer in Education, Monash University

Senior Lecturer, Digital Technologies, Monash University

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Despite the growth of technology in our daily lives , the integration of digital technologies into education has been slower than anticipated . There seem to be a number of factors at work here, including problems with access to technology and the time and support needed to use technology successfully in the classroom.

Teachers may also lack confidence in choosing and using technology or believe technology will not improve learning .

Australia’s national museum for screen culture, ACMI, has released an online digital learning lesson bank to address these challenges. This is part of ACMI’s school program and resources database. Game Lessons offers digital games as lessons – 25 lesson plans comprising 75 digital lessons. These are created by expert teachers and include areas such as the arts, humanities, sciences, literacy and capabilities such as ethics.

The new resource is an interesting step forward that builds on the existing pedagogy of digital game-based learning. This refers to the use of games to teach content .

Read more: Gaming in the classroom: what we can learn from Pokémon Go technology

A brief history of digital education

Digital games such as Maths Rescue and Carmen Sandiego have been used in education for as long as computers have been available in classrooms.

The developers of globally-popular games such as Minecraft , Fortnight and Portal 2 have already capitalised on their potential in education. They’ve all developed educational versions of their games with supporting lesson plans and online communities.

Playing fun games that interest and motivate students is a key aspect of digital-based learning . Games, however, include other educationally useful features:

students can work at their own pace, or collaborate in a team

students practise skills until they are achieved and then move to a higher level. This provides experiences of mastery, continual assessments and immediate feedback

games automatically adjust to the level of difficulty needed to encourage student persistence. Students then gain rewards for hard work including virtual lives, coins or badges

transferable skills such as communication skills, strategising and problem solving are essential for collaborative gameplay. It also fosters creativity, flexibility and resilience skills

activities become more student-centred and students can be positioned as experts co-constructing knowledge with their teacher. This is a powerful motivator.

The research into the effectiveness of game-based learning seems highly contextual . A 2017 study examined the way teachers designed 27 game-based learning courses from middle school to higher education, including the specific game elements they used and why. It found

The structure of game-based learning at different levels will vary to meet the developmental and academic needs of students, but more work is needed in determining which strategies are most effective for learning.

Another study found many teachers feel unsure about using games in specific classes.

So, what is the ACMI resource?

ACMI’s Game Lessons are connected to the Victorian Curriculum and can be searched by learning area and year level, from foundation to year 12. To support these resources, ACMI also has professional development opportunities and peer to peer interactions in a Slack community.

Teachers are encouraged to pick and choose and adapt the most useful or inspirational aspects of the plans for their classrooms. They can leave out those aspects not meeting their needs.

Read more: How creative use of technology may have helped save schooling during the pandemic

In the lesson plans, students are no longer positioned simply as learners but as having active roles including watchers, players, makers or explorers. In some lessons they simply watch YouTubers playing games; in others they make their own online or offline games.

In one lesson, called Gone Home the players are immersed in a story where the protagonist is a mystery but players discover more about her through narration and the exploration of objects. This is a historical video game to develop skills in evaluating evidence.

Another video game is called Contraption Maker . Here students learn physics by becoming explorers in sandbox or simulation games and invent, tinker and test their ideas. A sandbox is a style of game in which minimal character limitations are placed on the gamer, allowing them to roam and change a virtual world at will.

Games such as the ones in the new ACMI resource can be seen as another tool in a teacher’s toolbox. The technology may be used as a stimulus for a main teaching activity, such as a writing task , in the same way a book, video, excursion or objects are currently used.

Maintaining momentum

The continual renewal of learning technology is relentless. It forces teachers to think twice before embracing this type of resource in case the technologies become redundant within a year or two.

For ongoing success, ACMI will need to ensure the Games Lessons library continues to meet the International Standards for Technology in Education. The library would need to meet current needs and anticipate future needs too.

Game Lessons is an ACMI education initiative funded by the Department of Education Victoria’s Strategic Partnerships Program, and supported by a committed network of teachers.

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Living with Children: Sleep, homework need to come before video games

Q: We would like to limit our 16-year-old son’s video game and cellphone time. We think homework should come first and then free time. He wants to relax with his video game and phone after school which frequently results in homework not being done before he must attend a two-hour team practice at 7 p.m. That means he’s not done with homework until around midnight and struggles the next morning to get out of bed. What is a fair requirement concerning his electronics or an appropriate punishment if he cannot get up in the morning and be ready on time?

A: My initial thought was of a song first performed by the late, great Fred Astaire (1899 – 1987): “Something’s Gotta Give.”

Over the past five years or so, hundreds of parents have complained to me about teenage children who have difficulty getting out of bed on school mornings. Two observations are pertinent: first, at least 90 percent of these tales concern boys; second, nearly all of the boys in question have a problem self-limiting when it comes to video games and cellphones. In short, these boys’ priorities are out of whack, something’s gotta give, and it seems to me that the something in question should be the aforementioned electronic devices.

Your son is responsible for homework, team practice, and getting himself up for school in the morning. Playing video games and talking/texting on his cell phone are not responsibilities; they are recreations. It’s obvious that he’s unable to set proper priorities; therefore, and regrettably, you’re going to have to set them for him.

I’ll wager that you’ve talked yourselves blue in the face, nagged, threatened, and even yelled. You wouldn’t have asked my opinion if any of that had worked. What you haven’t done is confiscate the video game and the cellphone. Well, maybe you have, but then he’s promised to do better (and maybe even done better for two or three mornings) and you’ve given them back. If so, that’s an example of what I call “trying to stop a charging elephant with a fly swatter” – that is, responding to a big problem with a completely ineffectual consequence.

If you really and truly want your son to wake up and smell the coffee where his responsibilities are concerned, then I’ll venture that the only wake-up call he’s going to pay attention to is the a) sudden and b) long-term disappearance of his devices. His video game disappears when he’s at school tomorrow (in hesitation, all will be lost!), and you confiscate his cellphone as soon as he comes home.

Then, having obtained his full attention, you inform him that you will restore the devices to his possession when he’s had no problem getting out of bed on school mornings for no less than two straight months. If, during that time, you have to get him up, his two electronics-free months start over again the next day.

You won’t be the most well-liked parents in the world, but like Fred Astaire said, something's gotta give.

Read more from family psychologist John Rosemond at johnrosemond.com and parentguru.com.

Because differences are our greatest strength

Finding an afterschool program with good homework help

By Kate Kelly

Expert reviewed by Sheldon H. Horowitz, EdD

At a glance

Afterschool programs can help kids get into good homework habits.

It’s important that the staff let you know how your child is doing with homework.

Many programs allow kids who struggle in school to use accommodations for homework.

When looking for an afterschool program for kids who struggle in school, it’s important to look at how the program handles homework. Homework is one of the keys to thriving at school. Getting it done takes organization and time management skills. And those areas are exactly where many struggling students need help.

How can you tell if a program offers enough support to make your child’s homework time productive? Here’s what to look for.

A dedicated space for homework

The area set aside for doing homework needs to be quiet and well lit. It should contain a few distinct areas:

A table (or several, ideally) for small groups of kids to work together, which may also be where students get help if they need it

A separate work area where kids can work on their own

A research area with computers so kids can look up information or type assignments

A comfortable place to read

A structured homework routine

A good program dedicates a specified amount of time for kids to complete their homework. That may mean about 30 minutes a day for grade-schoolers. And it could mean as much as two hours a day for high school students. 

If kids finish their homework early, good programs will allow them to move on to a new activity. It could be something more challenging or playing a game that uses math skills.

Some programs may give kids a snack after school. Some allow them to play outside for a while before requiring them to start homework. If the timing makes a difference for your child, make sure you ask how homework fits into the schedule.

Assistance to help your child with homework

Good programs have staff to monitor homework and provide help when needed. This person may be a certified teacher. (This is likely if the program is school based.) Some programs may hire college students.

A process to communicate with parents

Kids who struggle in school do better when their parents and afterschool staff keep in touch. Ask if the staff alerts parents when your child:

Takes a long time with an assignment

Needs a lot of help to complete an assignment

Goofs off or simply doesn’t get the homework done

It’s good to find out if they send home notes or if parents are expected to check in with staff at pickup.

A willingness to work with systems you or the school have created

Kids with learning and thinking differences can benefit from systems that help them track their work. For example, you and your child’s teacher may have created a  homework contract . It might outline expectations that your child will meet. It will also include consequences if your child doesn’t follow through, and a reward for following through. The afterschool program staff needs to be willing to enforce the contract, if possible.

Or you might have a homework log that your child uses for keeping track of assignments. If it requires a signature, the staff should be willing to sign it.

Assistance for accommodations

It’s important that an afterschool program can provide accommodations your child needs. For example, kids who struggle with writing might need to dictate their ideas rather than writing them. In such cases, the programs need to provide access to voice-to-text software or to staff who can write down students’ words. 

Completing homework on a regular basis can improve your child’s self-confidence at school. A good afterschool homework program can help. And don’t forget there are other topics to consider when looking at afterschool programs.

Key takeaways

Find out if the staff will communicate regularly with you about your child.

Ask about whether they offer separate areas for homework and play.

Remember that a strong afterschool program will help make your child feel more confident at school.

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Healthy limits on video games.

How to prevent (or overcome) problems with gaming

Clinical Expert: Nancy M. Petry, PhD

What You'll Learn

• How do I know if my child’s video game habit is a problem?
• How can I control my child’s video game habit?
• What kind of limits should I set with gaming?

The full article is an excerpt from the book Pause and Reset, by Nancy M. Petry, PhD.

Most kids in the US play video games. For many, gaming is one of a variety of activities they enjoy. But for others, it can be a problem. They might stay up playing all night. Their schoolwork can suffer. They can lose interest in other activities. But there are steps a parent can take to set limits on gaming. Setting rules can prevent a problem. They can also fix a gaming habit that’s out of control.

Kids of all ages need limits on gaming. And limits only work if you stick to them. Consequences for breaking the rules, like a ban on gaming for a period of days, should be immediate.

It’s good to set video game time limits by age. For kids over the age of 6, the American Academy of Pediatrics says no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days. Kids under 6 should spend closer to 30 minutes. It’s also appropriate for parents to know and approve the games their kids are playing. Avoid any games with graphic violence or sex. If you want to be sure, check the web history on your child’s computer.

Another good rule is to allow gaming only after homework and chores are done.

Some days every week should be video game-free. It’s important to help your child find other activities they really like. If your child is having fun doing something besides gaming, they’ll do it more. It can also help to give them little rewards for doing those activities. And finding some things you can do together will help to make your relationship better, especially if there has been a lot of fighting over their gaming habit.

The vast majority of children and adolescents in the United States play video games. Although many children play them in moderation, without adverse consequences, others become obsessed with gaming. Parents may become worried when a child is neglecting homework to play games, or is staying up all night gaming and is too tired to get up for school the next day. Some parents notice that their child rarely socializes in person with others and spends all free time on video games. Some children start to cover up how much they are playing.

In this excerpt adapted from Pause and Reset: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Problems With Gaming , Nancy M. Petry, PhD, offers guidance on how to effectively limit gaming to a healthy level. Whether the goal is to prevent a child’s gaming from becoming excessive, or to roll back play that seems out of control, Dr. Petry offers practical, parent-tested strategies for getting a handle on the role of video games in your child’s life.

Setting and enforcing limits on games 

For children and younger adolescents, and even for older adolescents under the age of 18, you as a parent should have the bulk of the say in determining appropriate limits to gaming. Having clear and consistent guidelines related to video games prevents excessive playing. However, two- thirds of US children and adolescents indicate that their parents have “no rules” related to time spent on media use. Be sure you are no longer part of that majority! Here are guidelines for limiting gaming for your child:

1. Remember that gaming should occur only after your child completes their other responsibilities for the day. That should include homework and household chores. Be sure to check the quality and completeness of homework and chores prior to allowing your child to begin playing. Playing video games should be a privilege that is earned. Gaming is not an inalienable right!

2. Put clear limits on your child’s gaming. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days. The group recommends even lower limits of under 1 hour of total screentime per day for children under 6 years old , and they encourage parents to determine the appropriate amount of time for video games and other electronic media use for children over the age of 6. They provide an online planner to assist parents in deciding on screentime. Regardless of what limits you think are appropriate, some days each week should involve no gaming . It is crucial to ensure that your child develops, maintains, and enjoys other, non-screentime activities.

3. In designing your rules, consider a reasonable time frame for reassessment. You can follow your plan for 1 or 2 months and then reevaluate it. Instituting a temporary change will result in greater buy-in than a permanent change. You may decide that the initial plan is too restrictive. You could then loosen it after a couple of months if your child is adhering to it and no problems are evident. Remember that it is easier to loosen restrictions than to tighten them.

4. Determine a realistic consequence for breaking the rules. The outcome for violating the rules must be enforceable and immediately applicable. You do not want to tell your 14-year-old child they cannot get their driver’s permit when she is 16 if they break the rules next week. A more reasonable option is a complete ban on gaming (or media use more generally) for several days or weeks if they do not abide by the rules.

5. Make sure you know and approve of which games your child is playing. As a parent of a minor, you have the right — and the responsibility. Ask them directly or view web browsers if you are unsure. Find out about their preferred games . In addition to setting rules about times for playing, you should also include rules related to the types of games allowed. You can and should prevent purchase and use of games with extreme violence or graphic sexual content.

6. Once you have established your rules, you must consistently monitor and apply them. You cannot allow your child to bend the rules when you are tired or distracted. You cannot apply the rules differently if your child feels ill or does not have any homework one day. Regardless of other issues that arise, you need to follow through with the consequences immediately if your child breaks the rules. You must feel comfortable with the plan you propose, and you must be committed, willing and able to follow through with it. If there are two parents, both must be on board with the monitoring of gaming time and rules surrounding it.

7. Identify other recreational activities. Replacing gaming with other activities is critical to changing excessive gaming behavior. Your child is gaming in large part because they finds it fun and it is something they are good at. Gaming can be done virtually any time, with little planning or effort. Because many devices are used for other activities, a game is just one click — and one second — away. When your child has little else to do, games are always there to fill the time. To help your child fill free time, actively promote participation in other recreational activities . Consider activities that you and other family members can do with your child . The replacement of activities should be on the days of the week and during the times of the day when your child most often plays video games.

8. Offer positive reinforcement for non-gaming activities. Provide rewards to your child when they are involved in activities that do not relate to gaming. These rewards can be tangible, involving actual goods, services or even money. They can also be intangible, such as verbal praise or simply attention. You can replace gaming times with rewarding recreational activities, and these activities can also serve as rewards for not gaming. If your child has been gaming at a level that is causing harm, most likely one of the adverse consequences has been a worsening of your relationship with them. Positive reinforcement for non-gaming activity is one way to improve that relationship, and that can be rewarding to a child, too.

Pause and Reset: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Problems with Gaming is by Nancy M. Petry, PhD. Copyright © 2019 by Author and published by Oxford University Press . All rights reserved.

Nancy M. Petry, PhD, was a behavioral scientist who conducted research on addictive disorders and a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s a good rule to set time limits on video games by a child’s age. For kids over 6, experts say no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days. Kids under 6 should have a limit of less than one hour per day. Other good rules include gaming only after homework and chores are done and keeping some days of the week game-free.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children over 6 should spend no more than 60 minutes gaming on school days and 2 hours on non-school days.

Your child’s video game habit might be a problem if they are staying up all night gaming, losing interest in other activities or friends, or if their schoolwork is suffering because of playing video games.

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Study: Video games can hurt schoolwork

Parents who fear that buying a video game system will hurt their kids' schoolwork might be right.

Young boys who receive their first video game system don't progress as quickly in school as boys who don't own such devices, a new study found.

The average reading and writing scores of the young gamers don't go down, but they don't improve either, said Robert Weis of Denison University in Ohio, co-author of the study.

"For children without games, scores go up over time," Weis said. "For boys with games, scores remain relatively stable. You don't see the typical development in reading and writing."

The study found that the young gamers averaged about 40 minutes per day on the PlayStation II system, likely cutting into study time and social activities. Children without the system in their homes still averaged nine minutes per day of video gaming, usually at the homes of friends, the study found.

An official for the Entertainment Software Association, a Washington, D.C., trade group for video game makers, said the study results were not a surprise, but no cause for alarm.

"Can anyone be surprised that kids tend to play more with new video games, or toys or bicycles, than with the older ones?" said Richard Taylor, senior vice president for communications for the group.

But that novelty can wear off and "the authors themselves note that they are not sure the effect would exist after four months," Taylor said.

Weis acknowledged the need for a study on the effects of long-term ownership of video games.

"Maybe after a year they become less interested or don't play them as often," Weis said, although the boys in his study did not show any drop off in the four months.

While the conclusion that owning a video game increases the time kids spend on such game might seem obvious, Weis, a clinical psychologist, said it was important to scientifically prove that conventional wisdom was correct. The study was published last week in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Weis and colleague Brittany C. Cerankosky used newspaper ads in central Ohio to recruit families with boys between the ages of 6 and 9 for the study. The families did not own video-game systems, and the parents were told their sons were participating in an "ongoing study of boys' academic and behavioral development." Girls were excluded from the study because researchers feared they would not play video games enough to produce meaningful results.

Parents of the 64 selected boys were promised a PlayStation II gaming system in exchange for their participation, plus three E rated games. But half the families were given the video gaming system immediately and half were promised it after four months.

The children completed intelligence tests, plus reading and writing assessments, at the beginning and after four months. Also, parents and teachers filled out questionnaires relating to the boys' behavior at home and at school.

The study found that the boys who received the video-game system immediately spent more time playing video games (39.3 minutes versus 9.3 minutes) and less time (18.2 minutes versus 31.6 minutes) in after-school academic activities.

Taylor, from the software association, noted there was only a 13-minute difference between the two groups in the time spend in after-school academic activities.

But the new gamers had lower reading and writing scores after four months, and their teachers reported more learning problems, the study found. The biggest gap was in writing.

Weis believes the message from the study is that parents should limit the amount of time their children play video games.

The best games to play while doing homework

Idle games, clickers, and management games all make for perfect study buddies.

You say you're just going to take a break from the school or work day to play "just one level" or "just one hour" of a favorite game. But before you know it, you've lost way more than just an hour. 

Fortunately, not every game is designed to grab and hold your attention. These games won't keep you away from your homework—at least, not for long. These idle and management games are perfect to leave running in the background while you write a report or have up on your monitor while you hit the books. Even more handy, several of them are free!

Fallout Shelter

 Free | Management | Steam , Bethesda Launcher 

Fallout Shelter puts you in the Overseer's chair to construct a vault room by room, organize expeditions into the Wasteland, and oversee the growth of your population. Vault dwellers have all the standard Fallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats, some of which make them better at producing resources like food and water and others that help them defend against rad roach and raider attacks.

Fallout Shelter is great for playing on the side while you work because it only requires a bit of attention every few minutes. In the early stages, you'll need to manually click on rooms that have finished producing food, water, and power to collect them. After completing a few achievements, you'll likely be able to earn a Mr. Handy unit, which will collect those resources automatically. Vaults do occasionally face emergencies like fires and deathclaw attacks, but the sirens are hard to ignore. If you've got your sound on or headphones in, you'll know when to look up and help your dwellers defend themselves. 

When you really need a break, treat yourself to one of Fallout Shelter's quests, which are more hands-on than managing the vault. Most quests take a few hours for your dwellers to arrive at, but if you send them off early in the day, you'll be able to start one when you're ready and take a few minutes to guide them through several floors of enemies and loot.

Realm Grinder

 Free | Clicker | Steam , Browser  

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Realm Grinder has as much theorycrafting as some MMOs I've played. If you want to get into that side of it, check out our Realm Grinder guide to get started and learn the lingo. There's plenty of number crunching if you want it, but don't let it scare you off. Like any clicker game, it's easy to get started. In Realm Grinder you start as the ruler in one of six factions each aligned with good or evil. The evil factions (goblins, demons, and undead) are most oriented towards an idle play style where you earn coins based on upgrades that you've bought instead of increasing the coins you earn per click. 

Realm Grinder is a great studying game. Not only does it flex your arithmetic skills in calculating upgrades (if you want to get that deep) but it really doesn't require too much of your attention. The endgame for Realm Grinder can get pretty complex if you allow it, but if you just want to mess about and earn a few trophies, you don't need to read up on all the meta strats. The only danger is if you get too into it, you may end up doing speed runs instead of studying. 

Spaceplan 

 $2.99 USD | Clicker | Steam

Spaceplan has what few other clicker games do: an ending. A great ending, even. You're lost in space on a potato-powered ship and the only way to find your way back to Earth is to make lots and lots of potatoes. With the help of your onboard AI, a GladOS and HAL 9000 lovechild called the Word Outputter, you'll make starchy creations to power your potato ship as you hop planets and universes on your way back home.

Like most clicker games, you'll spend a bit of time getting set up but Spaceplan quickly becomes a self-propelled machine that generates joules of potato power. Oh, and make sure to turn on the "scientifically accurate mode" which displays your power in joules instead of watts. You were paying attention in physics, right?

Have your sound on while playing Spaceplan because the low-key space soundtrack by Logan Gabriel is absolutely stellar. It's still my go-to concentration music even years later. It will probably take you about a week of casual check-ins to complete and if you enjoy the soundtrack along the way you'll likely love the groovy, cinematic ending.

 A Dark Room 

Free | Management | Browser  

A Dark Room almost defies explanation and demands to be played firsthand. You start off by a dwindling fire and your only option is to stoke it so you won't freeze to death. Before long you run out of wood and need to gather more. Next you wind up building a hut, and then another, attracting more wanderers to your small, budding village. You don't know why you're tending this fire in what seems to be the apocalypse, but you keep taking care of your people, assigning them jobs, and building the village's resources. The story is sparse and vague, but I've been playing for weeks just to see what new vagabonds I can attract and technologies I can find. 

Eventually, A Dark Room opens up after you obtain a compass and can leave the small village you've constructed. Like Fallout Shelter, you can go on expeditions in a Dwarf Fortress-like ascii art environment. Venturing further from the village, killing monsters, and finding new resources like iron mines and abandoned suburbs leads to further progress. After finding the right spread of villagers per job to stabilize the resources of wood, meat, and other necessities, it's easy to leave A Dark Room running for hours and come back later to investigate what new mysteries await.

Cookie Clicker

Free | Clicker | Browser  

Cookie Clicker is THE classic clicker game. It's still a browser game to this day even though it has developed a lot of pizzazz since 2013. There are animations and screen effects and lots of display options. At its heart though, Cookie Clicker is just about making cookies with milk. You recruit sweet grandmas, build cookie farms, cookie mines, and temples of cookie production. 

The first upgrade you can spend cookies on is an automated clicker that does the cookie clicking for you, meaning you can go hands-off very quickly. Although Cookie Clicker has some of the same deep strategy elements as Realm Grinder by storing progress across multiple runs, it isn't nearly as intense. You can pull up Cookie Clicker in a browser while you write a paper and check in on it whenever you remember.

Lauren started writing for PC Gamer as a freelancer in 2017 while chasing the Dark Souls fashion police and accepted her role as Associate Editor in 2021, now serving as the self-appointed chief cozy games enjoyer. She originally started her career in game development and is still fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes. She likes long books, longer RPGs, has strong feelings about farmlife sims, and can't stop playing co-op crafting games.

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36 After-School Activity Ideas For Elementary: Crafts, Experiments, And Problem-Solving Tasks

November 10, 2023 //  by  Rachel Cruz

After a long day at school, your kids may not want to do anything but watch TV or play video games, which can be detrimental to their development. Instead, why not engross them in various crafts or games that promote their mental and physical health?  Below, you’ll find a wide range of ideas that’ll engage your young learners’ minds as they dabble in some amazing art projects, science experiments, and problem-solving games. Try these 28 enchanting after-school activities to keep your elementary-aged kids off the screen and actively learning!

1. Create a Catapult

Calling all of your little engineers!  Challenge your students to design a functioning catapult using popsicle sticks and rubber bands! In their last step of construction, they’ll attach a bottlecap to their catapult to hold their projectile in place- marshmallows and paper balls work well!

Learn More:  Kids Discovery Place

2. Spaghetti Towers 

Two food items that don’t naturally go together can make for an exciting STEM activity! Dry spaghetti noodles and marshmallows are the perfect materials for your kids to build sturdy towers. If you don’t have the required materials on hand, your littles can use straws and tape. As they experiment with design techniques they can compete to build the tallest tower!

Learn More:  RIGB

3. Build a Ball Drop Maze

Building a ball drop is an excellent way to use recycled materials and promote critical thinking in your pupils. To do so, they’ll take empty paper towel rolls, wrapping paper, and toilet paper rolls, and tape them to a wall with painter’s tape; constructing a fun maze for a ball to travel through. Your elementary students won’t even realize that they’re working on their fine and gross motor skills while creating this fun contraption.

Learn More: Cambridge Montessori

4. Magnetic Slime

Making slime is an activity that ALL students love. Change it up from the regular recipe by adding black iron oxide powder and liquid starch to make it magnetic! We bet your kiddos will be impressed by the new properties of their gooey toy; making it perfect for an interactive and engaging after-school activity.

Learn More:  Little Bins For Little Hands

5. Minute To Win It Games

Minute to win it games are exhilarating, competitive games that can be played individually against a timer, or with teams! There are hundreds of exciting games for your kids to choose from- like stacking as many dice as they can on a popsicle stick that’s balancing in their mouth. They’ll feel the pressure as they only have 60 seconds to complete each of the tasks!

Learn More:  Tiny Beans

6. Can You Fit Through An Index Card?

When asking your kiddies- can you fit it through an index card… most children will say no! Hand them a pair of scissors and see if they’re up for the task! After they struggle through a few tries, cutting different shapes and holes- offer them up the trick! They’ll see how, with the proper cuts, they can expand the size of the paper and fit their bodies through it! They’ll definitely think it’s magic and want to show all of their friends!

Learn More:  Parent Vault

7. Build a Hovercraft

Your kids will surely be on board for building a DIY hovercraft after school! They’ll start by gathering the necessary materials; a balloon, duct tape, a rubber band, a straw, a CD, a pencil, a skewer, and a piece of packing foam to create their flying machines! The construction process is only half the fun; once they add their air supply they can play games and race their hoverboards all afternoon long!

Learn More:  PBS Kids

8. Make a Lava Lamp

Lava lamps are a great after-school craft that’s suitable for any age. Plus, they can be used for mindfulness and calming down. All your kiddos need is some vegetable oil, colors, glitter, and anything else that they’d like to see floating around in their jars. Once they’ve mixed everything, they can seal it and watch in awe as the lava flows!

9. Egg Drop Challenge

I’m sure you’ve seen, or even remember doing, the classic egg drop activity yourself! Provide your elementary kiddos with an egg, a cup, a bag, a string, and something to cushion their egg with. Then, task them with creating a special design that can be used to house an egg and protect it from breaking when dropped from a height. Whether successful or not, prompt them to analyze their designs based on the outcome of the experiment! 

Learn More:  There’s Just One Mommy

10. Pop Up Cards

We all see the value in teaching our kids to be thoughtful and kind humans, right? In this activity, your students will design a pop-up card and write a sincere note to a friend or family member. Prompt them to add their own artistic touch with a pop-up flower, superhero, or any other image of choice!

Learn More:  Tinker Lab

11. Make A Balloon Car

Balloon cars are a fun children’s activity promoting higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills. Challenge your older elementary kids to make the fastest car from an empty, plastic bottle and a balloon! Once they’ve added some bottle cap wheels- they’ll be all set to race all of their friends!

Learn More:  Science Buddies

12. String Puppets

We love these unique string puppets, and we know your kids will too! Essentially, they’ll thread string through straws to make jointed limbs and add a paper face to decorate their puppets. Then, they can pull the tabs to make their puppets dance and move around as they entertain you with a puppet show!

13. Finger Knitting

You and your kiddos may be surprised to know that you can knit with just your fingers and some yarn! Finger knitting is an excellent fine motor activity that will calm your students down after school. Following step-by-step guides, they’ll be able to knit blankets, hats, and animals by wrapping yarn around their fingers!

Learn More:  The Craft Train

14. Foil Art

Foil art is a fantastic art project that your little ones will love! All they’ll need is a piece of aluminum foil and some paint! Simply have them crumple up the foil for some texture, and then get to work painting their very own masterpieces!

Learn More:  Toddler Approved

15. Suminagashi

Suminagashi is an art technique from Japan that will keep your kiddos entertained for hours on end! They’ll need marbling paints, brushes, and a bin filled with 2 inches of water. To begin, get them to place a piece of paper into the bin filled with water. Next, they can load their paint brushes with colored ink and tap the surface of the water; watching the ink instantly spread into a beautiful work of art! Finally, they can remove their sheet of paper and hang it up to dry.

Learn More:  Inner Child Fun

16. Make A Kaleidoscope

These DIY kaleidoscopes are the perfect after-school activity for your kiddos to create and then play with! To make them- they’ll need a toilet paper tube, a straw, paper, and mylar strips of mirrored paper. They’ll follow the steps to piece together the eyehole before spending time coloring unique designs on the piece of paper that they’ll gaze at.

Learn More:  Buggy And Buddy

17. Rubber Band Art

Rubber band art is an excellent activity for after-school time and best of all it requires minimal supplies. All your pupils need is cardstock paper, rubber bands, and a sponge. To create their masterpieces, they can wrap rubberbands around the piece of paper, dip sponges in paint, and apply them to their sheet of paper. Once the paint dries, they can cut the rubber bands and reveal all of the cool lines and color splotches!

Learn More:  Babble Dabble Do

18. Popsicle Stick Weaving

Popsicle weaving will surely keep your kids busy and calm after school! With 2 craft sticks tied together in a T shape, they’ll weave yarn around the sticks to create a mandala-like design. This is a great fine motor activity with an end product that can be hung in their rooms as a decoration.

Learn More:  Pretty Opinionated

19. Popsicle Stick Harmonicas

Who knew that you could make a harmonica out of popsicle sticks? This musical instrument is easy to make and only requires popsicle sticks, a straw, rubber bands, and loom bands! Your students will be surprised when they blow into their craft and it makes a melodic sound!

Learn More:  My Baba

20. Leaf Rubbing

This autumn-inspired art project invites you to take your students on a walk to collect a variety of attractive leaves after school. Then, they’ll be ready to apply the leaf rubbing technique by placing their leaves underneath a piece of parchment paper and coloring over the top with crayons. The veins and intricate details of the leaves will pop into a texturized fall collage!

Learn More:  KC Edventures

21. Raised Salt Painting

Your kiddies will be obsessed with raised salt painting! To start, they’ll squeeze glue onto cardstock. Then, they’ll sprinkle salt all over the lines of glue. Finally, they can carefully apply watercolors to each of the lines and let their art pieces dry. Completing this simple art activity is a quiet way for your pupils to spend the afternoon. 

Learn More:  Artful Parent

22. Watermelon Chess

Despite the name, this strategy game that’s been derived from China is nothing similar to the classic game of chess. This is a 2 player battle game that requires a few counters and a printable board. Your elementary kids will need to engage their problem-solving skills to be the first to immobilize their opponent’s markers!

Learn More: What We Do All Day

23. Snowflake Suncatcher

This after-school activity is sure to brighten your children’s winter days!! They’ll have tons of fun cutting snowflakes out of colored paper and adhering them to clear plastic wrap. After tearing up a rainbow of tissue paper, your students can glue the pieces into a mosaic design and cheerfully watch the sun shine through once they’re hung in a nearby window.

Learn More: Kids Activity Zone

24. Roll A Monster

Time to bring out your little one’s inner monster with this fun dice and art game! To prepare, print out the instructions and give your kids dice and colorful felt pieces. According to the number they roll, they’ll then follow the directions to craft a unique felt monster. For example, rolling a 4 means that they’ll have to add one horn, and a 5 allows them to add one leg. The fun part is that they can play this multiple times and they’ll always end up with a different Frankenstein-like monster! 

Learn More: HomeMade Heather

25. Breathing Exercises

Breathwork is a beneficial practice that teaches your young ones to calm their minds and improve their mental health. A simple and effective breathing exercise is inhaling and exhaling in the shape of mountains. Another fun technique allows them to practice breathing like a cute, little bunny!

Learn More: La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools

26. The Floor is Lava

Here’s a great activity to expel your students’ energy at the end of a school day! To play, begin by scattering paper or felt stepping stones across the “lava” to protect your young one’s feet. Add some numbers or words to get them to practice math facts or recite sight words as they hop along; trying their best not to fall into the burning lava!

Learn More: Learning Resources

27. Animal Yoga

Yoga combines physical activity, mental awareness, and emotional skills all rolled into one. Pick a card and have your little ones practice flowing their body to become an elephant, crocodile, or even a tiger! To boost self-esteem, they can rehearse positive mantras to fully bring mindfulness to their thoughts! 

Learn More: Washington State University

28. DIY Trees

This tactile activity is a wonderful way to bring nature to life. Begin the sensory play by having your kids crush up dry leaves from outside. Then, they can cut and paste paper in the form of a tree and glue all of their different leaf crumbs to make a colorful 3D tree! 

Learn More: TikTok

29. Dreamcatchers

Chase your little one’s nightmares away by keeping this intricate dreamcatcher next to their bed at night. To create, they’ll simply need to cut the middle out of a paper plate before weaving yarn between punched holes along the circumference. Then, they’re free to decorate their dreamcatchers using markers, beads, and glitter- maybe even hanging feathers to add some finishing flair!

Learn More: One Little Project

30. Robot Dance

Dust off that boom box and get your kids ready to move!! In this musical gross motor skills game, your littles will be able to show off their best robotic dance moves as you call out different movement commands. For example; walk in a rectangle, take on giant step, and spin in a circle- all while acting as a stiff robot! 

Learn More: Sara J. Creations

31. Exploring Colors

This colorful activity merges science and art as it invites your kids to explore the hues created from a chemical reaction. To set up, they’ll need to fill a tray with baking soda and an ice cube tray with vinegar and different watercolors. Then, they’ll use droplets to blend the vinegar colors with the baking soda; resulting in an awesome reaction. 

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

32. Nature Bracelet

All you need for this creative activity is a piece of tape and the beautiful outdoors. By turning the sticky side up and wrapping tape around your child’s wrist, they can walk around sticking a variety of natural textiles to their bracelets. They can use flower petals, blades of grass, and even clovers for good luck!

Learn More: Sprouting Wild Ones

33. Who We Are On the Inside 

Teach your children that what truly makes them unique is their thoughts and feelings with this introspective spin on a self-portrait! First, they’ll need to fold a small portion of the top of the paper down and illustrate their faces- with their forehead meeting at the fold. Once complete, they’ll open the fold to reveal a space at the crown of their head where they’ll write or draw everything that flows through their beautiful mind!

Learn More: Art with Mrs. E

34. Water Drop Race

Get ready, get set, H2O! This is a super cool way to introduce your little scientists in training to the idea of surface tension. For experiment tools, they’ll need water, straws, and parchment paper. Challenge your students to move water from a start to a finish line by blowing the droplets across the wax paper with a straw! 

35. Coffee Filter Wall Hanging

Your students will be dying to hang their coffee filter art projects with pride! Grab some coffee filters and have your elementary-aged children decorate them with a mix of watercolors. Once dried, they can attach the painted filters to a branch with string. Pottery Barn can’t compete with this colorful display!

Learn More: Art Bar Blog

36. Seussian Sculptures

Calling all Dr. Seuss fans! This activity will unlock your child’s creativity when you present them with a colorful mix of media such as pipe cleaners, beads, pool noodle pieces, and any other whimsical material. They’ll enjoy fusing the most interesting ideas into these non-traditional sculptures!

Learn More: Scrum Dilly Do

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Are your kids choosing video games over homework? Smart home tech can help

Working from home for close to a year now has brought this question to my mind: Are kids playing video games now more than ever because of the pandemic? I’m brining up this idea because of my neighbor’s son, who is constantly playing video games whenever I’m working in my home office. In fact, I can hear him chatting with his friends on a daily basis — as well as yelling whenever he dies in a battle.

Point security cameras at the TV

Door/motions sensors in rooms, smart plugs that can tell if a console is turned on, hardware firewalls that block gaming services, reward good behavior.

Schools around my area plan to offer a hybrid strategy , where students have in-school sessions paired with virtual learning. At the moment, however, it seems like he’s home more than at school. Even though I don’t have children, it made me wonder how working parents, especially who that don’t have the option to work from home, can ensure that their children are doing their homework and not playing video games.

Since I’ve spent a great deal of time covering the smart home, I know a few ways that smart home tech can help tackle and remedy the issue. At the same time, I asked some friends for solutions they employ to make sure their kids are getting their schoolwork done and not playing video games when they’re not there.

When it comes to keeping homes safe, security cameras are useful deterrents that can prevent crime and keep those inside the home protected. However, there’s a level of precaution that needs to be kept in mind if you plan on using one to keep tabs on your kids at home . Some parents, quite frankly, don’t feel comfortable at all with a camera recording a wide area where children are present.

Privacy is always a constant concern , so it’s a better idea to have a security camera pointed in the direction of the television, or the area where video game consoles are kept. This not only helps to maintain a level of privacy because its view is isolated to a certain spot, but still enables you to determine if someone is playing video games when they’re supposed to be doing homework. You’ll want to decrease the sensitivity of its motion detection to ensure the slightest movement isn’t detected and recorded.

Do you prefer something that’s not as obtrusive? Another idea worth looking into is using door and motion sensors in rooms where consoles are stored. For open rooms such as the living room and family room, motion sensors can be anchored above entertainment centers and cabinets where those video game consoles are stored — so whenever someone comes close, you can get a notification about it.

But what if the console is inside your kids’ room? Well, that’s when a door sensor would be more ideal. If the video game console is stored on a shelf or in a cabinet, you can place a door sensor on it, so it can detect whenever it’s opened. This solution maintains your kids’ privacy, while still giving parents a clue if consoles are being accessed during school hours.

Smart plugs are handy for many reasons, but in situations where parents are keeping an eye on their kids’ gaming usage, some can show you when they’ve been turned on. For example, the Eve Energy Strip can not only be remotely turned on and off, but it also tracks power consumption with each of its outlets, allowing parents to tell what time of the day a video game console is drawing power.

There are also scheduling options that enable users to set a time and date when a particular outlet can be active, so this is a wonderful tool that can be automated.

While the other solutions are more obvious, this next one is actually something that doesn’t receive as much attention. Parents have more control than ever before in regard to the internet, which is why using your router’s firewall controls is a good way to curb video game play during school/homework hours.

Modern routers such as the Eero 6 and Google Nest Wi-Fi have the ability to block gaming services, rendering those consoles useless when it comes to online play. Yes, they’re still able to play locally by themselves, but it’s a solution worth adding to your arsenal. And if you rent a modem gateway or router from your internet service provider, chances are that it offers some firewall options as well to block gaming services.

I’m not saying that kids should be prevented from playing video games during school days. I actually feel the opposite. Just like anything in life, video gaming should be done in moderation, which is why I feel that dishing out some playing time should be treated as a reward. If they’re doing well and properly focusing on homework, then what’s the hurt in rewarding them with some video game time? It’s a wonderful way to build trust, too.

Then again, there are kids who want to stay one step ahead of their parents — I was one of them! That’s why parents need to ensure that parental controls are at the very least activated on their gaming consoles (and their smartphones, too ). I can’t stress this enough, it’s crucial. It’s the first barrier that will prevent them from playing. Combine that with any of the solutions I’ve detailed above, or perhaps use a combination of them, to stay one step ahead of your kids.

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Samsung Gaming Hub is a feature on newer Samsung TVs that gathers cloud gaming apps like Amazon Luna and Xbox Game Pass all into one place. Ahead of CES 2024, Samsung revealed that it's going a step further and starting up a "Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub" program that relates to gaming accessories directly made for the service.

The first product that will bear this name is a new controller from PDP. Called the Replay Wireless Controller, this "Midnight Blue" device looks similar to an Xbox controller, but features a home button that can immediately launch Samsung Gaming Hub, as well as volume and power buttons for the TV.

The spooky season is almost here, and if you’re worried about throwing the perfect Halloween party, consider using your smart home to do the heavy lifting. Common smart home gadgets such as motion sensors, light bulbs, and smart plugs make it easy to pull off a horrifying Halloween party for your guests. From assisting with your playlist and movie selections to creating a chilling ambiance, here’s a look at all the ways your smart home can help you throw a killer Halloween party. Use motion sensors to trigger spooky sounds Have a smart home security system? Then you can probably rig up your motion sensors to play a spooky noise. It doesn't necessarily have to be a motion sensor, either -- your smart camera can trigger other devices in your smart home when it detects motion.

Just place a speaker on your porch, perhaps tucked away behind a pumpkin or a bit of straw. When a group of unsuspecting kids shows up to ask for candy, they set off the motion sensor on the camera, which triggers the speaker to play the sound of a zombie's moan or the cackle of a witch. Bonus points if you set up an animatronic hand to rise up out of the straw.