Today, even a small child can tell an adult, what kind of potion is better to use in the game on a smartphone and what map is the easiest way. It turns out that the influence of games (including digital) on children goes far beyond entertainment. About how applications help the child better know himself and peace, we talked to Nikolai Voronin - Neuropsychologist of the European Medical Center, a candidate of psychological sciences.
Nikolai Voronin
Neuropsychologist of the European Medical Center
How can games help in the socialization of children?- The phenomenon of the game has long attracted scientists. Previously it was believed that the main task of the game is the development and improvement of skills that will be needed in adulthood. Undoubtedly, this is so, the game helps children to train:
- visual and motor coordination;
- memory;
- creative skills;
Also, the game helps the child is better to understand not only the world around the world, but also himself, their emotions and experiences.
Studies of recent decades indicate another most important feature of the game - the development of brain mechanisms that provide our communication, and, most importantly, the desire to interact with others. That is, childhood game helps a child not only to gain the necessary skills, but also adapt to the rules of behavior in society.
- And how exactly are the games affect the child?- Communicating with other children and adults in play situations, the child absorbs flexible behaviors that are necessary for life and communication in the world around us.
As the types of games are distinguished, brain mechanisms that are activated and during gaming activities are different. There is no single "center of the game" in the brain - on the contrary, during the game there are always involved various structures that are responsible for:
- Perception of own body
- surrounding
- social signals
- Attention and regulation of behavior.
And most importantly, in the process of the game there is a mixture of these brain areas, they learn to interact with each other.
What is a moving factor in this training? The joy we are experiencing in the game game. Previously, scientists considered emotions as a by-product of the work of consciousness, and now they are considered the most important component of any mental activity, including the learning process. The sense of joy is ensured by a dopamine brain reinforcement system. That is why during the game, children are intensified by memorization processes, fantasy and creative search.
Find out exactly how the children have visual and engine coordination during the game, creative abilities are revealed and memory develops, in the new special project from Kinder. In collaboration with experts, the brand removed the video, where it simply and affordably shows how games can help reveal the creative potential of the child, to form a handwriting and stimulate attention.
- Parents choose the game to the child. What to pay attention to?- There is no generally accepted understanding of a single recipe. We cannot say: take this toy and she will "develop" a child. It seems to me that the number of functions in games as the potential for interacting with others is not so important. If the child plays the latest version of the game, but parents are not ready to divide his passion, answer questions - motivation to get knowledge is reduced. Conversely, playing in the simplest game, but actively discussing it with parents and peers, the child stimulates curiosity. Games, during which the child communicates with other children, parents, and at the same time he learns something new, help to hone the skills in adulthood.
- What are the capabilities of the application and games on the smartphone give children and parents?- Today, scientists know exactly that interpersonal interaction is important for the successful development of the child's brain.
Previously, the child received knowledge one on one with a book, a designer or a simple computer. Now the technology and the parenthood involved do everything more interesting - even when the child plays in the appendix, he can always ask for advice from parents or friends and share his successes.
From a scientific point of view, this creates additional opportunities for the child: such interaction provides embedding of the acquired knowledge in a higher level neuralition. That is, the child learns proactive control - does not just receive information about the world around, but understands how to use it in the future.
Also, modern applications and games are opening up new opportunities in communicating with children and for parents. Scientists found out that when children and parents play together (including on smartphones), such a game is in its essence, and the same brain mechanisms of social intelligence will use as in real life. So, from the point of view of psychology, this time spent together helps to develop and communicate between parents and children.
The game on the smartphone in which you can play with your parents is exactly the option when the application complements, and does not replace communication with loved ones. Kinder launched exactly such an application - Applaydu, with augmented reality (here you can "revive" a toy from a chocolate egg, scanning it) and interesting tasks that can be held with mom and dad.
The child becomes a hero of adventure:
- Creates a personalized avatar;
- goes mini-games;
- Plays with his favorite hero Kinder Surprise in augmented reality.
Each new toy from Kinder Surprise opens up new features: mini-games, costumes for avatar and ar-mask.
Games are designed to meet the recommendations of the Department of Education of the University of Oxford, and the Experts of the Gameloft - a company, which has been creating religious games for 20 years (for example, ASPHALT and SHREK series for 20 years).
In total, there are 11 mini-games applications that help stimulate:
- Spectatical motor coordination,
- memory,
- creativity.
There are no advertising and built-in purchases in ApplayDU. You can download the application in the App Store or Google Play. The application is compatible with all Android and iOS devices, starting with Android 4.4 and iOS 12.
Applaydu from Kinder shows what opportunities for children and parents open games. Learn more about why the game is the language of children and how games affect memory, you can on the project site.
- Computer technologies today help parents to stimulate in children important skills. I am sure that this trend will continue, and one day the computer in the famous empirical test of Turing will be impossible to distinguish from a person. Achievements in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence are already opening many opportunities for parents and children.
Applications and computer games can significantly expand the capabilities of parents in communicating with children. Technology helps to stimulate the child the actual, in demand in the modern world of the ability. If parents are played with the child, then such a game in the appendix will give children an emotional and sensual experience that is necessary for the socialization of the child in the full sense of the word.
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