Esports and Child Development
Starting Out
What is esports impact on children’s development? As someone involved in Esports in my younger years, it was difficult to gain proper support from my parents. They didn’t believe it was possible to make a living simply playing video games, and it seemed the rest of the family agreed. As I got older and continued with my passion, a social shift began, and the idea of making a living playing video games seemed less unrealistic.
Variety of Practicality
This shift in the popularity of Esports isn’t confined to only the industries of Gaming, Entertainment, Social Media, and the expected qualifications. In recent years, there has been much practical application by use of academic institutions and large research firms, especially in using this large consumer market as the perfect opportunity to analyze theories of psychology, cognition, education, informatics, and sociology. The adolescent and children’s Esports Leagues represent a particularly important segment for parents looking to prepare their children for an increasingly digitized future, as well as for looking into how such pastimes influence and affect growth.
Cognition and Learning
Academic learning and family life are crucial components of a child’s growth, but there is a great necessity for extracurriculars dedicated to learning, skills development, and creative experiences. For current and future generations of youth, becoming comfortable with new technology is another addition to the list of necessities. That, among many other reasons, is why children’s esports leagues are so important.
Social Development
As a parent, properly socializing your child is arguably as important as providing them with a strong education. This can be challenging at the best of times, especially with COVID’s disruptions and the insertion of digital media into all facets of life, making the process even more difficult. However, unfettered social media and online gaming are becoming particularly controversial, if not problematic, as youth are increasingly experiencing harassment, cyberbullying, and other predatory behavior while exploring the online space.
The Pros
Children’s esports leagues and other structured online gaming environments provide a platform where kids can interact with one another while participating in activities they enjoy in safe environments. The traditional barriers to sports participation are also absent in Esports Programs, meaning youth from various cultures, socioeconomic statuses, ethnicity, ability levels, and geographic location can all socialize with one another. With globalization and a multicultural world on the rise, Esports provides the perfect platform to foster a generation of open-minded, tech-savvy professionals who flourish in both online and physical environments.
In Conclusion
When I was a young esports player, I longed for more interaction with my parents and with leagues. I would have gotten involved far sooner and developed better skills than I have now. With all these new facets and options for esports under 18, there are many more players today than when I was playing in the early 2000s. We hope that this introduction to Esports as a far more normal pastime brings the world into a brighter age of thought, connectivity, and skills.
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