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Children's Health and Safety Risks in Online Gaming 🎮
What Every Parent Should Know
Video and online games, while entertaining, often pull children away from essential and healthy social interactions and physical activities that are crucial for their development. It’s vital for parents to understand the potential risks and manage their children’s gaming to foster a healthy and social upbringing.
Fun – if you're old enough, the game is appropriate, and it doesn’t replace real-life activities.
How Gaming Affects Children's Health
Depending on your child’s age, gaming can pose more or less severe health risks. The top 5 health risks for children related to online and video gaming are:
1. Eye strain and vision problems
Medical experts recommend limiting screen time, especially for young children. For those under 5, screen usage should be minimized as it can negatively impact cognitive development and eye health. [”]
Older children are also at risk. Prolonged exposure to the close-up screens of smartphones and tablets can cause eye strain and other visual issues. [”]
If games are to be played, it’s better to use computers or TV screens, as the increased viewing distance helps reduce eye strain. It’s equally important to implement regular breaks. [”]
(This is as true for children as it is for adults. After every 20 minutes of game time or screen usage, you should allow your eyes to rest by looking away at a distant object for at least 20 seconds.) [”]
2. Sedentary lifestyle and weight gain
Excessive gaming can lead to a sedentary lifestyle in children (sitting still instead of playing, running, climbing, etc) contributing to weight gain and health issues. Long gaming hours often replace physical activities like sports, outdoor play, and exercise, which are vital for a healthy weight.
Parents should ensure that daily movement and physical activity, along with a nutritious diet, are prioritized before allowing screen time and gaming. This approach supports both the short-term and long-term well-being of the child.
3. Sleep disruption
Gaming, particularly before bedtime, can interfere with a child’s sleep patterns, reducing the quality and duration of sleep and leading to fatigue and difficulty concentrating during the day.
4. Mental health concerns
Excessive gaming has been linked to anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal in some children, especially when gaming replaces social interactions or outdoor play. In more extreme cases, children can develop a destructive gaming addiction, where they prioritize gaming over essential daily activities, leading to worsening emotional health, strained relationships, and neglect of responsibilities like schoolwork and personal care.
5. Exposure to inappropriate content
Children playing online games may be exposed to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, or communication with strangers, which can lead to emotional distress or even potential safety risks.
Real life play can be messy - but it's worth it
The Hidden Safety Risks of Gaming
Games that allow contact with strangers should be avoided due to the risk of inappropriate interactions from unknown adults. Any game where strangers can initiate contact with your child is inherently unsafe.
One of the most frequently cited examples by safety experts is Roblox, largely because of its low age limit.
Unfortunately, some adults with harmful intentions use the platform to target young children, who are often unaware of the need to protect themselves, while many parents remain unaware of the risks.
Unfortunately, some adults with harmful intentions use the platform to target young children, who are often unaware of the need to protect themselves, while many parents remain unaware of the risks.
The issue with these games is that their age restrictions don’t adequately address the dangers posed by online interactions with strangers.
Games Where Age Ratings Fail to Protect Against Stranger Danger
Starting with Roblox as an example, the game is rated E10+ (10 years and older) by the ESRB in North America and PEGI 7 (7 years and older) in Europe. However, it’s unclear why children as young as 7 or even 10 need to play this game. In addition to the risks mentioned above, their encouragement of spending money within the game may instill unwanted values. (We’ll explore more age-appropriate games later in this article.)
If your child does play Roblox, it’s essential to strictly adhere to the age limits, even for younger siblings. For children under 13, it’s highly recommended to play only under supervised settings. Parental controls should be used to limit chat features, restrict in-game purchases, and control access to certain games.
Why Parental Controls Might Not Be Enough
Many of these games offer parental controls, and while they should always be activated for children of the recommended age, they could give you a false sense of security. Software updates can remove or reset settings, and many tech-savvy children have found ways to bypass these controls.
Games to Avoid:
| Game | ESRB Rating | PEGI Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Roblox | E10+ | 7 |
| Fortnite | T (13+) | 12 |
| Minecraft | E10+ | 7 |
| Call of Duty (Warzone, etc.) | M (17+) | 18 |
| Apex Legends | T (13+) | 16 |
| Among Us | E10+ | 7 |
| GTA Online | M (17+) | 18 |
| League of Legends | T (13+) | 12 |
| PUBG | T (13+) | 16 |
| Rocket League | E (All) | 3 |
While these age ratings guide suitability based on the game’s content, they often don’t reflect the risks associated with online interactions like chatting with strangers. Parental involvement and enabling safety settings are essential, especially for younger players.
All Kids Must Know
PEGI lists a few basic tips on how to talk to your children about online safety when your child is old enough to start gaming. In addition to the tips mentioned below we would like to add never giving out your real name:
- “Bad behaviour, bad language, or cheating is NOT okay! You can block other players from contacting you, report them to the game provider or platform, and tell your parents.
- Tell your parents right away if you come across any information that makes you feel uncomfortable. This can include pictures, videos, and audio or text messages.
- Do not give out personal information such as your home address, e-mail address, telephone number, passwords or pictures, or even simple things such as your daily routine, school name or hobbies.
- Never agree to get together with someone you meet online without checking with your parents first.”
Choosing the Right Games
Not all games are created equal. Educational options like Khan Academy Kids or Duolingo ABC combine learning with fun, without online interaction. For football fans, FIFA helps deepen understanding of the game’s rules and strategies.
For lighthearted fun, games like Mario Kart by Nintendo was highlighted in a study as a game that helped improve mental well-being during the pandemic in Japan. [”]
Some studies show that gaming can improve skills beyond entertainment. Surgeons with video game experience, especially in precision-based games, seem to perform better in robot-assisted surgeries, showcasing how games can enhance hand-eye coordination. [”]
The Easiest Solution
Much like with candy, iPads, or fried food, the longer you can delay introducing it to your children, the better. [”] Once your child knows what chocolate bars are and recognizes them at the store, the arguments begin. Gaming can follow a similar pattern. When you do decide to introduce gaming, approach it thoughtfully, with clear rules and expectations set from the very beginning.
For pre-schoolers, there’s no real need for online games at all. If you decide you want to introduce gaming when your child has started school, it’s advisable to set limits from the start. Restricting gaming to one day a week helps children enjoy it without it interfering with their learning or replacing more valuable activities.
It’s also important to set expectations about game duration. Before your child starts playing, clearly communicate how long the gaming session will last.
To avoid a post-gaming crash, try setting an alarm with your child before they start playing. For younger school-aged children, keeping sessions to 20 minutes can help prevent overstimulation and the resulting tantrums or "concentration hangovers" many parents know all too well.
To avoid a post-gaming crash, try setting an alarm with your child before they start playing. For younger school-aged children, keeping sessions to 20 minutes can help prevent overstimulation and the resulting tantrums or “concentration hangovers” many parents know all too well.
By maintaining these guidelines, you can help your child develop a balanced relationship with gaming and other responsibilities.
It's Never Too Late
If you feel you’ve introduced games too early or your child is spending too much time in front of a screen and the situation feels out of control, don’t lose hope. It’s never too late to take action and regain balance. Read our guide on managing screen addiction in children and teens for practical steps you can take right now.
Helping Children Who Struggle with Friendships or Bullying
For children who are struggling to make friends or coping with bullying, gaming can offer a sense of comfort and connection. However, this can also make it harder for parents to set limits around screen time.
While gaming might provide a temporary escape, it’s important to ensure that children are also gaining real-world experiences to build the social skills they’ll need in life.
Encouraging your child to explore hobbies or activities outside of school can create a safe environment for them to meet new people and build friendships in a different setting. Knowing they can form connections offline can boost their confidence and provide hope for healthier social interactions.
Kids just want to play - help them make it happen IRL
Join Forces With Other Parents
Engaging with other parents to establish common guidelines on acceptable games can be very helpful. Discussing these topics in parent meetings can lead to community-wide standards that support all children in the neighborhood or school.
There are several organizations and groups that provide support for parents looking to limit screen time and manage gaming habits in children. Some useful links include:
- Child Mind Institute: childmind.org – Offers expert advice on managing screen time and the impact of technology on children’s mental health.
- Wait Until 8th: waituntil8th.org – A movement encouraging parents to delay giving children smartphones until at least 8th grade.
- Screen Time Action Network: screentimenetwork.org – A global coalition that provides resources and support for parents concerned about screen time.
Takeaways for Parents
Prioritize physical and social activities: Encourage your child to engage in physical play, sports, and socializing with peers in real-world settings to promote a balanced lifestyle.
Limit and monitor screen time: Once gaming is allowed, keep it to short, structured sessions. Use larger screens to minimize eye strain, and ensure the games are age-appropriate and educational.
Encourage diverse interests: Promote a variety of hobbies and activities that involve face-to-face interaction, helping to reduce dependence on digital entertainment.
Communicate and collaborate: Coordinate with other parents to establish shared guidelines on gaming and digital media, fostering a healthy community environment for your child’s development.
By focusing on these strategies, parents can help their children maintain a balanced life, enriched by real-world experiences that build social skills and overall well-being.
