Video Games & Virtual Worlds

What an incredible contrast between these two images right?! While one invokes a bit of fear and anxiety, the other is cute and inviting. How crazy is today's technology where video games and virtual worlds literally can look like a cartoon fantasy, or exactly like real life!

Video games and virtual worlds are in pretty much every single U.S. home. With the internet came the virtual realities, and boy did they start creating new and fascinating worlds. Many times, the biggest concern about video games and virtual worlds is the exposure to violence and sex. Many children and youth engage in these video games as a form of relaxation, fun, and entertainment. 

Minecraft for example is a game where you dig (mine) and build (craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large world of varying terrains and habitats to explore. This game is incredibly popular with elementary and middle school aged children as they are able to interact with other crafters online whom they've never met, as well as create a virtual world completely of their own. I watched my 12 year old nephew play this for 2 hours straight I couldn't help but ask "so how do you win?" to which he scoffed and said "there is no winning. You just get to make whatever you want. Watch" and he proceeded to build a block of dynamite to blow up a part of a mountain. He smugly looked at me and said "see, now I can go find diamonds and other goodies". 

I think today's video games and virtual worlds offer children and youth a positive outlet to express their own ideas, thoughts, and desires. As with anything, children and teens need to be guided and protected by adults, so having important parent-child conversations about the "who, what, when, how, where, why" is completely necessary especially for games where multi-locational players are involved.