Game on: An expert's top five tips for children who game
In Stockholm, you can stay in the Nordic region's first hotel room for gamers. Both adults on business trips and families on city breaks check in here.
"If you want to have a good and trusting relationship with your gamer child, it is important to engage in their passion for gaming," Anna-Carin Wettefors, a children's rights and bullying prevention expert at Friends.se, told Strawberry.
"This is at least as important within gaming as it is in football, dance, or swimming. And this is especially true when the whole family is on holiday."
Quality Hotel™ Globe in Stockholm, Sweden, has truly taken the growing interest in gaming seriously.
The hotel is behind the Nordic region's first hotel room that is purpose-built for gamers on the go.
Designed for streaming
They have thought of everything here. Just listen to this: the room has sound-absorbing curtains and sound dampeners, high-speed internet, LED lighting, and blackout curtains. The technology in the rooms is developed in collaboration with Telia, while GSIGN is responsible for the interior design and gaming furniture. And of course, you have a computer, access to a variety of popular games, two monitors, and a headset that meets the demands of even the most discerning gamers.
Since Quality Hotel™ Globe took the lead in launching the gaming rooms, Quality Hotel™ Match in Jönköping, Sweden, has also followed up with five rooms of its own. In Norway, the gaming rooms have also been introduced at the Quality Hotel™ Expo in Oslo.
– Engage in gaming
Friends is a Swedish organization with extensive experience and expertise in working with children's rights and preventing bullying.
The proportion of children and young people playing video games is increasing every year throughout the Nordic region. It is therefore important for parents to keep up with developments:
"Show your child that you are interested, be curious and ask questions," says Anna-Carin.
"While there has been a lot of concern about screen time in the past, it is important to be aware that this is where many children actually socialize with their friends," she adds.
"In the gaming world, many children experience a strong sense of camaraderie. It's social, and it's where they hang out with their friends."
This is precisely what Tina Hedman, hotel director at Quality Hotel™ Globe, wants to achieve with the new gaming rooms – allowing gamers to play even when they are on holiday. Regardless of age.
"We know that this is the future, and it is growing. Here, everyone checks in, from adults aged 30-50 on business trips who want to relax in the evening, to families with children and teenagers."
"Gamers don't watch TV in the evening; they relax by gaming," says Tina.
Gamers become proficient in English
In recent years, several studies have been published showing the positive effects of gaming. One such study at Karlstad University in Sweden among ninth graders showed that those who gamed at least five hours a week performed much better in English at school than those who were not gamers.
The pupils knew more English words with three syllables and also received better grades compared to those who did not game. A recent American study involving 2,000 children found that those who played video games daily performed better on cognitive skills tests. Gamers performed better in both impulse control and memory compared to children who had never played.
"Despite this, it is important to remember that gaming can also have a downside," says Anna-Carin.
"Talk to your child about how to be a good friend in the gaming community and on the Internet in general. And discuss together what to do if something happens. If your child becomes a victim of bullying or abuse – listen and support. Help the child to block the person in question and to report the offensive content. Notify the school and police if necessary."
An expert's top five tips for children and gaming
- Show your child that you are interested. Be curious and ask questions.
- Do not argue about playing time, but rather talk about what the child is doing in the game and on the Internet.
- Discuss how to be a good friend in the gaming community and on the Internet in general. Be aware that the language can be harsh and explain that what is not acceptable at school or on the pitch is not okay online either.
- Talk about what to do if something unpleasant happens.
- If your child experiences bullying or abuse online: Listen and offer support. Help your child block and report the user.
Click here to learn more and to book a gaming room in Stockholm.
