For decades, some people have said video games aren’t good for your brain and are a waste of time. What if I told you they could be awesome for bonding with your kids? Your family could learn something new and make memories while relaxing in the living room. Here’s a more positive outlook on video games and how they can build relationships. 

How Video Games Bond Families 

From Mario Kart to Minecraft, video games can be conducive to family time and healthy relationships. Here are a few reasons why I think they’re an incredible modern tool.

Building Teamwork

Co-op games require families to work together and achieve a common goal. For example, the Super Mario Bros. series lets you control Mario and Luigi as they rescue Princess Peach. You and your child can develop communication skills and apply the lessons to real-life tasks.

For example, you could use the cooperation skills developed through gaming to teach your kid basic kitchen tasks and expose them to cooking. The ability to communicate could apply to delegating tasks and coordinating actions. While you chop onions, your child handles the dishes and cleaning responsibilities. Therefore, you get plenty of opportunities for support and encouragement. 

Getting Smarter

Some parents discourage video games because they think electronics are counterproductive to learning. However, they can be terrific tools for kids and parents. A 2022 study said video games helped kids with cognitive skills tests about impulse control and memory. 

While video games help kids, they benefit parents by encouraging critical thinking and strategy. You’re getting quality time with your kids and boosting cognitive skills. You can develop an appreciation for the game by learning more about art, design and symbolism in the storylines. 

Feeling Accomplished

There’s nothing quite like defeating the final boss in a video game. The only thing making it better is if you accomplish this feat with your kids. Communication and collaboration carried you over the top despite the challenges. Once you see the end credits, you can breathe a sigh of relief and lock in these memories. 

Brilliant accomplishments can increase your child’s self-esteem, especially if they contributed to the win. Trust me — beating a video game is a big deal to a kid. While the serotonin is temporary, the memories could last a lifetime. I still remember when my dad and I beat The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the first time. 

Bridging Generational Gaps

Relating to what’s hip with your kids is challenging, to say the least. They learn new phrases and songs that sound like a foreign language to you. However, video games are a strong way to bridge generational gaps and connect. Find your favorite titles on your old Xbox or PlayStation to teach them how you grew up. 

Dads can give their kids a glimpse of the past by playing old sports games. For example, I still keep a copy of Madden NFL ‘08 so I can show my son who dominated football when I was younger. The reverse works when you want to relate to what they like. I never thought I’d play Roblox until my kid became interested — now, we have weekly sessions. 

Teaching Healthy Habits

For decades, I’ve used video games for stress relief. Dads typically separate their Call of Duty time and fatherly duties to have some peace. However, you don’t have to isolate yourself from your family — instead, expose your kids to safe options like racing games or creative building modes. 

Kids are like sponges, absorbing everything you do. Teach them how to limit screen time, maintain proper posture and have a healthy relationship with their games. It’s essential to have a positive experience to strengthen your bonds and create memories. After all, you’re a team trying to make each other better.  

Best Games Appealing to Families

I wouldn’t expect you to play Gears of War with your 7-year-old child. However, you can use plenty of family-friendly games for family bonding time. For example, previously my son has loved games like Animal Crossing that allow us to build a town together with child-friendly animal characters. 

Most recently, he’s gotten hooked on a game called Tamagotchi Plaza after seeing it’s bright colors and characters on the Nintendo Switch store. The game has a two-player mode where you can play offline for collaboration and competition, letting us care for virtual pets together (much like the Tamagotchis I had as a kid) and teaching him a bit about the responsibility of caring for animals. 

Who could forget Minecraft? This game is accessible on most modern consoles and lets your family share creative expression. You can build houses, castles and entire cities by dedicating time and developing strategies. We can work together to manage resources and thwart monsters. Experts say Minecraft fosters social skills, teamwork and real-time problem-solving. 

Wisely Using Video Games for Bonding Time 

Family time makes you think of watching movies, eating dinner and taking trips to Disneyland. However, including video games as part of your bonding activities can support emotional connections between you and your children. Spending time with controllers and joysticks has taught my son several useful skills while helping us understand each other better.

Jack Shaw is the senior editor at Modded and a single father with a special interest in navigating the ins and outs of being a parent. As parents, the work we put in isn’t always recognized, but it’s absolutely essential to the health and well-being of our children. You can find more of Jack’s work in publications like Tiny Buddha, Parent.com, The Company of Dads and more.