Gaming and Screen Use: Finding Balance

In today's technology-dominated era, the constant and sometimes excessive use of devices Digital technology has a notable impact on the daily lives of people of all ages and strata. social. Technology has become a fundamental element in our environment, and this influence even extends to childhood.. It makes our lives easier, it entertains us and at times it separates us from close ties.

Although the benefits for the organization of daily life are undoubted, there are important studies that have pointed out possible negative effects, Despite which, excessive use of screens is still common, which often displaces traditional activities in children, such as game.

In the first years of life, recreational activity is not simply a way to have fun, but plays an essential role in the mental and emotional development of children. Through play, they can experience and practice different roles, which contributes to the formation of their identity.. Although screens offer engaging visual and sensory experiences, excessive use of them can restrict exploration, critical thinking, and creativity.

In this context, there is a need to carefully analyze how virtual games compare to traditional games in terms of fostering freedom and creativity. It is crucial to find a balance between the opportunities provided by technology and the healthy development of children, promoting their skills and their ability to think creatively.

The use of technology in school-age boys and girls

The use of technology and screens in school-age children presents a mix of significant benefits and challenges. On the one hand, technology can be a very important educational tool, promoting the development of digital skills, exposure to varied information and interaction with educational content stimulants.

Additionally, it can improve participation and interest in learning by adapting to different learning styles and allowing more personalized access to information. However, the abuse of screens can lead to difficulties such as a decrease in the time allocated to physical, social and creative activities, which could negatively affect the cognitive, emotional and social development of children. There is also a risk of overexposure to inappropriate or addictive content, as well as impacts on sleep quality due to exposure to screens before bed.

Despite neuroscience research that postulates the possible detrimental effects of excessive screen use on language acquisition processes, language, academic performance and sleep patterns, and even its contribution to problems such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem (Desmurget, 2020), persists the excessive proliferation of this practice, while the applications gain ground to the detriment of trains, puzzles, balls and flour and flour doughs. salt.

If it is not about demonizing technology and, in fact, it presents its benefits, how can we find the balance between healthy use and excess?What indicators could be observed as anticipatory alerts that help mothers and fathers in monitoring their use? Understanding the function of play may be a gateway to developing parental care strategies that help find that balance.

Play as an opportunity in child development

Talking about play from psychology inevitably refers to Donald Winnicott, an English psychoanalyst whose insights and contributions Theorists about child development and the importance of play in identity formation continue to resonate in the present.

The game, when its dynamics presents certain characteristics, becomes for children into an essential vehicle for growth, learning and connection with oneself and with the world. world. It is the rehearsal of reality and fundamental action in child development through which boys and girls explore and experiment with their environment, they learn to regulate their emotions, develop their imagination and creativity, and establish a meaningful relationship with the world around them. surrounds But what are those characteristics?

The general gaming activity could be subdivided into two large categories: free play and regulated play. While the latter refers to more structured activities with defined rules, instructions and objectives (such as games of table, team activities, etc.), free play is presented as the most authentic and unique recreational activity that each child can develop.

Free play, by not having strict rules or preconceived goals, allows spontaneity and imagination to be enhanced.. It represents an activity without a particular goal, where the individual immerses himself completely in the present moment. It is possible to find here, for example, the creations of real worlds through cardboard boxes, or simple fun in drawing, painting or enjoying dance and improvised music, games with blocks and sensory elements such as mass.

Taking this into account, the recreational activities proposed by most apps could be located within the category of the regulated game in the sense that there is already an environment created, there are objectives to achieve and lives to keep. In this way, they collaborate with the development of problem-solving and context analysis skills, however there is less space for the development of creativity.

Maintaining balance in child development will be achieved not only by monitoring the content and messages transmitted by screens but also by The inclusion of technology does not mean leaving aside the experiential, improvised and spontaneous play that free play implies..