05/29/2026
Gaming Is Not the Problem — The Type of Gaming Matters
Gaming is not going away.
For many children, gaming is already part of how they connect, learn, problem-solve, create, and decompress. Instead of asking, “How do we get rid of gaming?” we may need to start asking:
“How do we help children build a healthier relationship with gaming?”
Not all games are created equal.
Some games are designed to keep kids clicking, spending, comparing, competing, or chasing the next reward. These can sometimes lead to more dysregulation, frustration, impulsivity, and conflict at home.
But other games can support:
Problem-solving
Flexible thinking
Creativity
Teamwork
Frustration tolerance
Communication skills
Emotional regulation
STEM learning
Goal-setting and persistence
When children are guided toward games that encourage building, strategy, coding, creativity, science, logic, movement, or emotional regulation, gaming can become more than screen time.
It can become practice time.
Practice for patience.
Practice for planning.
Practice for recovering after mistakes.
Practice for asking for help.
Practice for trying again.
This is why many children may respond better to game-based learning than traditional lectures, worksheets, or repeated reminders. Their brains are engaged through play, challenge, reward, curiosity, and choice.
And for many neurodivergent children, gaming can feel safer and more motivating because it offers structure, clear rules, visual feedback, repetition, and a sense of control.
So instead of only saying, “Get off the game,” we can begin saying:
“Let’s choose games that help your brain grow.”
“Let’s notice how this game makes your body feel.”
“Let’s practice stopping before your brain gets overloaded.”
“Let’s find games that build skills, not just habits.”
Gaming is part of our children’s future.
Our job is not just to limit it.
Our job is to guide it.
For best use, I recommend parents try the app first, check privacy/settings, use it with time limits, and talk with the child afterward using prompts like:
“Did this game help your brain feel calm, creative, connected, or more frustrated?” “What was tricky?” “How did you solve it?” “What did your body feel like when you got frustrated?” “What helped you keep going?”
That answer tells us a lot.
Here are some optional apps and games that may support learning, problem-solving, emotional regulation, creativity, and STEM skills at home. These are not replacements for therapy or parent support, but they can be helpful tools for practicing flexible thinking, frustration tolerance, planning, focus, and coping skills through play.
Recommended options include:
Khan Academy Kids, PBS KIDS Games, Breathe Think Do with Sesame, ScratchJr, Lightbot, codeSpark Academy, DragonBox/Kahoot Algebra, Pok Pok, Smiling Mind, and Mightier.
