Video Games and Growing Brains

In our house, we do not own a video gaming system.  We do have a DS and the kids have a few games for it.  My sister, who is single, has a pretty elaborate set-up and includes games for her nieces and nephews in the mix.  So they are allowed to play at her house.  The newest game is Lego Rock Band.

Speaking as a mom, this game is fun.  The lyrics are pre-screened for family-friendliness and you can control which songs the children use.  This game is played socially, with a group and even as a family.  Video games are supposed to be “bad” for you, but honestly, there are some benefits.  Games can encourage practice of skills like reading, memory and problem-solving.  One particular study found that surgeons who play a significant amount of video games weekly have more successful outcomes when performing laparoscopic surgeries.  So a certain kind of hand-eye coordination is improving in this process.

However, multiple studies over the past several years confirm a link between video game usage and poor school performance.  Of course, most of these studies imply that children are gaming instead of studying.  Many experts believe that people can become addicted to the games.  Another big concern is the inappropriate content in the video games, themselves.  So common-sense controls over both the quantity and quality of video game usage are necessary.  Better to teach your child to control this tool now, than depriving them entirely.  They need to learn discipline, discernment and self-control before facing the modern world on their own.

Speaking as a music teacher, I would be concerned that the music, mostly pop and rock songs from the 80’s to the present, does not represent the genres that studies show to be beneficial to brain-growth.  For this reason, I would recommend more limited exposure to the game.  However, Rock Band does encourage the connections between auditory input, visual input, and physical output as relates to music.  We’ve found that similar “music games” have helped with auditory processing disorder, encouraging brain connections with music that can be used by traveling neurons in other ways.

Is this good preparation for music studies?  That is a stretch.  Certainly, basic music skills like the kind we emphasize in Making Music Praying Twice are necessary to succeed with this game.  I would not recommend this game for a child who is not yet beat competent.  The vocal element can help a more experienced singer to practice some vocal control as you are expected to perfectly imitate the recording.  However, this is not like studying an instrument.  The audio and visual do not match up in the easy settings.  My husband who studied jazz percussion at North Texas State and Berklee College of Music wasn’t super successful as a Lego Rock Band drummer.  He lost points for playing the full drum track and for improvising.  Improvisation is a very important part of good music education and this game is more about becoming a CD player than a musician.
So, if you think it would be fun, go ahead and play Lego Rock Band.  Just don’t kid yourself about the potential benefit for your child.  As with all video games and media, remember that moderation is key. 

God bless,

Kate