Video games can help children learn to read

People underestimate the power of video games. I am a teenager and you would not believe how many times I have read or heard video games are bad for kids. You would not believe how many things I have learned from video games. Granted many games in the action line of games, like first-person shooters and racing games are useless in learning anything besides quick reactions and hand-eye coordination, but what of the real-time strategy games or sim games?

I played Sim City 4 for about two months straight, and can see how things are related dealing with municipal entities. I played Age of Empire 2, and I learned about middle ages history. I am not saying that the missions were how they really happened, but I did learn that Joan of Arc was betrayed due to jealousy and sold out to the Burgundians and later the English. I have still not been taught that in high school.

Another effect of online games is the social skills you can learn. Personally I am a very shy person, but that doesn't stop me from going online playing some games and making friends. Why is this possible? Because the people sitting across on the other end of the connection don't know me. They can't judge me the first time I pop up in-game.

So, for anybody who says video games are just wastes of money, I have to say no they aren't. The right ones can teach you many school subjects and the ones that don't teach you skills like hand-eye coordination, social skills, etc. Video games can be very beneficial to anyone who takes the time. (Except World of Warcraft. Seriously that game will steal your soul.)