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Games are fun and entertaining, and the best ones are downright exhilarating. However, there is more to benefit from them than just the adrenaline rush during the heat of the action. Playing games helps you develop crucial life and social skills that can be applied to studies, work, and even daily life.
You’re probably wondering what skills you could possibly learn by playing Jenga or Tetris? We’ll discuss them right here on this page. Even gambling games have their benefits. So when you go looking for the top online casino sites, keep in mind that Michigan online casino free money bonuses are not the only things you stand to gain. Here are nine life skills you could acquire through gaming.
Hand-eye coordination
Getting your fingers to react quickly to what you see is one of the initial skills when playing games. It’s a common aspect of elementary video games for kids where the objective is to click or move objects around. In games for older kids and adults, the hand-eye coordination required increases with more challenging levels.
Tons of non-game activities require this skill, for instance, playing musical instruments, playing sports, or typing on a keyboard. There are even keyboarding games available online that can help kids improve their typing skills while still having fun.
Quick thinking & decision making
If you’re still wondering about the possible skills to be gained from Jenga and Tetris, this is a major one. Tetris requires pattern recognition and incorporates quick hand-eye coordination to fit the patterns in the right spaces.
With Jenga, you have to decide the safest pieces to remove without breaking the tower. This logical thinking is also common in sudokus and, of course, chess.
These puzzles and games stimulate the brain and promote speed thinking. Over time, you’ll become well-versed in thinking outside of the box.
Communication & social interaction
This is best experienced with online multiplayer games, and thankfully there are a lot of those available these days. CS:GO, League of Legends, and DOTA 2, often feature lots of team-building tasks and community activities. Live casino games also allow active communication with other real-life players, and during game tournaments, you can connect to thousands of enthusiasts like yourself.
There are several online communities (on social media) dedicated to keeping gamers connected. For these communities, it’s not just about making it to the top of the leaderboard but about fostering a social atmosphere of friendship and loyalty.
Many individuals with anti-social personality disorder are able to open up to others through these platforms. So, it helps improve social interaction skills in the long run.
Problem solving
It doesn’t have to be a math-themed game. Even fun adventure video games like Super Mario require players to find a way around obstacles to move to the next level. While you may be jumping bricks with the Mario avatar in the game world, problem-solving may involve mitigating arguments or handling work challenges in reality.
Although video game experiences may seem impractical for handling real problems, they, nonetheless, help instill a problem-solving mentality. So, you’ll have a better idea of the approaches to take towards finding successful solutions.
Strategic planning
From the simplest puzzle games to the hardcore CS:GO, where you need to calculate several moves ahead to clear a level, strategy is essential. Casino games like online Blackjack also require an amount of betting techniques during gameplay.
In casual social contexts like daily life, you would plan your day to maximize your time. Money management requires you to budget your expenses. Many times, people often plan years ahead to anticipate future goals.
When you think about it, there’s a bit of a tactical approach to achieving anything in life, so this is one of the most precious skills to be acquired from gaming. Strategic planning is also a field of work and fundamentally requires the same practicality as online gaming.
Keeping cool under pressure
Most people get nervous and begin hyperventilating when they’re backed up to a corner or faced with some kind of responsibility. If you’ve ever seen pro gamers in action, they proceed through every obstacle in a calm and calculated manner, even when at a disadvantage. Being able to stay level-headed under pressure means you can handle any situation thrown at you.
So far, research on video gaming has been unable to show a clear link between in-game violence and real-world aggression. This skill further undermines the belief that video gaming leads to violent behavior.
Keen sense of observation
Imagine playing hidden objects games, detective games, and word puzzles. These are mentally stimulating and also imbibe strong observation skills. In non-game contexts, the latter is beneficial in picking up important signals about people around you and the environment as a whole.
Multi-tasking
As fun as video games were way back when, they’re a far cry from the feature-packed ones available nowadays. Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto, are perfect examples of complex task-based games where you have to complete a goal while solving two or more smaller tasks simultaneously.
For instance, in Grand Theft Auto, you’ll need to race to your destination while navigating crowded areas and warding off antagonists, all under a timer.
Hardly will you have only one problem to solve at a time in the real world, so the ability to multi-task acquired through gaming will come in quite handy.
Patience
Patience is a virtue that’s really hard to learn. Would you rather wait in a long queue or walk away and find an alternative? Yes, the latter could be time-saving, but it could also indicate a lack of patience.
Role-playing video games often require you to repeat sequences to complete a level. It can be frustrating to redo a game over and over when you lose, but it’s incredibly satisfying once you finally succeed.
With patience, you’ll be able to persevere through difficult situations with school, work, and family. Besides, learning patience is a step towards being a better version of yourself.
Final thoughts
While board games are less scrutinized, video games and gambling games have been branded as harbingers of immaturity, violence, and addiction. When not played in moderation, gaming does have its ugly sides. However, there are many good fruits to rip from this fun activity. So next time you pick up that game console or open that online game, consider what life skills it could be teaching you and have fun while you learn.
