Studies show playing video games can contribute to poor sleep and impact attention, academic performance, mood, and wellbeing. Exposure to violent video games can contribute to aggressive behaviors in kids. Playing video games for long periods of time has also been linked with developing obesity.

“Socially, kids learn together, experience together, share ideas and solutions, and communicate about how to deal with things differently,” said Dr. Bilge-Johnson. “It’s important to balance social time with peers with time for video games.”

If your child’s gaming is having negative effects, it may be time to enforce some limits. Dr. Bilge-Johnson recommends limiting video games to 1 hour a day during the week and up to 2 hours on weekends.

“You should establish limits for kids, both in time spent gaming and the content,” Dr. Bilge-Johnson said.

She also suggested that for some parents, playing video games with your kids could be a way to connect with them.

“Parents should know what their kids are playing, and who they’re playing with. Parents can play, too. It’s a chance for you to have conversations and to think together. It can be a bonding time,” she said.

Biblically unsound video games

Chances are your kids play video games, or someday they will. You may worry about the time they spend with a controller in hand and wonder if these games are bad for them.

“It’s not as simple as it’s good or it’s bad,” said child psychiatrist Dr. Sumru Bilge-Johnson of the Division of Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology at Akron Children’s. “There are a lot of complexities, depending on the age of the child and the type of games. Both the content and how much they play is very important.”

A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that video games have a positive effect on children including better performance on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who have never played video games.

“Games like Minecraft can benefit kids in several ways. Through these brain games they learn problem solving, strategizing, flexibility and also social skills,” said Dr. Bilge-Johnson.

Some games can help improve hand-eye coordination, and active games get kids moving. Physical activity-oriented games aren’t just good for the body – movement also benefits the brain and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

There are virtually no benefits to a child playing video games that are rated as adult, for violence, sexual content, or criminal activity.

Case Studies

Some studies suggest that Pornography is introduced to children who play criminal themed video games, both online and purchased. Some video games depict criminals raping women. Any child that has access to such video games in the home, will over time develop a increased awareness of porn at too early of an age.

Rebecca Greenwood authored a book called “Let Our Children Go”. I truly believe that every parent should pick up a copy. It’s cutting edge on evil influences and demonic harassment that is tormenting our children.

Under the topic of video games she states: “… recent studies found that playing violent video games is a way to rehearse violent behaviors, making it easier to bring that behavior into real life. If you practice shooting basketballs thousands of times you get better at scoring. If you practice killing thousands of times you get better at that as well.”In the course of years of ministering to children, I have seen the effects played out in their young lives.

I remember a wearied mom’s face one day as she brought her eight year old son into our office for help. He was highly intellectual but extremely violent. He was on many medications and was determined to stay by the door in order to run. I began to speak to him softly and after a time he was intrigued with impressing me with his intelligence. As I conversed with him in front of his mom, I asked him what his favorite video games were.

Video Games Open The Door For Demonic Torment

He began to give us a shocking account of “Beyblade” and said that he and his brother played it extensively. His mother had innocently bought this game to keep him occupied, but she literally lay on my office floor in horror as he recounted the game’s violence and demonic overtones.

He clearly identified the games players in terms of demons and satan. I said perhaps that’s not a good game to play. He instantly stood up, became violent and started yelling at me in deep tones that no one would take him from that world. With hwid spoofer you can stay safe and not get banned for using cheat codes.

On other occasions, I’ve also been asked by clients about a new game called “Skylanders”. One was about to acquiesce to their sons begging, but thought first to ask me. Here’s (part of) what I found on the game’s website

“…Skylanders must find the pieces (Soul Coins, which open up a character’s highest upgrade combat move), to rebuild the Fountain of Light and save the universe. However, they’ve all been turned into toys and blown to Earth. Players must find these toys and send them back to their world to fight the villains. They do this by placing a toy on a special portal that comes packaged with the game.”

This is an entry level video game targeted at the youngest players and is replete with new age jargon including “portals”, “soul coins”, and “universal light”. When I shared my findings with my client they were grateful. It took me only a few minutes to find this information online, but God’s children are perishing for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6) as they are being desensitized early to the demonic realm.

Not all video games are harmful of course and I’ve only singled out a couple; there are many more!

Two (secular) studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology show the following effect of violent video games as reflected in the behaviors of the players:

• The player develops positive attitudes toward the use of violence.
• The player develops expectations that others will behave aggressively.
• The player assumes that others have similar attitudes of aggression
• The player comes to believe that violent solutions are effective and appropriate for solving problems.
• The player develops a total disregard for societal norms, property rights and even the general value of other lives.
• The player sees the world as a violent unsafe place. where everyone is out to get you.
• The player learns that aggressive actions against others such as fighting and shooting may be appropriate and even necessary
• Violent video games have an addictive nature.
• Playing can make an already aggressive person even more aggressive.
• The player becomes more aggressive, changes his outlook on life and socializing and tends to socialize with others who demonstrate similar attitudes of aggression.
• The player’s socialization with teachers, parents and nonaggressive peers are likely to degenerate.
• Sadly, there are not that many deliverance ministries that are working with children to overcome these open doors and deal with the extreme cases. Those of us who are helping have seen a recent influx of aggression, cutting, and suicidal thoughts beginning as early as eight years old.

If you are concerned, take a look at what is in your child’s room. Ask God to show you what is lurking behind some of these games. Then get help. We are responsible for carrying this generation in on our shoulders. Our ceiling is their floor.