My son has very recently discovered the Wii. Its been sitting there behind the TV all along (I bought one when they first came out long before he was born), but he didn't pay any attention to it before being exposed to the joys of Mario Kart at a neighbours. A couple of weeks ago he found the 2 controllers on the drawer under the TV and brought them over to me asking "can we play Mario Car daddy?"
Now I am sure there are people who would suggest that 3 and a half is too young for gaming, but as an avid gamer myself in the past (although not so much since Bass was born) I'm firmly of the opinion that it's a perfectly acceptable part of a balanced entertainment diet.
As this excellent article at The Online Mom points out video games can not only teach kids skills such as strategic thinking and how to work as a team, they are also a great, fun social activity that families can participate in together.
http://www.theonlinemom.com/secondary.asp?id=1916
This latter is something that my wife and I have experienced, having now had a few very enjoyable Mario Kart and Wii Music sessions.
For me there are 3 critical things any parent should do to ensure gaming is a beneficial rather than detrimental activity for their kids.
1) Choose the right games
There are literally thousands of video games on the market aimed at players of all ages. Many of them will be completely unsuitable for kids because of their content or difficulty level. Many that are suitable for your child will be utter rubbish, made only to cash in on the success of the latest family movie or kids TV show. The important thing here is to do your research and maintain an awareness of what is out there.
Most countries have a voluntary rating system for games (like that used for movies) which will help you to assess the suitability of the game for your child. You wouldn't let a 5 year old watch a horror movie so don't let them play a game which is just as unsuitable.
Equally don't buy games just because they feature a character your child likes. Use sites like gamerankings.com (think of it as imdb for games) to find out which are the best games for the system you have.
One other point to remember is that games often drop dramatically in price a few months after release. Don't get sucked into buying the very latest releases, look at the back catalogue and browse eBay or the second hand section in your local video game shop to find some bargains.
2) Ration play time and balance it against other activities
Set expectations by stating the numbers of races, songs, etc that your child can play for or set an alarm. You might also want to set strict rules about when they can play games (e.g. only after supper, only on a Saturday, etc).
Video games are absorbing and cases of children and adults with symptoms bordering on addiction are well documented. Plan what you're going to do after the gaming session so that you can be sure you've got an alternative activity lined up to engage your child with.
Make sure you stick to your guns and keep the controllers somewhere your child can't get to them so that you have full control of access to the game console.
3) Be part of it!
Don't let your children play alone, get involved. Gaming is an activity that you can enjoy together. Just don't get too competitive!
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