Uplink Supports Special Needs Children
Many people believe video games can be harmful to children with Autism, as parents have reported that kids can be too focused on game play and will not do other activities. This finding goes along with the statement of how “too much of good thing can become a bad thing”. However, if parents are monitoring their child’s gameplay it could be beneficial to everyone involved.
Autism has three levels of severity. Level 1 children are usually high functioning but need support while levels 2 and 3 need more support in skills such as social, behavioral, and communication.
Video gaming can be a stimulator for kids who are Autistic. It can help them form social skills with other children by sharing a mutual enjoyment of video gaming. Through video games they must learn to communicate with teammates for strategic purposes. Communication skills can be difficult for Autistic kids, but video games can make it easier. Video gaming also helps kids with Autism learn problem solving skills and find new solutions because every obstacle will not be the same within games.
Video gaming can also increase motivation within Autistic children. Gaming can increase motivation because it is a new and fun way to learn (sometimes they might not even realize they are learning). Studies also state that educational and sport-like games help with hyperactivity and receive less opposition from Autistic children[1].
Our Multiball room is a great area to further support this study. Multiball is a great way for kids to have fun, but also is a great learning tool. Multiball has many different games from sports like soccer to educational games involving math skills. In this post we would like to share that our Multiball room is an entertaining and great way to keep children enraptured. It is not only a great learning tool but a great interactive tool for children with special needs.
We recently received wonderful feedback from one of our Uplink parents whose child, Connor, has Autism.
Here at Uplink, we want all children to feel comfortable in this environment and thrive. We hope that all children, regardless of disabilities, feel the way Connor’s mom feels about the Uplink.
Does your child have special needs? We would love to talk to you about how Uplink can help them too!
[1] “How Do Video Games Affect Boys on The Spectrum?” Organization for Autism Research, 1 May 2013, https://researchautism.org/how-do-video-games-affect-boys-on-the-spectrum/.