Believe It or Not: Online Browser Games May Improve Your Vision

Do not feel too guilty next time you spend another half an hour playing online browser games at work. Your employer would probably not believe this right away, but you were actually acting for the benefit of your health. Everybody knows how strenuous computer work is on our eyes, but not to many people are aware of the fact that skill games may be a way of keeping your vision in shape.

Research conducted by scientists from the University of Rochester has shown that FPS (First-Person Shooter) browser games and skill games can boost your brain's processing of visual signals. In a comparison between people who play skill games for several hours a day and people who do not play games at all, it showed that the first group is 20% better at identifying visual stimuli. A total of 30 hours of game play is enough to notice a significant improvement in our spatial forms processing. This means that players are generally much faster at recognizing certain shapes than the rest of the population.

In order to prove that, the researchers selected a number of students who either never played any skill games or played just a little. They were subsequently divided into two groups. Each of them was asked to play a certain type of game for one hour a day: the first group got an FPS game, while the latter was assigned a skill game that required as much hand-eye coordination, but was visually less complex.

The results were following: game play changed the way brain areas responsible for the processing of visual stimuli work. The more visually intense a game was, the more demanding it turned out to be for the brain. Apparently, with time the brain learns how to optimize the processing of abundant visual stimuli, hence its reactions are faster also in real-life situations.

Games can also help treat particular vision conditions. A pilot study conducted by optometrists from the University of California at Berkeley has shown that skill games can improve visual acuity and depth perception in adults with amblyopia, more commonly known as "lazy eye", which is a disorder best described as vision deficiency in one eye that is otherwise normal.

The American researchers have demonstrated that as little as 40 hours of training are enough to significantly correct the impaired vision. Amblyopia can be successfully treated at a young age, yet in the case of adults it resisted all previously known methods of treatment. The new findings are, however, very promising: the researchers discovered that intense training, e.g., working on a task of setting two horizontal lines parallelly, may increase visual acuity by as much as 30-40%.

Unfortunately, task like the above mentioned one proved to be not only extremely boring and tedious but also leading to only selective improvement. This is why the Berkeley optometrists decided to check the effectiveness of computer games, since they provide a wider variety of stimuli. 20 patients with amblyopia aged between 15 to 61 years participated in the test. In part one, 10 people played shooting games for 40 hours. In part two, three other participants spent the same amount of time to play less, but still visually stimulating games. All had their healthy eyes covered up for the time of playing.

Both experiments demonstrated a 30% improvement in visual acuity. To exclude the possibility that the observed correction was a result of the covering, rather than game playing, a third - control - group was set. For 20 hours seven volunteers kept their healthy eyes covered by everyday activities, such as watching TV, reading or surfing the Web. It turned out that the vision of the third group volunteers showed no improvement. Later, the same people were asked to cover their eyes and play skill games like the two first groups. After 40 hours of game play their visual acuity improved as much as with other subjects of the experiment.

In the light of the growing number of new findings about the possible benefits of computer related entertainment, we should probably stop blaming ourselves when we sit down to spend a couple of minutes with online browser games. They may prove not that harmful as it was initially thought.

A professional freelance Web Developer. Loves designing, and programming web applications. An avid member of the Design/Development community and a Serial Blogger. XBOX 360 - Meet the new FAMILY game night from the Microsoft Store! in particular.

Children's Party Games: CD Player

Getting their attention

Before you start this or any other game it is important to get every child's attention. If they aren't all sitting and listening, then they may be confused as to the rules of the game when it starts.

This game is brilliant for just before a break or right as the last game at a party as the children will get really tired.

The Rules (for your reference):

This is a "command" party game, where the children listen to whichever command you give them, and then dance accordingly. The commands are as follows:

Fast Forward: The children must dance as quickly as they can.

Slow motion: The children must dance as slowly as they can.

Play: The children must dance as well as they can at normal speed.

Stop: The children must stand still, just like in Musical Statues.

How to explain this to the children in a fun way:

"OK, now we're going to play a game called CD Player."

"Don't worry if you haven't played this game before."

This sentence is important as this game isn't as widely played as games such as Musical Statues or Musical Bumps, and it sets the frame for you to explain the rules to the children, without them feeling embarrassed that they haven't played the game before..

"Now, when I say the word 'fast forward', you guys have to dance really quickly. Who is the quickest dancer in the room?"

At this point you would raise your hand to encourage them to do the same - surely they all think they're the quickest dancer, right?

"Now, when I say the word 'slow motion', you guys have to dance really slowly. Who is the slowest dancer in the room?"

Again, raise your hand to encourage them to do the same.

"Now, when I say the word 'play', you guys have to dance really well, and when I say stop you need to be as still as possible. Are you guys ready to play?"

At this point they'll normally all shout "yes" or "me". If they aren't very loud, then you can always say "well you don't sound very ready...Are you guys ready to play?" At which point they'll usually get much louder the second time around. Remember to cover your ears!

If you have prizes to give out, then it is a good idea to mention that during the explanation for each bit. For instance "I'll be giving a prize for the fastest dancer", rather than just "We'll be giving out some prizes". If the explanation isn't clear for why or how they are winning a prize, then you could confuse the children unnecessarily.

Have fun and thanks for reading!

You can find his site here: Explore Club Penguin

Gaming Then and Now

Recently I decided to go back into my collection of video games. I hooked up my Sega Genesis and plugged in Sonic the Hedgehog. This is one of my all time favorite video games. There is no doubt that Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis is a classic that every gamer should play. I realize there are a lot of games out there similar to Sonic the Hedgehog. One of the more famous ones is Super Mario Brothers for the NES.

These games were not the first games ever created but are defiantly Iconic. When a gamer hears the name Sonic or Mario they immediately know who they are. My question is though they know who they are; do they know what their original games were like? Most veteran gamers know the answer to this question. However for the younger generation of gamers who are growing up playing Wii or Xbox 360, this answer might not be the same. In this day in age technology has increased rapidly. Now we have hand free and motion games. We have games with 3D graphics. The thought of where the gaming industry will be in the years to come blows my mind. Although games are advancing, we should not forget the classics and what these games started out as. The Sonic the hedgehog series for the Sega Genesis is a good example of this. Even though these games are so basic, they are still great games to play. They did not need to be complex to be fun and addicting.

In Sonic the Hedgehog you have your basic controls for running, jumping, and spinning. The music and sound effects are simple and catchy. The art and animations are all 2D, detailed, colorful, and enjoyable to see. The story is about a giant blue hedgehog named Sonic who is after an evil master mind who is terrorizing the world with his mechanical monsters in seek of controlling the world with the Chaos Emeralds. All of these elements come together to create a strong but basic game that was very catchy and fun to play. The team that developed Sonic the Hedgehog was made up of less than ten people. Of course the technology back in the Sega Genesis days was nowhere near what we have today, but the game developers worked with what they had and created outstanding games.

I am not trying to say in anyway that today's video games are bad. We should not forget about the classic games that started and impacted the industry as we know it today and teach the younger gamers about these games that we grew up playing. Whether you are veteran or a new age gamer, dig up or find a classic game like Sonic the Hedgehog or Mario and relive its experience.

Online Math Games for Kindergarten Benefit Students and Teachers

If you've ever worked with young children or have youngsters of your own at home, you know how difficult it can be to catch and keep their attention. Kindergarten teachers face this challenge every day as they work to maintain order among a group of kids unused to a school setting while simultaneously presenting lessons that are essential to the academic success of each child. Online math games for kindergarten can be lifesavers in this situation, offering a stimulating environment that entertains as it teaches.

Adding Games to Traditional Curriculum

Fortunately for teachers, it's easy to add online math games for kindergarten to daily schoolwork. Today's online learning tools are designed to align with curriculum that is already being taught, making it possible to seamlessly integrate technology with tradition. Kids love to play games, and young kids in particular are often more apt to pay attention to something presented at a pace that matches their attention spans. Though math games aren't a substitute for conventional math education, using them as tools gives kids a break from what they may see as the tedium of a school day and offers teachers a way to keep basic information fresh and interesting. 

Meeting Common Standards

Many schools are now employing a set of common core standards that require all students to master a certain set of skills and retain a specific subset of knowledge by the end of each grade. The idea is to prepare each child for higher learning and for going out into the world as they get older. But between growing class sizes, budget restrictions and the inherent differences in students' learning styles, it isn't always easy to ensure that every child reaches the same level of understanding. Online math games for kindergarten give teachers at lower grade levels an extra set of tools when it comes to implementing modern standards, making it easier to present necessary information to children of all skill levels.

Giving Young Kids an Academic Edge

Kids are most impressionable at a young age, which is why you may find your child mastering your new tablet computer or cell phone long before you do. Combined with natural childhood curiosity, this aptitude for learning enables kids to pick up on and retain a great deal of information in their early years. Teachers can take advantage of this by employing online math games for kindergarten in the classroom. These same games can also be played at home to supplement what's being learned at school, with the added benefit of getting parents involved in their child's academic career at a critical stage.

Through the use of online math games for kindergarten, teachers can ensure that every child gets the attention that they need regardless of class size. Parents can use the feedback from these games to track their kids' progress and gain a better understanding of what is being learned. With this information, both parents and teachers can aid children at the start of their academic journeys and help guarantee success in future grades.

Children's Party Games: Traffic Lights

Getting their attention

Before you start this or any other game it is important to get every child's attention. Please see my previous article "The Numbers Game" for a great way to do this

The Rules (for your reference):

Traffic Lights is a simple command game, where you assign a command or action to a colour. Traditionally, you use Traffic light colours (red, amber and green). However, you can add more colours to the game if the children are old enough to understand.

So, what are the commands?

When you say the colour "green", the children run around.

When you say the colour "amber", the children dance on the spot.

When you say the colour "red", they are to stop still; much like in musical statues.

If the children are a little older (7+) then you can add more colours without them getting confused. The colours I personally add for this older age group are as follows:

When you say the colour "blue", the children walk backwards.

When you say the colour "purple", the children spin on the spot.

Of course, feel free to have fun with it. Add more colours and commands if you wish, but remember that the age of the children will affect how complicated you can make the actions. If you have prizes to give away then you can give them to the child that dances the best, walks backwards the best etc. There is plenty of scope here for giving away prizes!

How to explain this to the children in a fun way:

"OK, now we're going to play a game called Traffic Lights. Who here has played Traffic Lights before?"

As usual, you should encourage the children to raise their hands by raising your own hand - most children have played a version of Traffic Lights at some point.

"Ok guys. So when I say the word green, I want you to run around as quickly as possible. When I say the word Amber, I want you to dance on the spot as well as you can, and when I say red then you guys need to be as still as possible."

At this point, you should play some music, and say either "green" or "amber". This will get them either running around (green) or dancing on the spot (amber). When you say "red", I would advise stopping any music as this provides more of an impact. Then start the music at the same time as saying either "green", "amber" or any other colour where an action is required.

If the children are a little older and you would like to add some more colours to the game, then you can do this midway through. As the children will be still and quiet when you say "red", they will be far more receptive to new rules - explaining a new colour/command will be far easier at this point.

Thanks for reading!

6 Reasons Online Games Are So Awesome

If you have never played any online games, here are six reasons you will not be disappointed if you start playing them:

100% Free: Everyone likes to have fun. However, just because you are in the mood for some entertainment does not mean that you want to pay a fortune for it. If you have tried going to the movies lately, you know it can easily cost $30 to $50 for less than two hours of entertainment! Although it is ridiculous that prices have gotten so high, the good news is there are still options that won't empty your wallet.

In fact, playing online games will not take a single dollar out of your wallet. You can play these games for as long as you want without ever being charged. If you are wondering how that is possible, it is because game creators and website owners are able to use ads to subsidize the gaming experiences they create for people around the world.

Easy to Start: One reason that some people who are interested in online games do not actually try them is because they believe it is going to be too difficult to learn how to play them. While that may be the case with games that are played on consoles like the PS3, it does not apply to online games. Because they feature clear instructions and intuitive controls, you will be able to hop right into playing.

Provide Plenty of Challenges: While you can easily start playing an online game, that does not mean it will quickly become boring. On the contrary, the more you play a game, the more challenging it will become. The reason that is possible is because progressing to more advanced levels will present you with challenges that are reserved for players who have gotten a feel for the basics of a game.

Flexible Lengths: There will be times when you only want to take a break for a few minutes. Then there will be times when you want to be entertained for an extended period. A major strength of online games is they are just as enjoyable to play in either situation.

Any Style You Want: Thanks to the continued popularity of online games, developers have created just about every type of game you can imagine. If there is a specific style of game you want to play, you are just a search away from finding it.

Accessible from Anywhere: One of the drawbacks to console games, as well as downloadable computer games, is they can only be played in one location. Console games require you to play in front of your TV, while downloadable games are only for individual computers. If you want freedom, you will enjoy being able to play online games from any desktop or laptop computer with an Internet connection.

Now that any doubts about the awesomeness of online games have been eliminated from your mind, all that is left for you to do is to start playing!

Online Car Games Are Fun And Challenging

Online car games are nothing new but maybe you haven't heard of them because you've been so busy slaughtering aliens or bombing buildings. If you're looking for a change from those combat games or the games where you see how many zombies and vampires you can kill in an hour then you need to check out some of the new car games. They're fun and exciting and just as competitive as your favorite war games.

Years ago these games were simple racetracks or a basic tour through the countryside. You sat behind the wheel of your car and ran around the track or traveled over the countryside and you thought you were cool because you were driving.

Those games don't hold a candle to the games we have today!

Today your choices of games are almost unlimited. Yes, there are racing games but you're not just running around an oval track like the old days, you're racing through the dessert, racing against police cars, racing against jet skis and spinning around on ice. You might even decide you want to race zombies or vampires or have a high-speed chase with the cops.

There are also parking games where you have to overcome obstacles if you want to park your car. These games are great and there's one in particular, "Driver's Ed", that a lot of kids like to play when they're getting ready to get their driver's license because they really do learn from it.

Today's car games just keep getting better. Instead of having one ordinary racetrack like the old days, when you conquer that racetrack now you move up to a more difficult track. Your car becomes more powerful. You're rewarded with faster tires or a special turbo-boost to make your car go faster. And of course, the faster you drive the more rewards you win.

There are even car games that have a strategy involved where you have to drive around and collect things before you can advance to the next level. Like some of the popular role-playing games you also have to form alliances with other players if you want to get ahead. That means you'll get to meet new people from all over the world.

If it's been a while since you tried to play these games and all you can picture is driving around in circles for hours on end then it's time you took another look. Today's car games online are just as aggressive and challenging as your favorite shooter games. Register at any of the free online sites. Start making new friends and try some new games. You're going to be surprised at all the changes you'll find.