The games of today are not entirely bad for our children. In fact, some of them can benefit them greatly in certain areas of their development. It has been said that an excessive use of these games can cause children to under develop analytic and creative areas of their brains. Also, they can consume time that should be used in proactive and educational activities. Consequently this excess can end affecting the kid's life latter, as an adult at their daily activities.
Well, if you really pay attention to the last paragraph, you will see that there is a key word. That word is “Excess”. Not only gaming, but any activity done in excess is negative for a child's development. Does that mean gaming is not bad for children if it is done limitedly? Exactly! Today's games are mostly strategic and analytic. A kid's strategic and motor capacities can be developed better with the use of some games. Not all games are adequate for the development of brain processes. For example, games that are mostly about killing and require no major thinking are totally negative for a child's brain.
Experts recommend that kids spend no more than an hour and a half per day playing strategic games. Doing this will effectively help the kid develop a good brain-hand motor capacity as well as its strategic processes. Some games have the same effect in kids' minds as chess and other brain developing activities.
The way games affect children is totally up to their parents. If they are very careful about what their kids see and play, gaming could even be a positive thing to their brains.