A vivid sense of excitement brings a lot of positive impressions to any person, regardless of his social status, gender, race, place of residence on the planet and age.
Receiving adrenaline and exciting emotions associated with risk and unpredictability impresses even very young players. However, public opinion regarding the situation when children play cards, is not unique.
What position should adults take regarding the interest of schoolchildren in card games? Does such a toy have any advantages, or should children definitely be banned from it? The answers to these and other related questions are given below.
The text tells about the potential influence of card games on children's development, intellectual and psychological, about their effect on the worldview of young players and the probable consequences of the corresponding gambling hobby.
Reasons for the popularity of card games
Such tournaments spread across the planet more than a thousand years ago. China is considered the country where they originated.
The spread of such enthusiasm to all inhabited continents turned out to be a rather rapid process. Now many parents don't even think about should a child be taught to play cards?, because they do not notice anything bad in such games.
After all, you can now see avid card players in any city - on benches in city parks and yards, on picnics and beaches, and even on trains, whose passengers often pass the time in this way.
This situation proves that many people feel frank sympathy for card games, considering them an excellent solution for leisure.
And there are at least several undeniable grounds for this opinion.
- Playing cards are an effective communication tool. They create an atmosphere conducive to active social interaction, thereby teaching players to communicate with each other and thus gain some experience of human relationships and understanding. But the decision or allow children to play cards for teaching them to communicate, according to their parents.
- The opportunity to have fun. Few card tournaments are complete without good laughs and good or slightly sarcastic jokes. In general, such an activity can be classified as entertainment, because it contributes to a general positive mood, although it is not devoid of competition.
- Material or other interest. The first option takes place if you play for money. An alternative can be a game "on desire", "undressing", "squatting", "drinking a glass of water", etc. In any case, the desire to win a prize, especially a monetary one, and not to be defeated fuels the interest and goal of winning among party participants.
- Working out the strategy. As a rule, each player chooses his own strategic line in order not to remain defeated. Such a position forces you to connect logical thinking, to calculate possible options for the development of the game and the moves of your opponents. The appropriate approach is an excellent stimulator of brain and mental activity.
The above aspects are relevant to card players of all age categories, they apply to both beginners and their experienced opponents.
About the benefits of card games for children
Experts have proven that such gambling entertainment for schoolchildren and even for preschoolers has an effective developmental value.
Playing cards improves various skills of its young participants, in particular, the following skills are important for their personal development:
- logic, including numbers and calculations - little card players have to calculate points, use numbers and determine the probability of opponents' actions (this is a kind of mathematics and logical thinking);
- cognitive skills - this means the ability to concentrate, focus, monitor the progress of the tournament, remember, improve visual attention (this is a condition for inventing and working out one's own successful tactics and strategy);
- the ability to manage their own emotions - during card games, children develop the need and ability, the capacity for emotional self-control and self-control (otherwise, opponents will simply guess their plans, and this will invariably lead to a loss);
- creative abilities - in childhood, every game process, including gambling card entertainment, stimulates the development of imagination, fantasy, forces players to invent new tactical and strategic ideas and even vary the rules.
At the same time, it is important that the chosen game matches the child's age and range of interests.
It is believed that the game "Memory" is suitable for the youngest children, aged 3 and over. Four-year-old children can fully master "Burko", and children from the age of 6 can play "Durnya".
Equally more difficult for young card players is "Imaginary Poker" - to join the participants of the corresponding card fun, you should be at least eight years old.
Why are cards dangerous for children?
In much the same way that a coin has two sides, there is a reverse side to the effect of card playing on children.
Such fascination often leads to extremely undesirable consequences, the list of which is given below.
- The child becomes conflicted. The risk of such a development is especially likely if adults do not participate in children's card games. The cause of conflicts can be frequent emotionally intense moments of the game, as well as the bluff of small players.
- Acquisition of gambling addiction. Card games are gambling, and a child may well be inclined to compete and bet during such games. Cards are able to reveal such a personal quality, which is essentially a bad habit, a flaw.
- Dragging into the game process. A habit related to the previous one. Its consequence is that the boy or girl refuses other activities, toys and communication with friends, because cards come first in her life, replacing everything. As a result, the child becomes physically and socially inactive, inferior.
- The temptation of money. If there are card games for money, children can strive to win at any cost. Trying to get this material reward, they become prone to quarrels, show uncontrolled aggression and resort to deception. This is another reason why can't children play cards, especially those that are emotionally unbalanced and hot-tempered.
In any case, the decision to allow or prohibit a child's participation in a card game should be made by his parents. They know best the strengths and weaknesses of their child's character, peculiarities of his temperament and worldview.
If you have doubts about your son or daughter's familiarity with playing cards, consult with a specialist - contact a child psychologist or pediatrician.
Thematic questions and answers
How to start a child's acquaintance with maps?
It is worth asking whether the child wants to learn this game, talk about the names of the cards in the deck, their suits, etc. If you observe a lively interest in the relevant topic, gradually move on to the explanations of the rules of the game. Then practice - a few trial tournaments.
How to convince a child that playing card games for money is bad?
Appropriate arguments should be presented using simple, understandable examples for a girl or a boy. It is necessary to popularly and in detail explain the risks and negative consequences of such gambling tournaments and prove their high probability.
What position should parents take when their child's card addiction is detected?
It is clear that it should not be passive. The right decision is to open adults to a frank, sincere dialogue with the young cardholder. Psychologists advise in this case to communicate with him not in raised tones, but calmly, without shouting and scolding. The child must realize that mom and dad are on his side and want to help him.
It can be difficult for adults to find the right words in this situation. In such a case, the only correct solution is to consult a specialist.