Futurelab Gaming in Families Research
Parents’ and children’s views on and experiences of gaming
Ipsos MORI recently conducted research on behalf of Futurelab consisting of two surveys – one with parents of children under 16 and one with children aged 5-15, with the key objective of examining their views on and experiences of video/computer gaming. In total, 558 adults (aged 15+) who were parents or legal guardians of children aged under 16 years old were interviewed face-to-face in their homes between 21st and 27th August 2009, while 737 children aged 5-15 were also interviewed face-to-face in their homes between 13th and 20th August 2009.
Some key findings from the research include:
- Video/computer gaming is more popular among children than adults. Around four fifths of children play video/computer games at least a few times a week on their own or with friends (79%), with 37% playing every day. Conversely, the majority of adults do not play video/computer games at all (61%).
- The proportion of adults and children who say they would like to spend about the same amount of time as they do now playing video/computer games with each other is very similar (56% of children say this compared to 55% of adults). However, adults are more likely to say they would like to spend less time playing video/computer games with children (19% compared to six per cent of children), whereas children are more likely to state they would like to spend more time playing with adults (29% compared to 12% of adults).
- When choosing from a list which types of video/computer games they play the most with children, the top mentioned answers given by adults were: active technology/fitness games (44%), racing and other sports games (40%), educational games (39%) and puzzles (36%). Children aged 8-10 were most likely to say they have played active games with an adult (85%) and children aged 11-15 are also most likely to have played active technology/fitness games with an adult (53%), as well as racing and other sports games (53%) and fighting games (52%).
- When asked about the roles they take when playing video/computer games with a child, adults are most likely to say they always/sometimes watch the child play the game (89%) and play the game as a competitor with the child (81%). They are least likely to say they always/sometimes choose the game (44%), corresponding with the finding that 86% say the child usually chooses which game to play. When asked to choose from a list the one thing they would most like the adult to do when playing video/computer games with them, children are most likely to say they want the adult to set it (the game) all up and get everyone started (21%), followed by wanting the adult to watch them play the game (17%), make sure people play fairly and no-one cheats (13%) and to teach the child the rules (13%).
- The most commonly mentioned spontaneous reason given by adults for playing video/computer games with a child/young person is that it is for their or the child/young person’s enjoyment (72%). Similarly, when asked why they play video/computer games with an adult, children are most likely to say that this is because it is more fun with an adult (49%).
You can download the full report from the Futurelab: Gaming in Families