A new survey finds that children’s games help develop critical and strategic thinking

Many parents worry about screen time and video games keeping their kids from learning and developing important skills. However, new research suggests that these same tools can be used to improve the learning experience.

K12, a US-based online education provider, recently released a new national survey of parents and working professionals aimed at assessing the long-term impact of games for children. The survey showed that 52% of working professionals believe that their children’s games have helped them build skills that benefit their work, including problem solving and strategic thinking. The K12 survey also found that 86% of child gamers reported that they easily adapt to new tools and technology, such as AI.

Niyoka McCoy, K12’s chief education officer, told Fox News Digital that not all educational experiences are the same, pointing out the difference between play and play-based learning. Gamification involves adding game-like features, such as points, streaks or coins, to traditional learning. Game-based learning, in contrast, places lessons within the game itself and enables students to learn skills through play.

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“Gamification means, in some cases, you get coins or you get points so you can go to the store. Game-based learning is where you’re immersed in a real game, and you’re learning about that environment and everything that’s happening to you in that particular game,” McCoy said.

The play-based learning used by K12 is very different from the types of educational toys or games that have been used in the past.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is really hide the learning in the game to connect the two. So, the students are learning, but they don’t even know this because they’re so focused and invested in winning the game or reaching the challenge that they don’t even realize they’re learning fractions,” McCoy told Fox News Digital.

One of the games that K12 has used for educational purposes is Minecraft, a popular online building game. The company has created several “worlds” that complement its curriculum, including the Roman Empire, Jamestown, Ancient Egypt and ocean locations.

“Instead of a student reading a book and answering questions about Jamestown, they can actually be immersed in the world of Jamestown, learn the same skills, and still go and do that unit test,” McCoy said.

“We looked at the difference between the students who just read the text, answered the questions, and the students who went through the world of Minecraft and found that those students did better on their tests,” he added later.

Experts who played video games in childhood say they developed important life skills, a new study finds. (Stock)

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McCoy told Fox News Digital that K12 saw that students using Minecraft slots retained information while looking at the game’s features because they “actually have to build, find problems to solve or try to overcome a challenge.” He noted that another important thing was that the students who played the game had to interact with friends, making it a more interactive experience in the real world.

As sports are starting to play a bigger role in education, they are also creating career opportunities. In 2025, the Princeton Review released its ranking of the top game design schools. Its list of top schools for undergraduate and graduate game design programs includes New York University, University of Southern California, Drexel University and Michigan State University, among others.

Although these programs are becoming more and more common, parents are still not fully aware of this option and often worry that their children are getting too much screen time. McCoy admits there’s a learning curve for parents who remain concerned about screen time, but said it’s not about demonizing devices, but rather rescheduling their use. Part of that involves distinguishing between casual scrolling and engaging in games that are educational, even in a subtle way.

K12, an online education provider, shows parents how video games can be used to enhance their children’s education. (elenaleonova/iStock/Getty Images)

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McCoy said K12 focuses on showing parents the possibilities that games can bring, and the success of game-based learning. He told Fox News Digital that some parents have changed their minds after getting involved with the games themselves.

“Now we have parents in Minecraft, playing with their students. It’s like, ‘I learned a lot about Jamestown, I didn’t know anything,'” McCoy said.