What’s on this page
- Quick tips
- What are esports?
- How are the games played?
- What does it take to compete in esports?
- Are esports safe for kids?
- Top tips to support your child
- Download the full guide
- Supporting resources
Quick tips
Follow these quick tips to set your child up for safety while they play esports.
Set parental controls
Set controls on the console, platform or app your child uses to play esports to keep them safe.
Manage screen time
Agree on limits around how much time they spend gaming to help them balance their time online.
Play together
Take an interest in their esports by joining in on games occasionally to support them and learn more.
What are esports?
Esports are like real-world sports but players compete in a video game. Particular video games are well suited for this, where they offer an even playing field, highly skilled challenges, and competitive team matches.
Are competitors athletes?
Although there are clear differences between physical sports and esports, the level of discipline, practice, skill, and proficiency required means that the best esports players train like real athletes.
How are the games played?
Esports events are viewed by spectators online or at gathered events (when it is safe to do so). The most common esports video games include Fortnite, Rocket League, League of Legends, Dota, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. and StarCraft.
In recent years, esports has become very popular and well funded with large cash prizes and huge audiences for the bigger competitions. There have been many tournaments hosted in big arenas like the O2. 2019’s Fortnite World Cup attracted 2 million viewers and offered a $30 million prize pool. Esports engages millions of children around the world and is expected to surpass $2bn in revenue.
What does it take to compete in esports?
The video games selected for esports involve many challenging aspects. In a competitive game of Rocket League, for example, not only are the players working with the car and ball physics to get themselves where they need to be to take a shot, but are managing how much boost energy they have, where competitor players are, whether they are attacking or defending and how to co-ordinate and “rotate” with teammates.
As you understand these layers of play, it becomes apparent that esports competitors do need similar qualities to athletes, although without the pure physical fitness. Because of this, esports has been compared to professional chess, snooker and darts.
Are esports safe for kids?
Because of the time required to practice and compete at the top level of esports, some have suggested that it is not a healthy thing for a young person to be involved in. Players will need to spend many hours at a screen if they are going to be the best in a particular game.
Importance of setting healthy boundaries
While it is important that healthy boundaries are kept around practice, and that younger players are physically exercising, taking part in family life and completing schoolwork, there’s nothing to suggest that a long amount of time practising an activity like this is bad for them.
The best esports players may spend a lot of time playing at a screen but are also disciplined and structured in this activity. They will exercise and look after their body as well as take regular breaks and look after their mental health.
This aspect of competitive gaming is something that parents and carers can help children understand and establish a healthy balance between their passion and other parts of life.
Benefits of esports
Like real-world sports, esports is very inclusive regardless of age, background or gender. Unlike real-world sports, it’s also excellent at engaging individuals who don’t have physical or social confidence.
A study by Digital Schoolhouse and Staffordshire University found that:
- Esports creates positive behavioural changes in young players that will translate into behaviour modification in other aspects of their lives.
- Communication and team-working were most likely benefits, followed by building community and friendships.
- Participating in esports influenced players career choices. 90% said it had increased their interest in a career in the video games industry.
- Over 80% of young people said that the competition had increased their interest in participating in other team sports.
Top tips to support your child
Help your child improve their skills by encouraging them to play in practise mode before they play the full game.
Celebrate their video gaming successes together to show you are interested and engaged in what they are doing.
Invest in a good book on sports on psychology to help your child engage with this aspect of what they are doing.
Make esports part of a family activity rather than something your child does separately in their bedroom.