Quote Originally Posted by Gnostic Yevon
Barbie Horse Adventure *is* a commercial for well Barbies and horses.
Aye but note that I say I select carefully the VG my kids and I play.

Quote Originally Posted by Gnostic Yevon
Video games are much better at giving you an immersive experience.. done right, can give you a taste of what the real thing must have been like. ..it has a lot of storytelling power, and a lot of power to show what it's like to be someone or to do something.
And of things you and I will never experience such as being a merman under the sea or a living rock eater (Zelda Majora's Mask)
or a dinossaur...[/QUOTE]
Quote Originally Posted by Gnostic Yevon
On the other hand, games have a nasty habit of keeping a person indoors in a seated position. Then kids don't play outside and learn to play pick-up soccer or baseball, build forts out of cardboard in the backyard, etc. Besides that, it can be somewhat isolating. Rather than playing with neighborhood chums, they play by themselves. Online might help with that a little, but it's still not a replacement for face-time. And it can interfere with studies.
Well here in Chicago we have snow and bitter cold at least 5 months of the year so indoors is not that bad I actually need stuff to get them entertained and stem off cabin fever and a stroll through Besaid while is 40F (- 40C too!) below outside is perfect!

And at least my kids never stop jumping around, so I don't worry about them not exercising... Perhaps when they get older I will, right now they are constantly in movement...

And the neighbors kids join us in our adventures sometimes, or my kids play at their house.

You are correct, attention to what game they play and to how active they are during the day is important. But even in that aspect I would much rather see they play a VG than to see them veg out in front of a tV.