Key Highlights
- Metaverse is all set to take its place in the lives of humans, especially kids.
- A Metaverse is a 3D and virtual representation of a world where users can interact with each other using AI-powered avatars.
- In his novel 'Snow Crash', the term Metaverse was first coined in 1992 by science fiction writer Neal Stephenson.
- Education and learning for kids will become more advanced, easy, and effective with the help of Metaverse.
Metaverse has been the talk of the town for a few years now. The urge to explore the realm of this virtual world has brought many investors and businessmen into its development. While the term has opened vast opportunities for the technology industry, it has also raised many worries in parents for their kids.
The sky-rocketing popularity of this technology and the launch of various coins and tokens with Metaverse utility have made it inevitable for parents to not think about its upcoming effects on their children.
With that in mind, we have prepared this blog that emphasizes all types of effects that Metaverse apps and games can have on kids. But let's clarify our basics first and understand what a Metaverse is.
What is Metaverse?
A Metaverse is made from two words- "Meta", which means beyond, and "Verse", which means universe. Together, it means beyond the universe.
It is a three-dimensional and highly realistic virtual representation of a world where users can interact with each other using AI-powered avatars.
To understand it better, we will take the example of a VR cricket game used to play cricket virtually in a 3D environment. Usually, if you decide to leave the match in between and do some other activity in the same virtual space, it would not be possible for VR games. But a Metaverse game is developed to cater to all user behaviour. It builds a continuous experience that does not limit to a specific activity only.
It was first coined in 1992 by science fiction writer Neal Stephenson in his novel 'Snow Crash' to represent a virtual reality environment accessible through the internet. While it was just an imagination a few decades back, it has become a reality. Regardless of whether you like it, you will not be able to keep your kids away from this virtual world in the upcoming years. It is necessary for every parent to know how the Metaverse will influence kids and their development.
How will the Metaverse change your kid's education?
Practical Learning
Metaverse apps will give kids opportunities to learn practically. Teachers can build digital landscapes based on their class curriculums, and kids can enticingly experience the visuals. For example, children can learn about an aeroplane and how it works through a Metaverse game session created by their teacher. It adds the theory-to-action element to existing theoretical education by making it a VR-based realistic experience.
Cross-cultural education
With Metaverse apps, it becomes possible for teachers and students from any corner of the world to meet virtually irrespective of their physical location. They can even communicate and discuss their learning on a topic and boost their knowledge to another level. For example, if your child wants to learn the french language, he can virtually meet french kids and interact with them.
Critical Thinking
Since the students would be able to try everything they studied in a metaverse app, it will help them to enhance their critical thinking from a young age. It will improve their problem-solving skills and help them learn better and faster.
How will the Metaverse impact the mental health of kids?
The effect of the Metaverse games on kids' mental health is a coin-like issue with two sides. Let's understand both these sides one by one.
Positive Effects
- Metaverse games can eliminate loneliness and depression by keeping kids connected irrespective of their physical locations.
- It can improve social interaction skills by giving a controlled well-built realistic environment with lesser performance pressure.
- Kids can create their favourite relaxing spots and environment in metaverse apps to enjoy alone time and have a lot of fun.
- It provides a safer and controllable environment for shy kids by eliminating the chances of physical bullying without compromising the fun.
- Metaverse games can strengthen parent-child bonding by giving them the facility to do various activities virtually together. This facility can be very beneficial for children of working parents who often miss out on such activities due to distance or time barriers.
Negative Effects
- While metaverse apps can prevent physical bullying, they can encourage cyberbullying if you do not manage them rightly for your kids.
- There lies a risk of children being exposed to inappropriate content while exploring metaverse games.
- Spending too much time in the virtual world of Metaverse can make kids less interested in the real world.
- Excessive use of VR headsets while exploring the metaverse apps can cause dizziness, migraine, and nausea.
Metaverse can be a big concern for parents because the existing world of social media has already witnessed a hike in depression and aggression among children. But according to VR and metaverse developers, the pre-assumed side effects of Metaverse apps might not occur due to their decentralized nature. Unlike the existing social media controlled by big firms and their profit generation strategies, Metaverse is based on decentralized technology. But parents should still be aware of the activities their child will be involved in the virtual world.
How to protect kids in the Metaverse?
Like any technology, a Metaverse comes with both pros and cons. Hence it is important to protect your kids from the bad influence of Metaverse apps without depriving them of its benefits.
Here are a few tips for it-
- Closely monitor the activities of your kids in metaverse games.
- Restrict the inappropriate content from the Metaverse apps for your kids.
- Set strict guidelines with a time limit and activities for the kids, and ensure that your kids follow these rules.
- Discuss the appropriate behaviour when interacting with others online and teach them not to share private information with anyone.
- Encourage kids to balance their virtual and real life.
Conclusion
Metaverse comes with advantages as well as disadvantages for kids. Protecting children from the disadvantages of the Metaverse is a shared responsibility of developers and parents. Suppose both of them perform their duties together. In that case, children will be able to grasp abstract concepts easily and effectively with the help of virtual reality. Otherwise, it can easily open the doors for new cybercrimes and addiction.
