[STARGATE]

Many manufacturers have age limits on their usage.

For example; Samsungs Gear VR and the Oculus Rift headsets have a 13+ age rating, Sonys PlayStation VR is set for children 12+.
I've seen many schools adopting this new tech.
I personally let my kids use my Gear VR from time to time, but not often.
Do you let your kids use VR headsets?

[Golfdriver97]

My own personal opinion is they can use it, I just agree it should be a limited amount of time. Once they are a little older, say 15, then sure...play as long as you want.

[STARGATE]

Of course that if they were causing harm, I wouldn't let my kids use them at all.

[jean15paul]

Android Central did a podcast about this exact topic a few months ago. They had a doctor (Dr. Joe Cohen) who specialized in these things. I'd definitely recommend checking it out. (If I remember right, he recommended limiting the time that young kids spend using VR.) Here's the link to the podcast.
Android Central 246: Kids and VR with Dr. Joe Cohen | Android Central

[Kayza]

Android Central did a podcast about this exact topic a few months ago. They had a doctor (Dr. Joe Cohen) who specialized in these things. I'd definitely recommend checking it out. (If I remember right, he recommended limiting the time that young kids spend using VR.) Here's the link to the podcast.
Android Central 246: Kids and VR with Dr. Joe Cohen | Android Central

I'm going to look at that. Does he address the developmental issues? I can easily believe that with good screens, there is no real danger to a child's eye sight. But, what are the potential effects on a child's development of understanding of how the world works?

We know that young children often have hard time differentiating between reality and fantasy, even when you are looking at cartoons on a older TV - totally NOT an immersive experience. What happens when you up the reality factor?

[jean15paul]

I'm going to look at that. Does he address the developmental issues? I can easily believe that with good screens, there is no real danger to a child's eye sight. But, what are the potential effects on a child's development of understanding of how the world works?

We know that young children often have hard time differentiating between reality and fantasy, even when you are looking at cartoons on a older TV - totally NOT an immersive experience. What happens when you up the reality factor?

It's been a long time, so please refer to the actual podcast and not my memory. But if I remember correctly he basically said that we don't have the answers to those questions. More research needs to be done. Right now any advice is based on assumptions and best guesses.

[alphacker4]

Is VR really safe for a child? Is there any side-effects?

[Ling Cheung]

VR is still very new and there study takes years, which means is still early to tell.

[iCoerce]

Im already skeptical about letting my toddler use hs iPad mini...Using VR? no

[praytorain]

Thank you for the link. I am going to take a look at this, because my 7 year old wants to try it. I am not really caring if he spends a few minutes, but want to see what the main issues are.

[ndwarika]

Yes, I know the argument that kids these days are far more advanced that we or our foreparents were, but I don't think that should be used as an excuse to rob them of their innocence and keep them from exploring the real world around us. VR should be appreciated as a tool for exploration (and yes, education), and should be treated as such. There is a reson why there are minimum age limites for driving, drinking, smoking, voting, and even car seats and certain types of food products and medications. Children should be allowed to be children. And this is not even considering the discussion of the percieved effects of tablet/phone/TV consumption and rates of ADD and ADHD. Even if a child is allowed to use VR for 30 minutes.... what is that 30 minutes taking away from the child? Quality Dad time? Quality Mum time? Time to learn real social interactions and making friends? Learning to ride a bike? Climb a tree? Making the childhood mistakes that reinforces our learning afterwards? Less time on learning morals and ethics that would later mould them into pillars of the community? Please don't distract or children, or distract ourselves by devoting time to discussing it too much longer.

[Kayza]

And this is not even considering the discussion of the percieved effects of tablet/phone/TV consumption and rates of ADD and ADHD.

Perceived is the key word here. There is no evidence that it actually exists.

Even if a child is allowed to use VR for 30 minutes.... what is that 30 minutes taking away from the child? . . . Less time on learning morals and ethics that would later mould them into pillars of the community?

There I disagree with you. VR has the potential to provide learning of this sort in ways that you can't really do in the real world, because the stakes are too high. Of course, it depends on what you are using VR for. But the potential is there.

[AxlMyk]

Good topic.

I introduced VR to the family over the Tday holiday. We have a 6, and an 8 year old Great-grand kids. They were the most enthusiastic about it, (of course). Everybody loved it. We had some great laughs.
I think a limited time for the kids is OK. They can learn a lot about our world with it.

What bothers me is the lack of parental controls. There needs to be a simple means to filter content.
I don't recall seeing that in Oculus, Jaunt, Within, CardBoard,etc. Perhaps Devs can look into it.
Better to do it voluntarily, rather than have people screaming because of what their kid saw.


~Never, under any circumstances, take a laxative and sleeping pill on the same night.~

[Fran_MontoyaQ]

I don't have Kids, but there is a huge market for learning and teaching using a Vive. Imagine having your kid go on a virtual tour of France's history while the teacher narrates it. That would be awesome.

[anon(10170343)]

I let my kids play VR on the Vive. We have had it since Xmas. I time them for 10 minute sessions, then make them break 10 minutes. We only have one headset so it works out as they take turns. They've been playing around twice a week I very sensitive to motion sickness from rides like Star Tours. So, the only games we play are ones that I tested that don't get me dizzy. Now does it cause them any harm. I've asked them and they have no immediate effects of dizziness or nausea. Will it have any long term effects? Who knows. Yet, I think in short gaming sessions, it is harmless compared to watching other parents allowing their kids be glued to a regular screen 24/7. I hope there are studies being done. I would be interested to read some if available.

[Chemy JMHT]

I let my kids play VR on the Vive. We have had it since Xmas. I time them for 10 minute sessions, then make them break 10 minutes. We only have one headset so it works out as they take turns. They've been playing around twice a week I very sensitive to motion sickness from rides like Star Tours. So, the only games we play are ones that I tested that don't get me dizzy. Now does it cause them any harm. I've asked them and they have no immediate effects of dizziness or nausea. Will it have any long term effects? Who knows. Yet, I think in short gaming sessions, it is harmless compared to watching other parents allowing their kids be glued to a regular screen 24/7. I hope there are studies being done. I would be interested to read some if available.

Hey welcome to the Forum!

It's very smart the way you are doing it, in other threads we were discussing some side effects to long and short terms.

One of the things is all the big companies which have VR headsets recommends using it with kids for 12 or more years old, there are things like the development of the eyes which takes a lot of time and due the HMD (Head Mounted display) makes you to focus in the same distance all the time you are using it, well it's not the ideal for the kids, but it's something that should be "healed" just by not using it for a reasonable period of time, so you are doing well in that way.

Another thing is the kind of content they are experiencing, that's more a matter of what they get from the app, video or game they are playing and even themselves, so, it's very particular to any kid and any situation.

One thing to consider that can be harmful is the way of the device depending of the stage of growing they are is the malformation of their vertebral column, the bones are easily fixable as the muscular part of their bodies, so if they are too young it can be a problem, but again, using it only short periods of time it won't be a problem.

So, kids with VR is a matter is good mostly depending of the common sense of parents, and you are doing pretty awesome.

[pkcable]

Refreshed blog about the subject!

https://www.vrheads.com/kids-can-use-vr-be-careful

[Fnord]

Take this for what it is (single study), but this research for the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Visual Entertainment suggests VR can have beneficial effects on eye site in pre-teens.

http://n3.sinaimg.cn/sina_vr/647a35e...gWenBaoGao.pdf

I have a lot of Gear VR experience, and I Personally wouldn't risk it on a child. If older pre-teen perhaps on a very limited basis.