Welcome to Learningworks for Kids Game Vocabulary for Parents! In this series, we are highlighting some key gamer vocabulary for busy parents and defining the key executive functions that can be strengthened through play. This video will focus on the acronym MOBA. Click below to watch the video and learn more. The transcript is also provided below for your convenience. A special thanks to our videographer J.R. for his work on this awesome video!

Hi and welcome to Learningworks for Kids’s Gaming Vocabulary for Parents. This is a video series where we will be taking some of the most common gaming terms and vocabulary and breaking down their meaning and how these terms can help you understand the executive functioning skills behind your child’s favorite games. Like what you see? Then be sure to visit us at learningworksforkids.com to read our educational blogs, read our game reviews, and learn more about how to create a balanced play diet for your child. 

Today we are going to be talking about the acronym MOBA. MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, which basically means a Player vs. Player strategy game where you are playing alongside team members to achieve a common goal. This goal could mean destroying the opponent’s structure, defeating all the members on their team, or scoring the most points in an opponent’s goal. As players progress through battles in MOBA games, they level up and earn additional abilities which can then be used to strategize for future battles. 

So what does this term have to do with executive functioning skills? Well, MOBA games are really good for team-building and cooperation skills. When your child plays Pokemon Unite or League of Legends, they are coordinating their efforts with other members of their team. Your child is learning how to work with others in order to accomplish a common goal. This can be beneficial for when they need to use this skill in the real world with members of a sports team, a lab partner, or even a sibling or friend. 

MOBA games are also good for helping your child develop planning and flexibility skills. Knowing what the objective is and working with others to develop a course of action allows for collaboration and strategic thinking. However, when the opposing team gets the upper hand, flexibility allows your child to reassess the situation in real-time and communicate changes in strategy with their teammates. 

So outside of games, what can you do to encourage your child’s planning and self awareness skills? Help them use these abilities to collaborate and strategize outside of video games. Play board games that require collaborative skills rather than competitive ones, such as Pandemic. Encourage your child to join extra curricular activities where they will need to play as part of a team. And try to always involve your child in planning things in your own home; something as simple as the weekly grocery list or as complex as a family vacation itinerary can increase your child’s confidence in their planning skills. The more you reinforce these skills within your child’s everyday life, the more confident they will feel using these skills on their own. 

Well, that’s all the time we have for today. If you’d like to watch more videos like this, go ahead and hit the subscribe button. We publish new content every week so you can learn how to set up your child’s play diet. To learn more visit learningworksforkids.com