Boys Prefer Video Games to Toys, Study Says

Boys would rather play a “G.I. Joe” video game than with “G.I. Joe” action figures, a new study finds.

Boys would rather play a “G.I. Joe” video game than with “G.I. Joe” action figures, a new study finds. Boys ages 5 to 12 spend more time each week playing video games than playing with traditional toys, market research firm NPD Group said on Tuesday. The survey did not detail how much more time was spent. Toy categories, like action figures and building sets, were most affected by the increased tendency among boys to play virtual games than real games. On average, all children in that age group play video games for just over 4 hours per week, NPD said, although one-third of the boys surveyed play for more than 6 hours weekly. Of those surveyed, 20 percent started playing video games at age 3 or younger, and almost half had started by age 5. NPD said girls tend to spend about as much time playing video games as with traditional toys. The company also found gaming to be more of a year-round hobby in the southern and western United States, and more of a winter seasonal activity in colder regions like the northeastern and central parts of the country. NPD said the survey was based on responses from 2,809 adults with children ages 5 to 12 who play games. One thing remained constant, NPD found. Girls still like Mattel Inc.’s “Barbie,” ranking it as both the top toy and video games property. (source: Reuters Health, May 2004)