Modding and making my own video games got me into programming. If it weren't for games I probably wouldn't be in a field as lucrative as tech. I'd say it's imp

Modding and making my own video games got me into programming. If it weren't for games I probably wouldn't be in a field as lucrative as tech. I'd say it's important to avoid Skinner box style games, but otherwise they can be fun and mentally productive. If I had a kid I'd introduce them to games like Kerbal Space Program, racing games (e.g. Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo) [1], and maybe some RTS games as they got older. I think it's important to choose what games children. The examples listed above reward learning, discipline, and skill. Not luck or pure time commitment.