Children Go Head-to-Head with Parents at Library's First Video Game Based Event

A large white line separates the words "Tweens" and "Parents" on the blackboard in the corner of the room.

In the center is a large projector on a cart with a Nintendo Wii connected to it.  Two large tables are set up on both sides of the projector containing baskets of pretzels.

At one table sits a group of 13 children while five parents sit at the opposing table. Projecting on a screen in the back of the room is the video game, "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade."

Moments later, the first parent and child come up to face off against one another in the first video game based activity hosted by the North Merrick Public Library.

"I've never worked a Wii," said Miriam Smith, a Merrick resident and one of the parents involved in the activities, "but it sure is a lot of fun." 

The event, which took place last Thursday, was one of the many "intergeneration programs" hosted by the Young Adults department at the library.  It was the result of the library's new attempts to promote video games in the library.

According to Kelly Rechsteiner, the coordinator of the event, the library will now circulate video games for the main video game consoles, which include the Wii, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.   

The evening was filled with laughs and enjoyment from both sides.  But the adults never had a chance as none of them had ever played video games with their children before.  

Once the game ended, the parents left and the children remained for a few rounds of "Wii Sports."

"The library always offers wonderful activities for the children," Smith said.