Can video games be a worthwhile family activity? A new survey commissioned by a game publisher suggests so — as long as the games selected are wholesome and the grownups join in. Nearly one-third of the survey’s 7,500 respondents said their children or grandchildren play “casual,” or simple, games, with 80% reporting that they play together with the kids. Some 70% of family gamers said they’ve observed educational benefits, with 47% claiming an increase in their child’s level of interest or understanding of spelling, reading, vocabulary or history. Casual games’ universal appeal, and the G-rated content of the games, “makes them a great activity in which the whole family can participate,” Dr. Carl Arinoldo, psychologist and author of Essentials of Smart Parenting, told Digital Media Wire. “Each generation,” he said, can enjoy the games “in different ways while also enjoying the interaction with other family members.”