When you were young, you probably dreamed of becoming an astronaut, a firefighter, or maybe a famous Hollywood actress. Our children have exactly the same dreams, although these professions have diversified a bit.
In this post, we’ll focus on game development and how this activity can be educational and therapeutic for children. Children have a strong interest in building robots, programming apps, creating websites, and developing video games from a young age, as well as enjoying hours on their devices. We’ll explore why children are so attracted to video games and how parents can harness this activity constructively. Instead of suppressing this hobby, we’ll learn how to maximize its educational and therapeutic value for the little ones at home.
What are video games?
Video games are interactive audiovisual software designed to entertain people of all ages. Unlike other media like television or cinema, interactivity is a distinctive feature that makes them especially attractive. Video games encompass a wide variety of genres, from action and sports games to strategy and simulators, all with the main goal of providing entertainment.
In addition to their recreational function, video games have significant educational potential. Thanks to their interactivity and the ability to recreate virtual worlds, video games can teach complex concepts intuitively and in a fun way. For example, a child can learn about Newton’s laws while playing Minecraft, without realizing they’re receiving a physics lesson. This ability of video games to educate inadvertently is one of the reasons why they are so powerful as learning tools.
Brief history of the video game
Video games originated in the 1960s at an American university, where the first interactive programs emerged. In the 1980s, companies like Atari, Nintendo, and SEGA drove the industry forward, generating a growing demand for more complex and attractive games. Over time, game development became a booming field, with universities around the world offering specialized academic programs. Today, curiosity about game creation has led to the emergence of educational programs and content platforms focused on teaching this art, including initiatives like Wonderly’s new game development program aimed at children.
Benefits of video games for children
Most likely, your children love video games. Most likely, your children would love to create their own video games. But what are the advantages of playing and creating video games?
Benefits of playing video games:
- Fomenta el desarrollo cognitivo y mejora la habilidad espacial.
- Develops the ability to solve complex problems and improves reflexes and mental acuity.
- Relieves stress and in certain instances improves psychosocial abilities.
- Facilitates the learning of new concepts, such as languages, and improves motor skills in games such as “Just Dance” or “Wii Sports”.
- Boosts creativity and has therapeutic uses to promote mental health and treat pain in patients with various conditions.
- They are super fun!
Benefits of learning to create video games
- Improves logical-mathematical skills and can boost the artistic vein depending on the branch that interests children the most.
- Promotes teamwork, camaraderie and develops abstract thinking.
- Shares several benefits with playing video games, such as problem solving, spatial, logical-mathematical ability and cognitive development.
It’s important to manage video game consumption with discipline and monitor the titles children play to ensure they are age-appropriate and suit their tastes. Additionally, when learning to create video games, it’s crucial to find suitable pedagogical courses for children, considering that many resources are geared towards an adult audience. By the way, we’ll soon be launching our video game development course!
Game Development
Developing a video game involves applying programming principles to create a virtual world with its specific logic. Unlike conventional software development, video games incorporate audiovisual elements such as objects, colors, characters, sounds, and narrative. This task requires teamwork and years of practice, although it’s not always necessary to start from scratch. Many developers start by modifying existing games, adjusting rules, adding characters, or changing visual elements. In a game development course for children, after learning programming in Scratch, students delve into creating mods, allowing them to modify their favorite games like Minecraft.
Can a Child Develop a Video Game?
Yes, a child with interest, motivation, and proper education can learn to develop video games. Determining the child’s interest is key, and motivation can arise from their own love for games. Education should be guided by experts in a language understandable to children, adapting complex concepts to an accessible level.
Developing video games can be a rewarding challenge for children, as long as there is genuine interest and proper guidance. Motivation naturally arises when children show interest in the subject, and education in game development benefits from experts with didactic ability and experience tailored for children. If you want to explore more about this exciting world, stay tuned to discover our upcoming video game development course for children.
Real Examples of Child Game
- Antonio García Vicente, from Spain: he learned to develop video games in Scratch and has created more than 100 titles at the age of 14.
- Basil Okpara, from Nigeria: He started developing his own video games at the age of 7 and has participated in development camps at the age of 12.
- Sam Smith, from England: He created an official video game for Android and iOS at the age of 12 and is on his way to being one of the best creators in the United Kingdom.
Video games are more than simple forms of entertainment; they are powerful tools both educationally and therapeutically. With proper guidance, children can create their own video games, fostering skills such as cognitive development, teamwork, and abstract thinking. The educational benefits of video games are on par with learning programming, highlighting essential abilities for the modern world. Explore this exciting world and stay connected to enroll your children in our upcoming video game development course!
