Learning game development can help kids become the innovators, problem solvers, and creative thinkers of the future. Here are the top 7 benefits of learning game development for kids.
Table of Contents
Introduction Develops problem solving skills Improves storytelling abilities Helps learn math and physics Boosts self-confidence Enhances logical and critical thinking Inculcates the ability to work in teams Makes learning fun and engaging Let’s create your first game togetherIntroduction
Kids these days don’t only spend time in front of the idiot box. Parents need to fight much smaller screens – mobiles, tablets, laptops, video games. But how do we judge whether the time they spend playing video games is bad?
Research suggests quite the opposite. It shows that kids that play video games have better spatial awareness, strategic thinking, and computer fluency.
So why not take advantage of their interests and help them learn game design? Taking a game development course for kids will enhance their attention to not only playing games but also building them.
Here are 7 benefits of learning game development for kids.
Develops problem solving skills
Game development requires some amount of problem solving skills. The coder has to think of scenarios of how the characters should interact in the game. You need to build various obstacles and chart out a journey for the player.
Gaming is not only limited to solving problems for characters, but it also involves performance management, handling traffic on the platform, and releasing updates in regular intervals.
Improves storytelling abilities
The first step towards building a game requires designing and creating a story. While you are charting out a character, you need to build a story around it. In order for a game to succeed, players need to get involved in the character’s journey.
For example, in a game like Mobile Legends, each character has a back-story, different abilities, and weaknesses. Choosing a character requires for the player to understand these elements for them to win.
Helps learn math and physics
Game development applies a number of principles in math and physics. For example, in a game like Angry Birds – players need to understand trajectory and angles to create maximum impact.
When creating games kids use concepts of geometry, graphs, directions, speed, etc to make the characters move. In oder to program a character to run, walk, jump, dance requires applying these mathematical concepts.
This enhances their ability to grasp concepts in math and physics.
Boosts self-confidence
As mentioned earlier, kids have the ability to create games and not just consume while learning game development.
This makes them feel a sense of accomplishment.
When they observe that other members of the community are interested in playing the game they created, it gives them a boost of confidence to continue building.
Enhances logical and critical thinking
When kids build maze games or puzzle games, it enhances their ability to think logically. Logical thinking is an essential part of game design. How to build a character’s strength? Where would be the theme of the game?
All these questions require kids to think logically. If you need to build a underwater-themed game, your character can’t be a deep sea bird.
In game development, kids learn to break down the various elements into smaller parts and then build a comprehensive game that is challenging and interesting for players to get involved to play it.
Inculcates the ability to work in teams
Game development is a niche community. When you build your games and publish them in public forums, you find yourself interacting with other members of the community to build better versions.
For example, in Scratch there is an explore tab where you can publish the games you’ve built and players from across the world can give it a try. This allows you to collaborate with other developers to build more sophisticated games.
Makes learning fun and engaging
When you are in the process of developing a game for the love of creating, it becomes a fun way to learn.
It encourages you to explore the different segments of game building – design, complexity of code, research themes and characters, adding interactive elements, etc. Everytime you make progress on the build and test it, you come across glitches to be resolved and add ideas of making it engaging.
Despite all the frustrations involved in building the game, you keep learning more as it is fun.
Let’s create your first game together
The benefits of learning game development for kids doesn’t require prior knowledge of coding. You can create your own games in visually stimulating platforms like Scratch that are kid-friendly and engaging.
In fact, game development using block-coding can teach kids the foundational basics of coding and increase their aptitude towards building more complex games in the future.
At Codingal, kids start game development at the age of 5. They learn concepts in coding through practical activities and creating fun projects. Our specialized course in game development focuses on amplifying critical skills like problem-solving, game design, logical thinking, and building complex games using text-based programming.
Take a free session with us and see how your child can create their first functional game in under an hour!
