Helping Young Aspiring Game Developers Expand Their Horizons Beyond Fortnite and Roblox

Parents and educators often face the challenge of balancing children’s love for gaming with the desire to foster their learning and development. While games like Fortnite and Roblox are entertaining, they can sometimes lead to concerns about overstimulation or excessive screen time. However, instead of viewing gaming as a distraction, it can be a valuable gateway to learning essential skills, especially for those interested in technology, coding, or game development.

There are many resources, websites, and tools available today that allow kids to transition from merely playing games to creating them. In this blog, we’ll explore a variety of educational platforms and hands-on activities that can guide young minds toward creativity, coding, and productive use of their time.

Shifting from Player to Creator: Coding and Game Design Platforms

For children who are passionate about technology and game development, there are numerous tools that can transform their gaming habits into something more productive. These platforms provide fun and educational experiences that help kids become creators, not just consumers.

• CodeCombat (https://codecombat.com): This platform transforms the learning process into an interactive game, allowing kids to learn coding by playing through adventures. By focusing on languages like Python and JavaScript, children gain real-world coding skills while engaging in a storyline-based game environment. CodeCombat also offers courses in game and web development, making it an ideal choice for future developers.
• Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu): Scratch is a free coding platform from MIT that teaches young learners the fundamentals of programming in an accessible way. With its drag-and-drop interface, Scratch helps children create stories, animations, and games. It’s a great platform for fostering creativity and teaching computational thinking without overwhelming younger kids with complex syntax.
• Bloxels (https://hub.bloxels.com): Bloxels is a user-friendly platform that helps kids design and build their own video games. Through an interactive digital canvas, students create characters, worlds, and mechanics for their games. Bloxels not only taps into their love for gaming but also encourages creativity and problem-solving in game design.
• Google CS First (https://www.tynker.com): Tynker offers a creative coding platform that’s perfect for teaching kids how to make their own games, apps, and animations. By providing step-by-step courses, Tynker helps students learn both basic and advanced coding concepts. It’s a flexible platform that also includes popular integrations with Minecraft, keeping it relevant and engaging for gamers.

Hands-On Alternatives: Fun Without a Screen

Sometimes, parents want to reduce screen time without taking away a child’s passion for building and creating. Several hands-on kits and subscription services offer opportunities to engage kids in STEAM activities (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) while taking a break from the screen.

• KiwiCo (https://www.kiwico.com): KiwiCo offers monthly subscription boxes packed with hands-on projects that focus on building, engineering, and science. These kits are designed to be educational, but they’re also fun and engaging. They allow kids to explore various STEAM topics, helping develop their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills while offering a tactile experience.
• FIRST LEGO League (https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll): For kids who love building and coding, joining a FIRST LEGO League team can be an exciting opportunity. These teams use LEGO robotics kits to build robots and program them to complete tasks in competitions. This hands-on experience introduces kids to the fundamentals of engineering and teamwork while building problem-solving skills.

Professional Tools for Game Developers: Taking It to the Next Level

For children with a deeper interest in game development or animation, there are professional-grade tools available. While these may seem intimidating, free versions and online tutorials make it easier for younger students to explore.

• Unity and Blender: Unity is one of the most popular platforms for game development, used by professionals worldwide. It’s free to download, and there are countless tutorials available that can help young learners begin creating their own games. Blender, on the other hand, is a free tool for 3D modeling, animation, and game asset creation. Both platforms allow children to experiment with game design and animation, providing a real-world understanding of the game development process.
• MakeCode Arcade (https://arcade.makecode.com): Microsoft’s MakeCode Arcade is another platform for aspiring developers. It allows users to design and code their own 2D arcade games using block-based coding, similar to Scratch. The platform offers a wide variety of tutorials and project ideas, making it an ideal starting point for kids interested in game design.

Harnessing Gaming Interests: eSports, Robotics, and Competitive Learning

Rather than limiting a child’s interest in gaming, parents can explore avenues that allow kids to dive deeper into their passions through structured, competitive environments.

• Esports and Robotics Teams: eSports is a rapidly growing field, and kids who love gaming can find community and competition through local eSports teams. Additionally, joining a combat robotics team or participating in RC (remote-controlled) plane or car groups can also channel a child’s love for technology into something more hands-on. These activities teach collaboration, strategy, and engineering skills, all of which are valuable for future careers.
• Unreal Engine and Citizen Science: For those interested in simulation and more advanced game development, platforms like Unreal Engine are being used across industries, from entertainment to science and military applications. Encouraging children to explore these tools opens up possibilities for careers in fields such as cybersecurity, graphic design, and engineering.

Conclusion

While concerns about the negative effects of overstimulation from video games are valid, gaming doesn’t have to be purely recreational. By leveraging coding platforms, educational tools, and hands-on projects, parents can help guide their children toward learning opportunities that expand on their interests. Whether through CodeCombat, Roblox Studio, or KiwiCo, there are endless resources to engage young minds and develop valuable skills for future careers in technology, engineering, and beyond.

Rather than limiting screen time entirely, consider exploring these educational alternatives and harnessing your child’s interest in gaming to foster their creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills.