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Good to know:The level editor walks kids through level creation step by step.
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Good to know:Visual cues provide instant feedback, which helps reinforce what newly learned commands do in the Lua language.
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Good for:Tablet fans who want to learn more about how their device works.
Good to know:Some downloadable user-created content might be objectionable.
14 Tools to Turn Game-Obsessed Kids into Genuine Game Designers
From programming to editing, your kids favorite hobby could become an awesome outlet for his or her imagination.
Good for:Fans of Disney who want to make new stories with their favorite characters.
Good for:Kids interested in sandbox-style play and who arent ready forMinecraft.
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Good for:Young artists and kids with vibrant imaginations.
Codea, age 13.If your kids are really into checking out the latest and greatest apps on the iPad, why not give them the chance to figure out how to make their own?Codeauses the Lua programming language and provides sample programs and tools to help create programs. Its touchscreen-friendly for tablets, and it provides instant feedback for any possible errors that may be in your code. Plus, it comes with a tutorial and step-by-step guide for beginners interested in trying to learn Lua basics.
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Good for:New designers who enjoy the feeling of power from creating cool projects.
3-D Dot Game Heroes, age 10.3-D Dot Game Heroes, which is both a spoof and homage to theLegend of Zeldaseries, gives players the flexibility to create wacky heroes (such as Santa Claus or an accountant) as well as the main weapon theyll use throughout their adventure. The pixelated character models are clearly a throwback to the 8-bit days, and since the tone of the game is lighthearted, players enjoy designing and uploading their characters — the sillier the better — online for other fans.
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Good for:Designers who always want the latest tools at their fingertips.
Good for:Kids with a dedicated interest in learning programming and design.
When you look at your kids playing video games, you might worry theyre wasting time and energy passively staring at a screen and pressing buttons. But what if their play time was actually a creative outlet that fostered their imaginations? More and more games, apps, and websites are letting kids as young as kindergartners create anything they can think of — and it doesnt have to take a ton of time. Even better, most of these tools dont require kids to be skilled programmers or computer experts to design and build creative, entertaining experiences.
Good for:Kids and kids at heart who like playing with dolls and stickers.
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Good to know:This game can be used on phones, tablets, handhelds, and consoles.
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Blox 3D Junior,age 5.AlthoughBlox 3D Junioris considered to be a modeling toy, players can create, destroy, and animate pixelated 3-D objects at will. The design elements are easy to pick up and understand, and anyone from kids to adults will enjoy building and breaking apart digital creatures in a matter of seconds.
Good for:Creative gamers who want to try making anything in their imaginations.
Tynker, age 8.The Tynker website uses visual blocks of code to explain to kids programming concepts developed at MIT. Through videos, programming tutorials, quizzes, and self-driven work, kids learn the basics of game design. Tynker provides several free games for users to play and disassemble to figure out how they work, and interested designers can pay for lifetime access to programming courses if they want additional instruction or refreshers on topics.
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Good to know:Theres a gentle learning curve; users can start as players and transition to being designers when they feel ready.
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LittleBigPlanet 3, age 8.As withProject Spark,LittleBigPlanet 3lets players design whatever they want with a robust level creator. However, much of its design revolves around trial and error, so players can quickly diagnose what worked and what didnt in their creations.LBP3comes with in-depth tutorials and has an incredibly active player community that has produced more than 10 million levels or mini-games with its creative tools, so new designers also can learn from other creators using the editing tools on a daily basis.
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Parent of a 6 and 10 year oldwritten bySome call me TimMarch 9, 2015
No article on this is complete without mentioning Scratch! Both my 10 yr old and 5 yr old love creating their own interactive games and movies. Super-great drag-and-drop interface teaches the basics of code architecture.
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Disney Infinity, age 10.TheDisney Infinitygames let players explore and create their own game adventures with the various Infinity characters. Its a bit unorthodox compared to the other game editors and creators, because kids will have to spend both time and additional money if they want to unlock every tool and object for their designable adventures. However, if youve ever wanted to create adventures with Mickey Mouse, Captain Jack Sparrow, and the Avengers,DisneyInfinityis a good choice.
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Good to know:Anything created is automatically saved, giving kids freedom to work as much or as little as they want in a play session.
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Good for:Lego andThe Lego Moviefans.
Good for:Racing fans who like pushing the envelope of physics with their tricks and on their tracks.
Good to know:Acquiring all the creative content and characters will cost you.
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Good for:Fans of classic adventure and Nintendo games — and humor.
Theres a new web site/service that uses a proven technique to teach kids to write games. It starts them off slow and teaches a few basics, and then (if you subscribe) sends complete games for them to type in, learning as they go. Its called BitsBox and its available at:
Adultwritten bytimCoopFebruary 6, 2015
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Parent of a 3, 7, and 10 year oldwritten byGregNeumayerFebruary 6, 2015
I use engine001 it requires no knowledge of coding (but you can code), It has a few modes, Free mode( Has use of the game engine and all but two game types(Point and click and blank game), exporting your game to pc, and host and share them online, Educational mode ( Has educational use, parental controls, premium support, and everything that the free mode has, and then there is Ultimate, it has licenses to sell your game on pc, mobile development, access to cutting edge features, raw file editing and database access, and everything the others ones had (but this one unlocks the two other game types) and there is a whole lot more. Here is the link-
Roblox, age 10.If game design is about creating an imaginary game world and bringing it to life, then Roblox wants to be the universe in which all these worlds exist. With this Web-based creation site, users can design their own games and experiences or explore previously uploaded games for ideas. The sites tools and game elements are constantly being updated, ensuring that players never find themselves with stale or outdated elements. Plus, Roblox is accessible on phone, tablet, and computer, so kids can constantly make changes to their designs as they see fit anywhere they are.
Trials Fusion, age 12.Trials Fusionmaintains the popular racing games focus on outrageous motorcycle stunts, crashes, and speed. ButFusionstands out by providing a deep track editor that allows players to create levels that are challenging and complex. These can easily be uploaded to game servers for user testing and feedback, and players can download loads of new courses to expand their own game experience.
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If you look for a game creation app with this attributes: – Mobile (tablet/phone), – free, – 3D, – drag and drop, – no coding, – sharing, … then I would say you find it on We create this app, its brand new and you can betatest it. Open for feedback 😉
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Project Spark, age 10.Project Sparkgives kids the flexibility to create whatever they can imagine. Everything from adventures to sci-fi tales to pinball tables and more are at your fingertips, and the premade scenarios serve as guides to how you could build your own game. Plus, its extremely accessible; if you can make decisions about how things react when an in-game event occurs, your playable experience can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
Gamestar Mechanic, age 10.Gamestar Mechaniccelebrates game design and coding by putting players in a sci-fi world where designers are superheroes. The Web-based game introduces different genres of games via play samples and provides backgrounds and characters for players to create their own levels. With each design section they work through, players unlock further elements that can be used for future projects. Plus, created levels can be shared and reviewed by others in moderated forums.
Hi everyone! Newbie here :)) Im here for my kid, deciding whether or not I should hire a private tutor for my kid (Nick, 12yo); I dont know how common it is for kids of Nicks age wanting to learn game design and programming but as his parent, I can tell hes being serious about this. But im not sure if this is a good idea, maybe its too early for him or maybe it isnt. Nothing fancy though, maybe he could start learning basics, like flash games or something, kind of like Papas Games (cooking games), I think thats what inspired him into this. Anyway, thats what im here for, I need advice how to deal with this.
Parentwritten byJeff HaynesFebruary 20, 2015
Cool Tools to Help Kids Learn to Code
Good to know:Designers have made everything from pinball machines to racing games to space shooters with theLBPtools.
Drawn to Life, age 7.Unlike games that use drag-and-drop-style customization,Drawn to Lifegets players to draw to define and edit their game worlds. That means that everything from the characters as whom you play to their weapons are defined solely by your imagination. Few games offer such wide-ranging flexibility.
Hey Greg and Tim, I absolutely agree with these selections — We love Scratch for its ability to help kids learn to code, and discover ways that they can bring their ideas to life, just like the other selections you mentioned. We only tried to hone down the list to some of the tools that some people might not have heard of before, particularly because if we tried to expand it to cover everything, the article would be massive! However, if you and other readers are looking for additional tools for young computer programmers, you can check out this blog post as well:
Lego Game Creator, age 7.Everything is awesome with this online Lego-themed creator, which lets budding designers create their own side-scrolling platform games with characters fromThe Lego Movie. From the special abilities to the goals for the end of the level,Lego Game Creatoris basic enough for young designers. Plus, content is very safe, since the only chaos in the game results in Lego bricks flying everywhere.
Good to know:Players can control and make models by tapping on a tablet screen with one finger.
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Good to know:With site time limits and moderated content, this is one of the safest design communities for kids.
As Common Senses senior editor of video games and websites, Jeff Haynes spends his time doing things like blasting aliens, winning sports championships, and creating digital worlds to tell kids and parents about the…Read more
Unity3D is great for more experienced game designers. Kodu is not mentioned, and that has pictured programing techniques which is perfect for beginners ages 8 and up. Unity3D is best for teens 13 and up.
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Good for:Thanks to its deep play, virtually anyone interested in games.
Good to know:Parents can restrict access to developer-moderated content if theyre worried about the levels their kids might download for creative ideas.
Good for:Kids interested in building and breaking 3-D models like digital Legos.
Minecraft, age 8.Few games exemplify the concept of editing an existing game better thanMinecraft. The ability to make physical changes to a randomly created world has helped the game retain its longevity and legions of devoted fans. In fact, the main goal of the survival mode is making players alter the landscape to simply collect the tools needed to survive. Not many games can challengeMinecraftfor its in-game editing play.
I strongly agree with the last comment. Scratch and Snap (a similar version) are awesome for kids. I would also recommend Stencyl – great for making online or mobile games while using a Scratch like interface. Also, on the iPad, Hopscotch, is an amazing tool for younger kids to start programming and make games. GameSalad is another tool that is good for kids, though to make more advanced game you need to purchase a license. For kids who want to take Minecraft to the next level, is a great way to control the rules of Minecraft through making there own modes using a Scratch-like block language or Javascript.
Good to know:Lessons arent cheap, but they are designed to teach key concepts that can be used in any designed game.
Whether your kids enjoy creating fun new game elements, editing existing game content, or fully designing their own games from scratch, these programs can help bring their ideas to the screen.
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Tech Creation Learning Tools for Kids
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Parentwritten byDannis F.November 2, 2017
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Good to know:More than a million tracks were created for the previous game in the series, and at least as many are expected for this racer.
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Toca Builders, age 6.If your kids arent ready forMinecraftyet,Toca Buildersis a great alternative. The sandbox-style game lets kids create anything they can think of, without having to worry about the combat or the monstersMinecraftis known for. The game also comes with a set of characters who have separate jobs, which will help users build and create their new game worlds — perfect for the young designer starting out.
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Good to know:Players can get editor tips for their creations through numerous websites and YouTube channels.
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