Level Up STEM Skills With Video Games

Video games often get a bad reputation, and we recognize that not all games hold equal value. However, there are opportunities for families to tap into kids’ interest in video games to help them build and strengthen STEM learning!

If your child loves video games, in addition to reviewing their game options for educational value and age-appropriate content, you also can encourage them to learn more about the STEM skills involved in creating these awesome games as they level up.

Building Skills by Gaming

There are many advantages to learning through play, and giving children the independence to explore complex concepts in a fun manner keeps them engaged. From puzzle games that involve quick math to adventure games encouraging problem solving and creative thinking, participating in mindful screentime can be an exciting way for children to practice self-directed learning.

To help parents and educators identify the best game options, the Harvard Graduate School of Education recommends choosing games that give players agency in the way they play or the goals they set; games that inspire curiosity and lead players to ask questions and discover how things work; and games that offer “hard fun,” or “an appropriate level of challenge that is engaging and satisfying.”

When advancing in level or difficulty within a game, children get to experiment with risk-taking in a safe environment where failure is not “game over” but a chance to adjust their strategy and try again. This level of persistence is something that will serve children well throughout their lives, in STEM settings and beyond!

Exploring the STEM Behind the Game

Creating video games involves a lot of STEM knowledge – and it could be an awesome career goal for a young gamer.

Learning about video games gives children the chance to explore science, technology and art as they investigate a wide variety of components and concepts. Consider letting your child take the lead by choosing the gaming-related topics that interest them most. Would they like to know more about hardware like consoles and processors by building their own computer? Are they excited about storytelling elements and animation? Do they find themselves drawn to the graphic design that goes into creating exciting and lifelike visuals in a game? Or do they have questions about algorithms or software development? There are so many interesting aspects of video games for you to explore together.

If your child is curious about following a career path into video games, you can help them build skills they’ll need, including design thinking, imagination and coding knowledge. Code is programming language that is used to bring a video game to life. Not only is this skill foundational for creating a game or app, but it also is a transferable skill for many STEM careers – like data scientist, software engineer, cybersecurity analyst, web developer and more.

For even more inspiration, read about our awesome Hall of Famer Ralph H. Baer, the engineer who invented video games! In 1966, he demonstrated his prototype for a game that could be played on a TV screen, and two years later, he filed for his first patent on gaming technology. His story gives kids a great example of the power of STEM skills, persistence and innovative thinking.

Keep Learning

To uncover more ways we use STEM in our everyday lives, continue exploring our blog!