With the school year soon ending, thinking about summer vacation can be frustrating for many parents. The last thing any parent wants is their child hibernating in their room playing games for eight weeks. It is great to know that there are many summer camps available for gamer kids from ages 6 and up.
STEM
Many have heard the acronym STEM thrown around lately. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math are the focus to key innovation and job creation. Promoting these fields to our kids will help the future of the high-tech industry.
Within these camps, kids make new friends, learn foundational STEM skills, and gain benefits that will extend beyond school, college, and future careers. STEM include the fields of aerospace engineering, astrophysics, astronomy, biochemistry, bio-mechanics, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, mathematical biology, nanotechnology, neurobiology, nuclear physics, physics, robotics, and many others.
These roles play at multiple levels of society and have an enormous impact. Our economy revolves around mathematics: accounting, economics, functions and logarithms, and calculus. The architecture industry centers on math, such as urban development and city planning. Medical research centers on the study of chemistry and biology. The environmental efforts such as sustainable energy and nuclear power are part of the sciences. Every part of society depends on these subjects.
STEM is vital to the education system to build stronger curriculums around these subjects.
Kids learn:
- Creativity
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Project planning
Game Design
Game design camps teach real-world industry related skills such as a 3D Animator, Level Designer, Audio Artist, Story Writer, and Programmer. These skills apply to the fields of Computer Science, Computer Engineering, App Design, Film, and other related fields.
They learn to:
- Create Digital Media – Virtual Reality, 3D Modeling, Photoshop, Web Design
- Learn to Code – Scratch, Coding Basics, JAVA, Apps, Minecraft Modding
- Design Video Games – 3D RPG, Action, Puzzle, Mobile, Unreal, Minecraft
- Discover Engineering – Robotics, CAD, RC Cars, Redstone Circuitry
- Get Unplugged – Retro Games, Swimming, Outdoor Recreation
Some camps offer guest speakers and a studio tour. Besides learning game design, kids have additional outdoor recreation and swimming available.
Let us not forget that playing video games is also available since it is research.
Minecraft
Many schools are now incorporating Minecraft into their curriculum to help with reading, writing, math, and science.
Minecraft teaches kids spatial reasoning, engineering concepts, and builds hand-eye coordination. With this guided instruction, kids will learn simple game programming concepts including Redstone levers and command blocks. An 8:1 student and instructor ratio is to the benefit of each camper.
Kids learn to:
- Explore the Java programming language
- Learn how to host their own server
- Install and manage mods
- Use construction skills in 3D design challenges
- Learn level building basics via gameplay
- Basic level creation via gameplay
- Think critically about storytelling and player engagement
- Discover fundamental game programming concepts
- Code, design video games, mod Minecraft, engineer robots, model 3D characters, build websites, print 3D models, and more
- Learn to use Adobe Photoshop
Resources
- Emagination Game Design Camp teaches teens how to create a playable 3D video game. You can request a brochure here for more information on their camps.
- At the iD tech camps that are located throughout the United States, kids will create, explore, and put their problem-solving skills to good use by building and creating.
- IMACS (Institute for Math and Computer Science) summer camp consists of logic puzzles, computer programming, virtual robotics, electronics, and an element of competition. Kids learn how to think logically and creatively while having fun.
- NCC (National Computer Camps) offers high tech cyber summer camps for kids in Connecticut, Georgia, and Ohio.
- DigiPen ProjectFUN offer programs for all ages in video game programming, art and animation, game design, engineering, and music and sound design.
Whichever summer camp you select, know your child is getting a top-notch education that is fun with games.
