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Video games are part of today’s culture and while some might think they’re purely entertainment, certain video games hone important skills.
Screen time can get a bad rap, but if your child is using their electronic device for games that help develop creativity, critical thinking, reasoning abilities and reading skills, the reality is that screen time is not always wasted time.
Time spent playing Minecraft, one of the most popular video games in the world, is not equal to time spent in front of the television. Even some teachers are using games like Minecraft to augment their lessons.
Minecraft features two different game modes — creative and survival. In creative mode, players make huge structures from scratch, developing math and geometry skills along the way. Since the difficulty level increases as a player moves forward, the learning opportunities are continually advancing.
Many families enjoy playing it together, manipulating objects to build castles and other structures in a three-dimensional environment.
Redstone is Minecraft’s equivalent to electricity and can be used to create amazing inventions.
Brick Works Academy in Waterloo offers an eight-week educational Minecraft program that teaches the basics of electronics and allows youth to experiment with new Mods, which bring a dimension to the game that can’t be experienced on a console or mobile device.
When learning is offered in a fun, interactive format using the latest technology, kids are much more likely to be intrigued and challenged.
Their mandate at Brick Works is to educate children in math, science and technology through hands on play.
They offer youth fun and educational opportunities on school PD days, such as robot building and gaming. For more information, contact Brick Works Academy at 519-722-8072.
For a virtual tour of the Brick Works Academy, click here.
Check out the reviews of Brick Works Academy posted to their Facebook page.
Published in the Kitchener Record Oct 08, 2014
