They build.
Your child builds a small game with a score, a start, and a win or lose, such as a game that counts points and ends when the lives run out.
A coach notices.
Coaches name what your child just did well, in the moment: “That's teamwork. You made room for your partner's idea.” Classes are limited to 10 students.
Progress you can see.
Your child moves up with real project work and real character evidence. You get a simple email on what your child learned and how they're progressing.
It's okay if the game doesn't work the first time. Finding out why is part of building it.
Plays games all week, but never makes one?
Screens are not the problem. Empty screen time is: games other people made, while your child could be building one.
There are plenty of apps and free videos. What is hard to tell is which will lead to a finished game and a child who sticks with it.
Kids shouldn't have to choose between what they love and who they can become.
The plan
Start your membership.
Watch your child try, build, and test.
See skills and character grow, class after class.
- No prior experience is needed, and your child does not bring equipment.
- Parents may observe where operationally appropriate.
- You get a simple email on what your child learned and how they're progressing.
What a class looks like
Your child does not bring equipment. Coaches give a starting point, so no one starts with a blank screen.
Plan and build
Break a project into parts, then build one part with a partner.
Predict and test
Say what will happen, such as where two things will meet, then run it and compare.
Find it and fix it
Work out why it did not behave, and fix it with a coach asking questions, not giving the answer.
Share and explain
Show the game, say how it works, and put your part together with your partner's.
What your child learns in Game Makers
Every skill is practiced and shown in class, not memorized.
Create and update a variable
Store a number, such as a score, and change it as the game runs.
Use data types and clear names
Tell numbers from words and text, and name things so others can read them.
Do math in a program
Use arithmetic with parentheses so the program works out the right answer.
Start actions on an event
Make something happen when there is a click, a key press, a sensor reading, or a message.
Make a decision with if/then
Choose what happens based on whether something is true.
Count and track with a counter or flag
Set it at the start, change it as the game goes, and reset it, such as for lives.
Use a random number
Pick a number in a range so the game is not the same every time.
Predict a collision and check it
Use coordinates to say where two things will meet, then test it.
Build one part of a shared project
Break a project into parts, build one, and pair-program with a partner, taking turns driving and navigating.
No memorized definitions, timed exams, or fixed quiz scores. Your child does not need to type fast. Kids who prefer to show, draw, or talk instead of write can do that.
What parents notice
Before
Plays games other people made. Waits to be told what to do next.
After
From a child who plays games, to a builder who makes one and works well with others.
Class details
Grades: 3rd-5th
Up to 10 students
Monday · 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Kansas City / Northland · Kansas City
Frequently asked questions
Making one is the point. Coaches give a starting point, and your child builds on it: a score, a start, and a win or lose.
Things stop working in every game. A coach asks questions and names what your child does next: “That's persistence. You kept working after it failed.”
Game Makers builds on skills from earlier classes. Talk with a coach and we will help you find the right starting point.
Another year of playing what others made, or a year of building games and building with others.
Start Your Membership