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Chris Keenan
Chris Keenan

Green Video Games Teaching Kids

It's not always easy to get through to kids; engaging them in conversation about the environment can be tedious, especially if they are twitching from video game withdrawal and anxious to return to their XBOX. Luckily, there are games out there that appeal to kids while conveying important environmental messages. It may sound like a long shot, but experts agree that video games are a great medium for teaching kids and for conveying information that will stick in the long run.

One such game is ominously entitled “Fate of the World.†It's a PC strategy game that deals with some pretty heavy issues—natural disasters, population growth, and energy consumption are but a few of the problems game players must face. As the game's official website explains, “Your mission: Solve the crisis. But, like life, it won’t be easy. You’ll have to work through natural disasters, foreign diplomacy, clandestine operations, technological breakthroughs, and somehow satisfy the food and energy needs of a growing world population. Will you help the planet or become an agent of destruction?†And if your kid is more into iPhones, there's the iPhone/iPad compatible “Face the Waste,†which also addresses environmental waste concerns.

Another interesting environmental game is National Geographic's “Plan It Green.†In the game you play as the Mayor of Greenville, and your mission is to change the city for the better by creating green jobs, constructing eco-friendly homes, and beautifying your surroundings (from sidewalks to garage doors). CEO Kirk Owens explains, “This is the right product for the times. Not only is it a fantastic game, but it integrates a theme we all hear hundreds of times a week. . . . By working with National Geographic, we were able to go beyond pop green ideas and make a game that truly conveys the possibilities of the future.â€

Do you feel that green video games are the key to get kids more involved and interested in green issues? What do you think is needed for these issues to resonate with adolescents? All comments are appreciated.

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And I'm somewhat surprised it was not listed. For educational purposes, the series is probably one of the better games to get some feel for history as well as for combined arms cooperation. It also reinforces the economic and political factors on conflict in a way that at least makes the gamer learn to pay attention to more than the merely operational aspects of conflict. It's a great tool for understanding societal dynamics and interconnections at a basic level. Although the one you mention (Rome) has some annoying inaccuracies that can be misleading, it is a stellar product that has been updated into a mod called "Europa Barbarorum." This mod is invaluable for students studying that period, and it was designed, I think, by the original TW Rome team.

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Ha ha ha I like that first line when you said that its not easy to engage kids in conversation. That’s pretty right my friend, when we talk to them they ask very different question in a very innocent manner and we do not have answer many times, apart from this if we introduce some realistic things, as this kind of kid games then only we can make them enjoy as well as be able to give them answer to their question.

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Ha ha ha I like that first line when you said that its not easy to engage kids in conversation. That’s pretty right my friend, when we talk to them they ask very different question in a very innocent manner and we do not have answer many times, apart from this if we introduce some realistic things, as this kind of kid games then only we can make them enjoy as well as be able to give them answer to their question.

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watch nowUsing games for teaching environmental aspects to children is an awesome way of teaching.National Geographic’s “Plan It Green.†is a nice effort made in this direction.Thanks for your post.
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