Designing Games for Children

Introduction

Designing games for children demands developmentally appropriate game design. In other words, the games have to be designed for the child. But, as adults, we’re far removed from the hallmark experiences of childhood, even though we were children once upon a time. We simply don’t remember what it’s like to not automatically know how to read the squiggles on a piece of paper, nor do we remember the struggle to learn to throw a ball or ride a bicycle. As parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends of those with children, we witness the stages of development once again. As designers, we must not only see what it’s like to be a child but also internalize how to design for their specific needs, be it cognitive, physical, social, ...