edutainment
Latest
‘Rabbids Coding’ teaches young gamers basic programming concepts
We've seen plenty of games that teach kids the basics of coding, but it's rare to see the big game publishers embrace the "edutainment" sector. The latest coding game, though, comes from Ubisoft, the creators of the Assassin's Creed and Rainbow Six franchises. Rabbids Coding -- which features those demented, titular creatures that are somehow both annoying and cute -- tasks players with creating routines that will repair the Rabbids' malfunctioning spaceship.
Fisher-Price built a stationary bike for your toddler
Fresh air? Sunlight? Who needs that mess when your kid can get all the exercise he needs while exploring the Great Indoors? Here at CES, Fisher-Price debuted its Think & Learn Smart Cycle. If you think it looks like a tiny $150 SoulCycle bike with a tablet stand, you're right.
Valve announces Steam for Schools, helps teachers create educational Portal 2 levels
Who ever said being a scientific guinea pig couldn't be educational? With Steam for Schools, teachers can now use Portal 2's level editor to create lessons focused on boosting critical thinking, spatial reasoning and problem solving skills. Announced at the Games for Change festival in New York City, the educator edition of Steam comes with a free copy of Portal 2 and the Portal 2 Puzzle Maker. Students and teachers alike can use the tools to create puzzles, but distribution is handled by teachers alone. (That's right, kids -- no level sharing unless the teach says so.) An accompanying website serves as a gathering place for teachers to collaborate, and aims to provide sample lesson plans centered on science, technology, engineering and math. If you're an educator who can't wait to bring a Portal-assisted physics lesson to life, see the links below to sign up for the ongoing beta. Now if you'll excuse us, we're off to "study."
Kinect adds Sesame Street and National Geographic to Xbox Live, makes motion control wholesome fun
Kinect -- it's the Xbox 360 peripheral that just keeps on giving, now with more edutainment. Yes, that collision of worlds typically yields cringe- and boredom-inducing interactive experiences. Not so with this marriage of MS' motion-controlling sensor and the fine folks behind TV mainstays like Sesame Street, National Geographic and Disney. The newly inked content partnerships will see the creation of specifically tailored episodes of Kinect Nat Geo TV, in addition to a season's worth of Kinect Sesame Street TV for Xbox Live, letting your youngins play virtual connect the dots with Elmo. Plans are also underway for a virtual storybook effort, codenamed Project Columbia, aimed at indoctrinating children into the fundamentals of reading, and Rush, a videogame that'll lead adults and their tots alike through Pixar's virtual worlds. These various family-friendly titles and TV shows are set to rollout sometime next spring, so if you need to get your little ones' blood pumping (and slim down those love handles while you're at it), it looks like X's prepping to mark that spot. Official presser after the break.
Motorola Xoom Family Edition includes kid-friendly apps, will hit Best Buy Sunday for $379
Just a week after we received a tip that a mysterious big box retailer would be getting a kid-friendly flavor of Motorola's Xoom tablet, Best Buy has come forth to make things official with the Xoom Family Edition. Everything seems to be in line with what we already knew, including the $40 software bundle -- yes, yes Zoodles comes preloaded, as does Asphalt 6 and SIM City Deluxe. And after the kids are done playing, mom and dad can catch up on homework with Quickoffice Pro HD. The Android 3.1-powered tablet includes a rather modest 16GB of storage, and will run you $379 when it hits Best Buy stores on Sunday. Any questions? Jump past the break for the full Moto rundown.
Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software
Now that Motorola's Xoom is ready to rock out on 4G LTE connections, the only thing missing from the original 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet is a nice suite of edutainment software... wait, what? Whether or not that's what you asked for, it appears to be what Motorola's giving you judging by this "Family Edition" branded Xoom that just showed up at a big box electronics store. While there's still no hint of the subwoofer-equipped Xoom 2 Media Edition that's been rumored, this model is differentiated by the addition of a Kid Mode with $40 of software for kids from Zoodles (trailer after the break) packed-in. We don't have a release date or official pricing yet, but we'd expect to see the MZ505 on shelves sooner rather than later, but for now just check out a few more pics in the gallery below. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-136008%
Noah's Ark is first game in SouthPeak edutainment line
With My Baby in a corporate custody battle, SouthPeak will try to tap the eager-to-learn demographic with a new line of educational products -- the first of which will be the biblically-inspired Tap and Teach: The Story of Noah's Ark for DS. Setting sail, er, floating through retail waters this November, the game is, according to SouthPeak CEO Melanie Mrox, part of a strategic initiative "designed to capture share of the rapidly expanding educational gaming sector." SouthPeak's Noah's Ark -- not to be confused with Noah's Arc or Super 3D Noah's Ark -- is an interactive storybook designed to help kids ages 3–6 with their reading skills. The Tap and Teach franchise is marketed as "wholesome fun" -- the kind that parents can "trust." Rest assured, any minigame about "the birds and the bees" will be strictly about birds and bees.
McDonald's Japan trains employees with new DSi game
Nintendo's partnership with McDonald's in Japan has been extended to help train the restaurant chain's employees in the finer details of fast food assembly. Bloomberg visited McDonald's training center in Japan to get some hands-on time with the training simulation (video embedded after the break), discovering that the golden arches-branded DSis will be distributed to McDonald's all over the country for training purposes. Aside from unveiling the training software, Japanese McDonald's reps showed off their undeniably stylish work uniforms and surprisingly friendly demeanors. We can't help but attribute at least part of the latter's explanation to the fact that these folks are playing with Nintendo DSis at work. Better than flipping burgers, no? [Via Kotaku]
New Sesame Street games on the way, saysa Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has inked crayoned a deal with Sesame Workshop to produce a new series of games based on the beloved edutainment property, Sesame Street. According to an AP report, the partnership is designed to capitalize on a "big open hole in the market," which is easily filled with children and their open-minded parents. "This is the first generation of parents who grew up as gamers," said WBIE senior vice president of marketing, Russel Arons. "Unlike prior generations where people weren't sure of the value of video games, these are people who know there's value and fun for the whole family." Warner Bros. has yet to announce specifics -- like target platforms or release dates -- but has allegedly expressed interest in the motion controllers set to arrive on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year (presumably, the desire to work on Nintendo's Wii goes without saying). Terry Fitzpatrick, Sesame Workshop's executive vice president of distribution, believes that the casual-friendly input "makes it very easy and is developmentally appropriate for preschoolers, as opposed to dealing with a very complex controller." With Microsoft's Project Natal eliminating the controller entirely, we're sure to see some wonderful numeracy games involving Cookie Monster shoveling as many baked treats into his face as possible. We do that in front of the TV every day, so we may as well get points for it.
Square Enix edutaining Japan's children with Miffy
Last year, Square Enix released a couple of licensed DS games in Japan based on Snoopy and Pingu, targeted at children. While the Pure Dreams label didn't last beyond those two games, the company is still producing licensed content for young gamers, most recently in the form of a Miffy game for Wii. Oyako de Asobo Miffy no Omochabako (Play for Kids and Parents Miffy's Toybox) is an edutainment game with 25 different minigames, all featuring the adorable, X-mouthed rabbit, designed for parents and youngsters to play together. A coloring minigame can be transferred from the Wii game to the DS. When Final Fantasy XIII comes out in North America in March, it'll already be old hat to Japanese gamers, who will be eagerly awaiting the March 18 release of this game. [Via Siliconera]
Code of Everand browser MMO teaches kids about traffic safety
The United Kingdom's Department for Transport has launched a free browser MMO, Code of Everand, that teaches traffic safety to children. It does so through a fantasy theme with direct parallels to real world dangers -- streets are Spirit Channels, glowing energy streams populated with many dangerous beasts. The Spirit Channels crisscross the map of Everand and make travel perilous. That's where the players come in as Pathfinders, explorers trained in the techniques that allow for safe passage across the Spirit Channels. Pathfinders learn important safety lessons along the way in their journey to discover the secrets of Everand. Code of Everand was developed for the UK Department for Transport by NYC-based firm Area/Code over the course of two years, reports Game Set Watch. Area/Code has a long track record of creating cross-media games for advertising and media firms, television networks, and even major consumer brands. According to Area/Code's site, they've taken innovative approaches to games in the past -- "online games that respond to broadcast TV in real time, simulated characters and virtual worlds that occupy real-world geography" and "game events driven by real-world data". Interesting concepts. If you like the idea of games used as an effective educational tool, you can see the animated trailer for Code of Everand after the jump.
Big Shot camera kit could help turn your kid on to the dark world of the teardown
Pardon us while we freely admit that we have literally no idea what's going on inside a camera -- whether it's digital or those quaint film-based ones you hear about from your grandma. Luckily, our own kids might not have to suffer as we have: a group at the Computer Vision Laboratory at Columbia University have designed and built a prototype digital camera that should demystify the devices. The Big Shot digital camera kit, if / when it hits the market, will be a box of all the necessary parts for kids to be able to build their own simple, candy-colored digital camera. While the Big Shot is still in prototype testing phase, we really hope this gadget (and more like it) makes it to the market sometime soon.
Activision shamelessly announces 'Science Papa'
Activision came up with a great new idea for a Wii/DS game. It's a bunch of short minigames, right, but each minigame is a component of the process of creating something. Like, say, steps in a recipe. In this particular game, you will perform scientific experiments "from a wide variety of sciences."Science Papa features "over 30 different experiments," during which players will manipulate lab equipment like Bunsen burners, mix chemicals, and perform other stylus/Wiimote-based activities in order to "prove their scientific worth against a crazy cast of rival scientists in intense competitions."Here's where it gets really brilliant: while you're doing these experiments, or following these "recipes," if you will, you'll be guided by a cute, cartoon-style helper. A sort of parental figure. We're surprised that nobody else has come up with this winning formula yet!%Gallery-63385%%Gallery-63386%
Nintendo's next step may be into the playpen
A patent filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office today tells the tale of an edutainment-laden future for Nintendo, reports Siliconera. According to the patent, the console maker's next property (properties?) may feature a mess of different learning tools aimed at young children, defined in the patent as, "toddlers and pre-kindergartners, and/or people with disabilities." The various ideas presented within the patent range from matching animal sounds with animal pictures to lessons in daily chores to building your first laser gun. Alright -- fine -- we made up that last one.Littered throughout the images included with the patent are a couple of familiar Nintendo characters (Mario and Pikachu), though, according to Siliconera, the report specifically mentions "television and/or licensed cartoon characters like Pikachu, Dora the Explorer, and Bob the Builder." Though this patent may have been filed, we want to remind you that none of these plans are by any means final and for all anyone knows, could be nothing more than what they are now -- ideas. One thing is for sure, no matter what happens, we all now know that Nintendo believes children to wear totally badass future shoes. Check out the gallery below for an extensive visual tour of what may very well be the next step Nintendo takes.%Gallery-48249%
Fall Out Boy goes on Oregon Trail, dies of starvation
We're used to winning our concert tickets by being the ninth caller or answering obscure trivia (the kind that only someone with a pillow shaped like the singer would know). The band Fall Out Boy, however, has other plans. The Illinois rockers recently rolled out a faithful parody of edutainment classic The Oregon Trail for fans to play for a chance to score passes to the band's latest North America tour.The game, appropriately titled Fall Out Boy Trail, sets players upon a long and arduous tour that mixes together original elements, such as rationing food (band mates need delicious McNuggets and Vitamin Water to stay healthy) with Guitar Hero-style minigames that test even the quickest fingers. Unfortunately, our attempts to reach the end of the tour thus far have been felled by dehydration, constipation or the occasional zombie surfer. Still, as fun as it is the watch the pixelated band suffer at our hands, we're just as interested to read your misadventures with the alternative rock quartet in the comments below.[Via The Escapist]
LeapFrog announces educational, interactive Zippity
LeapFrog's just announced a new educational toy that's designed to get your wee one moving in front of the television. The Zippity (not to be confused with the Grippity) is for pre-school-aged (three to five years old) kiddies, with an interactive mat that incorporates running, jumping and dancing, plus a huge joystick for leaning (and learning left, right, back and front). The system's got 8 different on-board features which help children learn math, problem-solving, music and phonics. Designed with Disney, Zippity features animations of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and Handy Manny, amongst others. The Zippity is going on sale this summer for $79.99, plus $24.99 for the software. Check the video of it in action after the break. (Note that the demo model in the video is adult-sized!)
LeapFrog intros "smartphone" for your little one (or you)
LeapFrog's been very busy of late -- they recently added Tag Junior to their line of edutainment products for the wee ones --and now there's this. The Text and Learn children's "PDA" hasn't been officially announced yet, but details are slipping out from the U.K. Toy Fair, so here's what we know about the must-have device of the year: boasting a full QWERTY keyboard, the Text and Learn has a calendar (for learning dates), phonics functions (for learning... phonics) on the keyboard, and games to teach spelling and basic computer skills, as well. There's also some "texting" -- the child can interact with their onscreen buddy / guide, Scout. The Text and Learn is set to launch in August for about $30. Man -- armed with this and our totally sick laptop, we're going to be the talk of the town.
LeapFrog intros Tag Junior reading companion for children
LeapFrog's really into this learning stuff, apparently. Their latest offering, Tag Junior, is for the two- to four-year old age range, and it builds on the company's previous Tag Reading System tech. The toy "reads" aloud (via downloadable MP3s) using an infrared camera that can recognize letters and words on the page, and can store up to five books' worth of material at a time. The custom-made books for the device include such august characters as Winnie the Pooh and Dora the Explorer. Tag Junior will be available this summer for $34.99, with each book running $10.99. Anything that keeps them off the video games for a few hours a day is probably pretty cool.
PSP is a 'huge opportunity' for edutainment dev
Marco Minoli, one of the guys responsible for The History Channel's Great Battles of Rome game, sees the future of his company on PSP. Speaking to GI.biz, he says "the PSP version gave us the best results. That's why we really keep pushing the PSP now, it's perfect for us, for our strategy of history and strategy."Slitherine Software will continue working on educational video games, a genre Minoli thinks is expanding. As the company moves forward, PSP will continue to be in their sights. "To be very honest nobody's looking at the PSP as a huge opportunity at the moment, and I really think there is a huge opportunity there. I've seen sales charts for some territories now and a top ten PSP game sells more than a top ten Nintendo DS game," he added.
It's-a Mario World: Super Educational
Greetings, Mario fanatics young and old! Finally, after innumerable requests and a handful of death threats, we are responding to high demand for a gallery wholly dedicated to educational Mario games. Awesome, let's learn! So, what is it Mario is going to be teaching us anyway?As it turns out, quite a lot. His heroic deeds over the years have promoted such abstract virtues as bravery, selflessness and chivalric duty, but at the end of the day, hands-on skills and craftiness are to be rewarded. Rarely has Mario demonstrated his alleged ability to install and repair plumbing (aside from setting flame to the occasional pipe-dwelling piranha plant), and one must wonder whether he ever spends time away from his eccentric and widely-varied hobbies, like being an athlete in virtually any sport and solving picture logic puzzles. Does Mario know anything worth teaching? Ride a hyperlink over to our new gallery stuffed with pedagogy and find out! Oh, and bring a notepad. It's-a Mario World is a weekly feature in which the ubiquity of Nintendo's flagship character is celebrated: We'll incessantly ruminate about mustache wax, debate the curious whereabouts of the princess and covet the luminous power stars strewn about the galaxy. Check back here every Friday to find out what strange and wonderful thing has got us tipping our caps.
