Prepare Your High School Student for A Career in Game Design Tech Camp

Written by B Johnson January 29, 2024
With over 15,000 summer camps available, it's no wonder parents find themselves overwhelmed with choices, even leading to decision paralysis. How do parents determine which camp is best for their child? It's especially difficult when time constraints are involved.

As any parent with school-age children knows, summer camps fill quickly. That sense of urgency only compounds the selection process. Wrestling with camp content can be difficult enough for parents, without even considering other options, such as:
  • Day or overnight camps.
  • Educational or entertaining.
  • Outdoor or indoor.

Where do parents start?

Psychologists recommend making the first choice binary. For example, is your child interested in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM)? Is their passion theater or art? Whatever the passion, find a camp that encourages it.

If your child's passion is STEM, Emagination stem camps are designed to nurture their interests with sessions in digital art and media, coding, game design, and engineering. There are day and overnight camps that incorporate social activities and physical exercise to encourage soft skill development and a healthy lifestyle.

What to Expect in Emagination STEM Camps

You may never be too old to learn, but you're never too young to begin. Emagination camps are designed for children between the ages of 8 and 17 who have a passion for technology and engineering. With four core programs to choose from, children can opt for either a mix of all four areas or an in-depth experience in one. No matter their passion, children will come away with knowledge and friendships that can last a lifetime.

Day and Overnight STEM Camps

Emagination camps are two-week sessions, beginning on Sunday for overnight students and Monday for day students. An extended-day option expands the 8:30 am to 5:30 pm day to 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.

Overnight campers stay in staff-supervised dormitories located on the college campuses where the camp is held. Campers are paired up based on age and interests. All rooms are air-conditioned with Wi-Fi, game rooms, and lounge areas.

Educational and Entertaining

Campers spend six hours per day in classes. Each three-hour session includes a 45-minute break. Campers can select from four content areas:
  • Design Art and Media: Select from seven courses on topics such as 2D and 3D animation and graphic or web design.
  • Coding: Learn coding basics and how to program in C# and Java.
  • Game Design: Select from six courses on gaming using engines such as Unity 2D and Minecraft.
  • Engineering: Explore the world of engineering with courses on robotics and logic.
Breaks give campers time to "unplug." This is a time to enjoy traditional summer camp fun. Outdoor activities include capture-the-flag, slip-n-slide, and dodgeball. Indoor options allow for creative activities, card games, and board games.

Overnight campers spend their evenings participating in outdoor or indoor activities and hanging with friends. Campers can choose to spend their free time in labs. Activities are designed to foster social interaction, build friendships, and develop life skills.

Where to Attend Emagination STEM Camps

STEM camps are located at colleges, universities, and academies in the following states:
  • Connecticut at Fairfield University
  • Georgia at Mercer University's Atlanta Campus
  • Illinois at Lake Forest Academy
  • Massachusetts at Bentley University
  • Pennsylvania at Rosemont College
  • Virginia at Marymount University
These locations provide older campers with an introduction to college life.

What is Game Design Tech Camp?

Emagination's game design tech camp offers courses for all experience levels. Campers can explore Minecraft and Dungeons & Dragons designs while learning strategies for how to create their own games. Campers may choose any four of the following courses per session:

Dungeons & Dragons – NEW

Campers work together to create custom characters within the world of Dungeons & Dragons. What skills will you bestow on your character? Teams go on campaigns and collect treasures as they journey through the D&D world. Share in accomplishments while learning team-building skills.

Action Game Design

Using GameMaker Studio, campers design rooms, images, sequences, and tilesets. The studio includes a complete development environment using a built-in block-based programming language. Action Game Design covers basic 2D design theory and discusses different styles, such as maze, arcade, and platform.

Minecraft World Design

Minecraft is considered the best-selling video game. Ever. Its blocky appearance has enthralled gamers for decades. Learn how to acquire resources and achieve goals. Build a shared world while navigating through challenges.

Strategy Game Design

Using Warcraft 3, campers learn how to generate enemy strongholds, create special power-up items, and build terrains. Create a custom Warcraft World map for multiplayer games. Discover how to design strategy games using today's gaming tools.

Unity 2D

The Unity 2D design engine includes an all-in-one editor, physics library, and sprite workflow controls. These tools enable campers to create a Unity 2D microgame. The course discusses storyboarding in game design and end-user controls.

Unreal Game Design

Epic Games' Unreal Engine (UE), written in C++, forms the basis of multiple 3D games and movies. It supports console, desktop, and mobile environments. Unreal Game Design campers leave having created their own custom Unreal game with storylines, maps, environments, and scenarios. Campers also learn valuable project management skills.

Why Game Design Tech Camp

Enrolling your child in Emagination's Game Design Tech Camp is about more than just filling two weeks of the summer. It is all about encouraging a passion that could turn into a career opportunity.

Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide data on game designers, programmers, or developers, determining projected industry job growth is difficult. The Bureau estimates that the technology field will experience a 15% growth through 2031. The gaming industry is expected to grow at a rate of 7.1% through 2030.

All of Emagination's STEM camps are designed to develop the science and technology skills of children from eight through 17. By incorporating social interaction into camp life, children learn life skills that can help them advance in a career of their choice. If you're struggling to decide on the "perfect" camp experience for your child, contact us. Let us help you encourage your child's passion.
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