Microsoft Stores across North America will be hosting two separate summer camps for children this year, to teach them not only game development, but also life skills such as communication and teamwork. Each camp will run multiple times from May through August depending on the local store and will be free of charge for the parents.
The first camp is aimed at teaching children ages eight and older to use block coding with the MakeCode Arcade. Students will be able to use sprites, variables, and coordinates to create their own customized game, which will be fully playable after the event via a sharable URL.
The second camp is aimed at teaching gamers (8+ and 13+) in developing “positive life skills like teamwork, communication, and resilience via group discussions and unplugged activities.” Children will be able to learn these though team-based gaming sessions of Rocket League and Fortnite tornaments.
Registration is available now for parents interested in bringing their child(ren) to one of them. Of course, each store has its own event schedule, so checking to see which date works best might be a good idea. Additionally, a parent or guardian is also required to be in the store for the duration of the camps.
