Like almost all kids today, your kids probably love to play video games. They’re great entertainment, and can easily keep children occupied for hours. However, some parents feel concerned that video games are less likely to promote creativity and imagination for children than other forms of play.
Though there may be some truth in this, there are still a certain wide range of video games that require both imagination and creativity. Some of them are among the most popular video games ever released, thanks to this very reason. If you would like your kids to try games that are more creative, here are a few suggestions:
The Sims 3 (PC): The Sims is the most successful video game franchise of all time. Now on its third installment, The Sims 3, the game is bigger and better than ever. The creative potential of this game is virtually limitless, and whether your child is more socially minded, or prefers creating and designing, they’ll be well catered for.
The Sims 3 puts players in charge of a family unit of their own creation, carrying them from one generation to the next. The player decides who gets married and who has kids, as well as what jobs they take and who they become friends with. It’s also possible to design the house in which a family lives, with an enormous number of options allowing your kids to create virtually anything they want.
SimCity 4 (PC): By the same company that developed The Sims franchise, the SimCity franchise has been around much longer and is often listed as one of the greatest games ever. The creative potential in this game is just as limitless as in The Sims, but in this game the emphasis is on building and managing a city.
The player takes on the role of the mayor, dictating which areas should be dedicated to industry, commerce and residence, and planning city infrastructure and cultural development. Basically, this means taking responsibility for running a simulated city of the players own making, learning about how to balance finances and more. This game could be a bit complex for younger children, and is probably more appropriate for young teenagers and anyone older.
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (PC): Similar to the SimCity games, this game puts the player in charge of developing theme parks. The real fun lies in creating custom roller coasters with as many loops and vertical drops as you like! But developing a theme park also requires planning and budgeting, making this another game with an educational side.
LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3): This platform game is one of the most popular games on the PS3 and one of the most innovative titles to come out in recent years. Whilst the basic game plays similarly to something like Super Mario, the really amazing part of this game is the custom level designer. The player can make almost any kind of level they want, whether it’s weird and wacky or bright and beautiful.
Championship Manager: This game puts the player in the position of a soccer team manager. The series has been incredibly popular for years, and requires careful consideration about a team’s tactics, as well as which players to buy and sell and how to manage money. Another game with educational value, there are a variety of versions available on various video game platforms.