Do Video Games Limit Creativity?
In the subject of computer science, it is usually thought that there is no margin for creativity due to everything being logical. Although this premise is true, you could argue that computer science could be one of the more creative subjects within the curriculum!
In the dictionary, creativity is defined as ‘the ability to produce or use original or unusual ideas’, however, you can also take that further by being creative with the ways in which to solve a problem. This happens continuously in the scientific and digital world. Innovation is the result of people being creative to come up with new ideas and paths. As such, a recent addition to STEM is the Arts, due to its creativity in critical thinking. Many have argued that we should start adopting STEAM as the well-known acronym.
Different Forms of Creative Games
Within a video game, the player has to complete an objective that will ultimately allow them to win the game. It could be contested that video games have limited the creativity of young people, as they can limit creative thinking or perhaps reduce innovation to think of new ideas. Through this article, we hope to convince you that creativity through video games is not limited, but in fact limitless!
Encouraging creativity through strategy games
If we all had the same idea, we would all be doing the same thing. The beauty of creativity in strategy games is that it allows players to come to different outcomes - with some being more successful than others. Idle Startup Tycoon is a great example of this. By making different decisions in the game, being creative will take you far. You can earn more cash in your account by making creative decisions that will earn you money. Different pathways will lead to different outcomes and perhaps more money in the bank! This game would be useful as a tutor activity to simulate how businesses work or perhaps a taster activity for business and economics.
Getting creative with memory
How do you remember dates? Maybe phone numbers, different vocabulary, or perhaps a skill you have just acquired? We use a variety of ways to remember items and this shows our creative way to organize and store these items in our minds. Bounce Floor is one of the great creative games. It allows players to use their problem-solving skills by remembering items as it provides an exciting and stimulating way to remember clues. Having played this as a tutor activity and on skill-building days, this game eases the player into remembering artifacts through visual clues and it can become quite competitive. You really want to win!
Being creative with shapes
Go and check out our recent blog article on the popular game Geometry Tower. This easy-to-play game builds on the skills taught in preschool to see how high you can build your tower before it topples over. This is a great game to have as a tutorial or as part of a starter when teaching geometry. Geometry Tower is one of the creative games that helps students learn how to problem-solve; how do you make the highest tower with the shapes available to you? Can you think creatively to build the tallest tower?
Playing with words
The linguists among us would say that language promotes creativity due to the many ways in which words can be defined and interpreted for different causes. Grabble is a really great word game on Coolmath Games which allows players to create a word from the letters on the table. By stealing a letter from their opponent, they have to then create a new word which earns them points. Being able to spell is only half the battle. Being able to think creatively in this game will allow you to come up with new words from what is possible on the table to maximize your points. This is a great game to use within the classroom, as part of the main activity, or as a starter activity. Students can play with each other using the private game option, or perhaps join a public game to add in a new challenge.
We will always find a way to be creative in whatever we do. Demonstrating creativity through gaming will always be innate in all of us and this leads to retention and innovation. Why not try out the creative games featured here? Who knows, with a bit of creativity, you can come to a better outcome when problem-solving.