Ep 075: Yes, You Can Teach Life Skills Through Gaming

A child who feels most comfortable in the gaming world is not necessarily wasting their life. How can we turn this interest into a way to teach life skills, and perhaps find a career goal within the programming world?Dan Clark runs the service MindJam - online 121 mentorship and guidance for children struggling with SEN, anxiety, stress and social issues; through gaming and game design.He set this up in the pandemic and less than 2 years later he has 16 mentors supporting over 400 young people and is still growing.MindJam uses gaming, coding and game creation, digital music and digital art, as a platform to develop positive play, problem solving and social and technical skill development, through friendly, positive and low-demand sessions.In 2021 Dan was a nominated finalist for BAFTA Mentor of the Year.As a father of two autistic children, which brings great understanding of how SEN impacts the whole family, Dan has created a company that has helped so many young people, and through his dedication and passion he is making sure MindJam grows to support as many who are struggling as possible. MindJam is based in the UK, but also supports young people in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and many other places around the world! Listen to this intriguing Parenting With Impact episode with Dan about the benefits of using the gaming world to connect with kids who struggle with interaction and engagement in the regular world. 12 Tips for Parenting a Complex TeenFrom the experts at ImpactParents (and the moms of 6 young adults!), we promise you this: it’s not too late. In this FREE guide you’ll learn 12 fool-proof tips to improve conversations and reconnect with your teens so you can guide them to become independent and successful. Parents all over the world have better relationships with their teens using these tools. You can, too!Here is what to expect on this week’s show:Utilizing gaming as a way to connect with your child in an impactful wayTranslate gaming skills into life skills- engagement, problem solving, design & strategyWhat are they different types of games, and what skills do they hone?Related Links:Surgeon General Calls for Warning Labels on Social Media Platforms:  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/health/surgeon-general-social-media-warning-label.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cbOpinion:  Surgeon General:  Social Media Platforms Need A Health Warning:  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb Connect with Dan:Website FacebookLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices