12 More Learning Games for Change – and a Bonus

It’s been far too long since my last round-up of learning games, but I have been squirreling away quite a few. Here’s a list of 12, with a bonus thrown in at the end. Most of these have to do with environmental issues, but there are also some that address the digital divide, microfinance, and helping kids deal with divorce. Except for any text in italics, all of the descriptions come from the game site. Also, unless otherwise noted, all of these are free!

51Tree.org
51 Tree is a new online computer game (social issue game) that lets players plant virtual trees in the country(ies) of their choice. It is great fun to play and teaches players all about the importance of tree planting, forest coverage and carbon offsets.

EnerCities
Are you ready to take on the challenge of running your own virtual city? Do you have the skills to create a solid, sustainable energy strategy? Will you build a nuclear plant or go solar? Whether you are an industrial tycoon or treehugging hippie, join the exclusive EnerCities beta program now. Your citizens need you!

Catchment Detox
Play Catchment Detox to see if you can repair a damaged river catchment and create a sustainable and thriving economy. It’s an online game where you’re in charge of the whole catchment. You get to decide what activities you undertake – whether to plant crops, log forests, build factories or set up national parks. The aim is to fix environmental problems and provide food and wealth for the population.

LogiCity
LogiCity is a fun interactive computer game with a difference.  Aimed at young people under 25, it’s a game set in a 3D virtual city with five main activities where players are set the task of reducing the carbon footprint of an average resident.  As players work their way through the game they will pick up information about Climate Change, and some of the main ways in which everyone is currently contributing to the emissions of the main greenhouse gas (CO2) that causes Climate Change.

Climate Challenge
A game where you are president of the European Nations. You must tackle climate change and stay popular enough with the voters to remain in office.

Connect2Climate
Connect 2 Climate comprises of five different applications on the mobile – three mobile games involving different mindsets and psychologies of mobile users, and two mobile learning applications on climate change. The games are being deployed on low-end and low cost handsets to sophisticated high-end devices.

Copenhagen Challenge
The game “Copenhagen Challenge” … aims to create awareness among school children and youth on issues related to climate change – renewable energy, energy efficiency and reduction in greenhouse gases.Download the English and Hindi versions of “Copenhagen Challenge” game from the links below. Install it on your desktop, play the interesting game, and learn more about Climate Change and related issues.

V GAS
V GAS aims at making the connections between individual lifestyles and greenhouse gas emissions, gauging personal contributions to global emissions. V GAS will try to help the user to answer the question ‘how does my lifestyle relate to the global problem?’, as well as ‘what options are there to reduce my contribution to the global problem?’

Earthquake in Zipland
Help your child cope with the challenges of divorce through a fun and interactive video game, designed specifically for children of divorce and legal separation.

Earthquake in Zipland takes your child on an exciting adventure that will enable you to sensitively deal with the psychological effects of divorce on children. (Note: This one cost $29.99, but there is a free demo available.)

MiniMonos

MiniMonos is a virtual world for children: a place of fun, beauty, discovery, generosity, sustainability and friendship. We created MiniMonos so that children could have a place of their own, a place that allows them to explore and grow without constant pressure to buy stuff. We also wanted them to have a place that embodied core values like sustainability and generosity, without turning those values into a boring lecture.

One Hen
Interactive activities and games to teach kids about microfinance. This is intended to complement a book on microfinance that currently sells for $12.89 at Amazon.com.

The Cuckoo of the Computers
“The Cuckoo of computers” consists of two parts that can be used together or separately. On the one hand an animated video presentation, playing with any fear, explains what is a computer and what can serve to. As the second block are the exercises that users need to be overcome that fears.

Bonus:

It would be hard to argue that the games at Games That Give have a great deal of educational value, but they are free, and the 70% of the revenue that the site collects from ads goes to charity.

Have fun. Learn a little. Change the world.

Jeff