How to make a simple game for a 4 year old?

September 17, 2011 7:54 PM

How to make a simple train-themed computer game for my 4 year old.

My son wants us to make a computer game, where you can place tracks and then have Thomas the Tank Engine trains run on them.
I've been planning to teach him programming and I've always thought making a game together would be a good intro, but he's 4 and just learning how to read, so programming seems a stretch.
I'm a web developer and use Python on a daily basis, so I'm thinking PyGame would be a good fit, but the truth is I don't have a ton of time and would rather use something simpler, more point and clickish. I wouldn't have a problem with putting in the time with him if I was teaching him to program, but as it is this would probably be something I'd work on by my own and then just present for him to play with.
So, what framework, website or application should I use to create a simple game with custom graphics?
We have Macbooks and Ubuntu desktops.

posted by signal to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Is the point of the exercise to make a game that's fun for him to play, or to have the experience together of making a game (that is at least interesting enough to say "yay" when you're done)? If it's the former, then I'll step aside; if it's the latter, then I recommend going low tech. My dad and I wrote extremely basic programs together when I was that age. Stuff like:

10 Print "Hi telegraph!"
20 Print "Hi dad!"
30 Goto 10

Maybe today's class of four year old is more jaded, but I fucking loved it. And I actually learned something about computer programming. It imparted a familiarity that has stayed with me ever since and made me a lot more comfortable both learning programming and teaching myself. I don't think it's too early -- I think it could be the right time.
posted by telegraph at 8:02 PM on September 17, 2011

If you want a simple train game more than you want to actually program it, there's a very simple Facebook game called Lucky Train that would probably fit the bill. Simple graphics, elemental gameplay, lots and lots of neat trains (although of course not Thomas-branded) and definitely has a building component, although you're not laying track. (Ideally you would have some Facebook friends who are also playing it, but I am not sure the 4-year-old will be that much of a min-maxer.)
posted by restless_nomad at 8:05 PM on September 17, 2011

Best answer: Maybe something like Scratch? I don't know if you could do the specific game in mind but maybe it would be a way to start with showing him how programming works.
posted by bleep at 8:28 PM on September 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

You can't make customized trains go on tracks - but Atmosphir is a simple, visual level editor you could use to make games with him.
posted by gnutron at 11:16 PM on September 17, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks for the answers. I think Scratch is the sweet spot between easy to use for a preliterate and powerful enough to do something that looks cool.
posted by signal at 6:14 AM on September 18, 2011