Learning does not have to be boring and boring: sustainability apps for children use gamification in order to teach younger users exciting and entertaining. Garbage monsters on foreign planets help to learn waste separation, and with interactive comics, children and adolescents can find out what effects can have sustainable decisions. Collecting points and raising characters motivates the children to play with important environmental issues.
Children often perceive climate change as something very complex that only has negative effects and is a spoiler for many activities. In order to counteract this, the consumer center has tested sustainability apps that aim to bring climate protection and the topic of sustainability closer to children and adolescents. These apps use entertaining elements to sensitize young people to important environmental issues and to encourage them to actively contribute to the protection of the planet. By combining learning with fun, these digital tools can help to raise awareness of sustainable action and prepare the next generation for the challenges of climate change. But how practical are the apps really?
Learn to separate waste from the age of four from the age of four
The app “Konrad’s compost” From the “Foundation Children” is aimed at children of daycare and primary school age and tries to playfully integrate the topic of sustainability into their everyday life. In the app, the young users Konrad and his friends accompany a large carnival pumpkin on their compost heap. In doing so, you have to learn how to ensure good soil, moisture and pest protection. The children rate various types of waste as compostable, recyclable or household waste – incorrect decisions lead to points deduction.
While younger children from the age of four are addressed by the cute graphics, older children could quickly be underwhelmed. Parents should also note that many of the placed tips on waste recycling in everyday life are difficult for the target group and classify the knowledge they have learned accordingly for the children. The app offers an entertaining playing time of around 30 minutes and conveys basic knowledge of composting, but only motivates to a limited extent to sustainable action.
Recycling and waste separation in space
Also the game “The Müll AG” Is about waste and recycling, packed in a virtual trip to the AJA-X garbage planet. The target group are somewhat older children from eight to twelve years. For the app, Greta Hoffmann and Brice Clocher have developed different mini games in cooperation with the city of Karlsruhe, which are supported by funny characters, with different characters being responsible for certain types of waste. There are a total of eight monsters with corresponding special orders and adventures.
The children learn in a playful way in the app which waste is usable and how to work like waste separation and recycling. There are also short games on special topics such as glass waste and garden waste. The young users can also imitate their place of residence what the gaming experience personalizes – for example, Karlsruhe is presented as “Karlsrux”.
Small decision, great effect
The interactive comic amendment “Little Impacts” Also aimed at young people aged eight to twelve. The app was developed by the Federal Environment Agency, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and Developer Quantumfrog. In the five -part history, the players accompany the protagonist Leah as well as her family and friends through various everyday situations. They learn useful life hair for a more sustainable life; For example, for climate -friendly living and sustainable mobility. Political activism and personal commitment are also dealt with in the app, for example through relevant scenarios such as Klimmademos or conflicts within the family.
Mini games on various topics can also play users in the course of history. The central concern of “Litte Impacts” is to convey measures to sustainability in everyday life. The children learn that wisely made decisions lead to small effects that together create great added value.
Games for older nerds: digitization and climate protection
The app “City | Land | data flow” is a free offer by the German Adult Education Association and is aimed at older players from the age of 14. It shows how digitization, sustainability and climate protection are connected, and explains the opportunities and challenges of digitization. For example, the app provides information about the emissions in smartphone production.
In the 3D view of a virtual city, the app combines gaming elements from the 1990s, whereby users can decoratively help shape the city by free spending topics. The content is divided into different areas – such as work, mobility and health – and deal with topics such as big data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Interactive elements such as texts, dialog scenes and quiz questions ensure that the young people can still actively participate.
