Children’s competition uses Minecraft game to design new area of land behind the National Museum
A NEW scheme is inviting children in Cardiff to use Minecraft to redesign an area of the city.
The Craft Your City programme is a Child Friendly Cardiff initiative which aims to involve children in the decision making of their city.
Launched last week, the competition will involve school-aged children submitting their design for an area of land behind the National Museum via the Minecraft game. Children can work alone on their idea or in a group.
Minecraft Education is the learning platform of the Minecraft computer game. It provides lessons and resources for children to collaborate with their classmates on design projects.
Children can learn skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Students also have the opportunity to learn code through the scheme.
Child Friendly Cardiff aim to get Cardiff recognised as a child friendly city, which would make it the first one in Wales, as recognised by Unicef.
Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry said: “Cardiff’s aspirations to becoming an internationally recognised Child Friendly City, placing the rights and voices of children and young people at the heart of the city’s policies, strategies and services is progressing.
“Unicef UK has recently recommended that the Council submits for Child Friendly City recognition in the Autumn of 2021, acknowledging the work we have already undertaken to involve children and young people in decision making.
“We are committed to building on this and this latest scheme endeavours to engage with children and young people allowing them to express their ideas to improve an area in the city centre through a platform they are familiar with.”
Entrants to the competition will be provided with an accurate representation of the site behind the National Museum, which they can then design as they wish. Designs should aim to preserve green spaces.
Dr Catherine Teehan from Cardiff University said: “Cardiff School of Computer Science have been working as part of the Technocamps programme at for the last seven years. We have a dedicated outreach team who provide support and resources for digital education across South East Wales.
“We are really excited to be part this innovative initiative in our home city and using game-based learning to engage with a wide range of children and young people.”
Technocamps is a Welsh Government funded initiative which has allowed Cardiff University school of Computer Science to establish an outreach team of 120 student ambassadors.
The ambassadors deliver free workshops across South Wales and support teachers in STEM across the region. They also support family and community events and digital workshops.
The deadline is 5pm, February 26, and shortlisted entrants will be notified on March 5.
More information about the competition can be found here.
