Game Builder

Teach fundamental game design concepts. Using CoffeeScript, students will learn to design and build online games.

Free trial

game development for kids

Game Builder is the perfect platform for students to explore their coding skills

for school, district or after-school club

WITH GAME BUILDER, YOUR STUDENTS WILL:

monkey builder

Build real computer games using CoffeeScript​

app monkey

Design swipe/touch interface games for mobile devices

monkey dj

Remix CodeMonkey games and make them your own​

globe monkey

Share creations with the world on Discover, CodeMonkey’s community page

our courses

For the ultimate game-design experience, Game Builder incorporates a multi-faceted process to guide students into becoming computer game creators

platformer

platformer

The perfect place to jump-start creativity

frogger

Bring back retro with this Classic

hippo sprite

Sprite Animations

Where creations come to life

CURRICULUM

Platformer

CONCEPTS TAUGHT

Event handlers
“Rules” for different values of parameters (i.e. write if statements)

COURSE STRUCTURE

35 Exercises

COURSE LENGTH

Classroom lessons plans: 7

Frogger

CONCEPTS TAUGHT

Parameters a function gets
Forever loop

COURSE STRUCTURE

30 Exercises

COURSE LENGTH

Classroom lessons plans: 7

Sprite Animations

CONCEPTS TAUGHT

Sprite sheets 
Add and run an animation

COURSE STRUCTURE

26 Exercises

COURSE LENGTH

Classroom lessons plans: 5

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

CSTA STANDARDS

UK COMPUTING PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

WHAT'S NEXT?

After completing these courses, your students will be ready to design and share their very own games using the freestyle Create Games platform

Create Games

It’s finally time to DIY!

make your own game
space game

CHECK OUT STUDENT CREATIONS!

Wonder what they all have in common?
They were all created with Game Builder

Created by: Aiden

Created by: Erez

Created by: Hunter

Created by: Mia

Created by: Yuying

Created by: Gene

Find out what masterpieces your students will create!

Game Builder is scaffolded, self-paced, and automatically assessed, so just like CodeMonkey’s award-winning Coding Adventure, it’s super easy to implement in the classroom.

FAQ

Game Builder is an engaging, hands-on coding course that teaches students how to create their own games using block-based programming. Through interactive challenges, learners guide characters, design game mechanics, and solve coding problems, building a strong foundation in computer science concepts while having fun.

Unlike traditional coding courses that focus solely on theory, Game Builder allows students to apply logic, loops, and conditionals in real projects, making learning more meaningful. By combining creativity with technical skills, the course helps children understand programming principles in a practical context while fostering a love for coding and STEM learning.

Game Builder is ideal for upper elementary and middle school students, typically ages 8–14, who are ready to move beyond beginner coding concepts. The course is perfect for kids who want to explore game design, problem-solving, and logical thinking in a structured yet creative environment.

Whether students have some prior coding experience or are new to block-based programming, Game Builder accommodates different learning levels. It is suitable for both individual learners at home and classroom settings, making it a versatile tool for introducing children to coding and computer science.

No prior coding experience is required to succeed in Game Builder. The course introduces concepts gradually, starting with simple interactive projects and building toward more complex game mechanics. Students receive step-by-step instructions, hints, and visual guidance, allowing beginners to learn at their own pace.

This approach ensures that children gain confidence while learning foundational programming skills such as loops, conditionals, functions, and variables, making it an excellent choice for first-time coders and learners transitioning from introductory courses.

Game Builder teaches essential computer science and programming concepts, including:

  • Loops and repeated actions to automate tasks

  • Conditional statements to make decisions in code

  • Functions for reusable blocks of code

  • Variables and counters to store and track information

  • Event handling to make interactive games

By applying these concepts to game projects, students develop logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and computational reasoning, which are crucial for success in future coding courses and STEM education.

Yes. Game Builder is designed for both classroom and home learning environments. Teachers can integrate it into coding clubs, STEM lessons, or enrichment programs. The course provides teacher-friendly tools to track student progress, assign lessons, and manage projects, making it easy to support diverse skill levels.

Its self-paced structure and step-by-step challenges ensure that students can learn independently while educators monitor progress and provide guidance as needed. This makes Game Builder a practical tool for classroom implementation.

Game Builder combines creativity and technical learning, allowing students to design their own characters, game worlds, and interactive elements. By seeing immediate results of their code, learners feel rewarded and motivated to continue experimenting.

The gamified, project-based approach makes coding exciting, encourages exploration and trial-and-error learning, and reinforces computer science concepts in an enjoyable way. Students not only learn to code but also develop design thinking, creativity, and perseverance.

In addition to learning programming skills, students develop:

  • Critical thinking and problem-solving

  • Creativity and design skills

  • Persistence and resilience when debugging and iterating on projects

  • Collaboration skills when working on group projects

These skills extend beyond coding, supporting success in other academic subjects and real-world problem-solving. By combining logic with creativity, Game Builder fosters a well-rounded STEM learning experience.

Learning coding at an early age provides children with much more than the ability to write software—it teaches them critical thinking, problem-solving, and computational reasoning. By engaging in coding activities, kids learn how to break complex problems into smaller, manageable steps, test solutions, and iterate when their initial approach doesn’t work.

Courses like CodeMonkey’s Game Builder combine fun, interactive projects with structured learning, allowing children to develop these essential skills in an engaging way. Early exposure to coding also builds confidence, persistence, and logical thinking, which benefit children across subjects like mathematics, science, and even reading comprehension. Developing coding skills early gives learners a strong foundation for success in STEM education and prepares them for a world increasingly influenced by technology.

Game design is a natural way to teach problem-solving because it requires children to anticipate outcomes, plan sequences of actions, and troubleshoot challenges. When students design games, they must think critically about how characters, obstacles, and game mechanics will interact, identify errors in their logic, and find creative ways to fix them.

This hands-on approach strengthens resilience, logical reasoning, and analytical thinking. By iterating on their projects and learning from mistakes, students gain confidence in their problem-solving abilities, skills that are valuable not only in coding but across STEM subjects and real-life situations.

Block-based coding is an ideal starting point for children because it allows them to learn programming logic without worrying about syntax errors. In block-based systems, learners drag and connect visual blocks that represent commands, loops, and conditional statements.

This method makes coding accessible, intuitive, and fun, while teaching essential concepts like sequencing, repetition, and decision-making. Block-based coding also serves as a bridge to text-based programming languages, such as Python and JavaScript, helping children build a strong foundation before moving on to more advanced coding challenges.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning helps children develop analytical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, all of which are essential in today’s technology-driven world. Engaging in STEM activities encourages curiosity, experimentation, and innovation, providing a foundation for lifelong learning.

Coding and game design courses, such as Game Builder, integrate STEM learning in a hands-on, project-based format. By solving coding challenges and designing interactive games, students apply STEM concepts in practical, meaningful ways, reinforcing understanding while developing a passion for technology and problem-solving.

Coding and game design equip students with essential 21st-century skills that are increasingly valuable in today’s job market. Learning to code teaches logical thinking, problem-solving, persistence, and creativity, all of which are transferable to careers in software development, engineering, data science, and other STEM-related fields.

By starting with beginner-friendly courses like Game Builder, children gain a strong foundation in programming and computational thinking, preparing them for more advanced coding projects, STEM learning, and technology-driven careers in the future. Early exposure also fosters curiosity and confidence, helping students develop a long-term interest in technology and innovation.