Pretending to be a wizard or warrior can be a fun way to escape reality. But fantasy role-playing games are also being used to engage young people in real-world issues like climate change.
Brown: “Games create a really cool space for people to really discuss issues in a way that’s less intimidating.”
Marcy Brown coordinates the Play for Justice initiative with Mycelium Youth Network, a climate education nonprofit based in Oakland, California.
The group leads online and in-person role-playing adventures with storylines related to climate change.
In one game, players work together to infiltrate a toxic pharmaceutical factory that is polluting a small town. In another, they meet a wizard who plants invasive trees, causing wildfires to become more severe. Adventurers need to decide what measures to take to reduce danger.
Brown said the stories help get kids thinking about environmental issues in the Oakland region…
Brown: “…because they’re also swinging swords and casting spells.”
She said this approach could be used anywhere to get children talking about climate change and imagining how they could be part of the solution.
Brown: “Games are a great way to practice vision because… when we're in a game space, anything is possible and we need to be able to dream bigger in order to make bigger plans for the future.”
Read: Gamers help kids explore climate change
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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