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by lygaret 1518 days ago
If your 7y/o is into the switch, you might give Nintendo's Game Builder Garage[0] a shot; it's a pretty fun engaging node-based visual programming environment for building games on the switch.

My 7y/o has really enjoyed it, and she talks to me a lot about the stuff she's building.

[0]: https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/game-builder-garage-...

2 comments

And it matches pretty closely to visual programming, like Unreal Engine Blueprints or building shaders in 3D modeling software or Unity, for example (saw a lot of node types that almost mapped 1-to-1 to some in Blueprints, for example).

But it gives each type of node a fun and unique personality that kind of matches its function, and has a very 20+ hour long (and entertaining) tutorial series, where the elements chat back and forth to each other as they handhold you through the process of making simple but playable games in multiple genres. Put a smile on my face multiple times, and I'm an experienced developer that just tried it for a lark.

Appreciate the tip! Will check it out!
And also Labo. It has a visual programming environment.