FAQ
How are the After School Certificate Programs work?
These are structured, 6-week programs meet once a week on the same day and time for 6 sessions to complete. Every session is 1 hour and 15 minutes. These consistent weekly sessions build momentum and mastery in specific subjects. Students finish a project and receive a program completion certificate at the end of each program. Certificate programs are available weekdays and weekends. We have after school hour sessions 3:45 pm and 5:30 pm.
Current Certificate Programs:
Board Games - Certificate Program
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Class 1: Board Game Mechanics
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Class 2: Board Game Genres
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Class 3: Solo, Multi Players, Co-op and Competitive Games
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Class 4: Make your own Board Game Part 1
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Class 5: Make your own Board Game Part 2
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Class 6: Make your own Board Game Part 3
Pixel Art Game Design - Certificate Program
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Class 1: Game Concept and Story Telling
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Class 2: Character Design
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Class 3: Animation
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Class 4: Level Design Part 1
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Class 5: Level Design Part 2
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Class 6: Level Design Part 3
Coding and Game Development - Certificate Program
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Class 1: Game Engine Interface Introduction
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Class 2: Characters and Environment Elements
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Class 3: Variables and Rules
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Class 4: Adding Sound and Scoring
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Class 5: Polishing Your Game with New Art
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Class 6: Testing and Publishing
3D Art and Modeling - Certificate Program
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Class 1: Navigating in 3D Space
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Class 2: Basic shapes and Scene Hierarchy
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Class 3: Colors, Materials and Texturing
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Class 4: Sculpting Tools
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Class 5: Concept Art and Creating Your Own Character
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Class 6: Shading and Lights
Role Playing Games - Certificate Program
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Class 1: Character Creation and Game Rules
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Class 2: Players and Game Master
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Class 3: Campaign and How to Start
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Class 4: Campaign Continues
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Class 5: Final Act
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Class 6: Create Your Own Campaign
Collectable Card Games - Certificate Program
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Lesson 1: Magic the Gathering - How to Play
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Lesson 2: MTG Deck building - Single Color
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Lesson 3: MTG Deck building - Multi Color
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Lesson 4: MTG Tournament
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Lesson 5: Pokemon - How to Play
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Lesson 6: Pokemon Tournament
How much are the certificate programs?
Our certificate programs are $300 per program (total 6 lessons in 6 weeks).
What about all day camps, how they work?
Our all day camps offers a fun, flexible workshop experience where kids explore different STEM and game design topics each day. Join any day that works for your schedule, no need to attend every day. We focus on creativity, collaboration, and play. These full-day workshops are either 9am to 3pm or 9am to 5pm, with early drop-off and pick-up available. Prices are includes 2 slices of pizza and a drink each day. See our schedule to choose your topics.
What are some of the activities kids do in the all day camps?
Our all day camps offer a variety of exciting and engaging game design activities for kids. These include hands-on game creation workshops, Video Game Design, Board Game Design, 2D and 3D Art, Animation, Coding and Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games, where children can both create and play in imaginative worlds. We also host Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon card game deck building sessions. In addition, our camps feature an enhanced version of our weekend game design classes, giving kids even more opportunities to learn and create. These activities are designed to promote creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and fun, making for an unforgettable experience!
What’s the daily flow like at your all day camps?
Each day follows a fun, hands-on, and engaging structure designed to spark creativity and learning:
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We start 9am the morning with introductions and a group conversation where we learn what kids already know about the day’s topic—what games they like, what art styles they enjoy, and why.
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Around 10am, we introduce key concepts on a digital whiteboard. We encourage kids to take notes on important ideas and terminology.
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From there, we dive into hands-on activities. For example:
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In our strategy board game workshop, kids explore physical game elements placed on their desks and learn how they’re used in actual games.
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In our pixel art game design workshop, we provide character samples for inspiration. Kids start by doodling their own ideas, then use physical tools to create pixel art versions of their characters.
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We return to the whiteboard throughout the day to teach more advanced or technical topics in short, interactive segments.
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Depending on the workshop, we may introduce digital tools or apps using classroom iPads. Some workshops involve very little screen time, while others require it to learn essential tools.
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Screen time is kept minimal. We don’t play video games or show movies—unless it’s a short video introduction to the day’s subject, or students are testing games they created.
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Kids often play physical games, board games, learn design mechanics with paper and pen, or work in groups to prototype ideas together.
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We take short breaks every 90 minutes for snacks, water, and restroom visits.
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A one-hour lunch break happens around 12:00–12:30 PM, depending on the flow of the day.
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Some workshops runs till 5:00 PM. But most of the curriculum activity is in between 10am-3pm. If it is 8 hours workshop, after 3pm we talk about our day, play some board games, more of a relax time. You’re welcome to drop off late or pick up early, just let us know in advance.
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We do not have outdoor or off-site activities. All programs take place indoors in our creative classroom environment.
How much are the all day camps?
Our all day camps are $120 per day, running from 9AM to 3PM or 9AM to 5PM, depends on a day. Each day includes two slices of pizza and a drink. All day camps are perfect for kids who want to dive deep into game design in a fun and immersive workshop setting.
What are the Weekend Workshops?
Our Game Design Basics Program offers flexible weekend workshops for the kids on grade 1 to 5 with an engaging and flexible learning experience, designed around a modular education system. The program features 8 unique workshops that students can take in any order, each blending hands-on activities with digital tools. Each workshop takes 90 min and we are running different workshops all day every weekend. This 50/50 approach allows students to learn foundational game design skills in a dynamic and balanced environment, combining physical crafting and digital modeling.
Students can attend just one workshop or multiple workshop in a day. They can repeat workshops anytime, each session brings new projects and ideas, and they save their files for next sessions. Parents can drop-off and pick up their kids or wait and relax in our parent lounge with playing retro games and board games.
Do I need to commit to all 8 workshops in the weekend program?
No, you don’t have to commit to the full 8-workshop program right away. Parents can choose to sign up for individual workshops or the full 8-workshops program. This allows for flexibility based on your child’s interests and schedule. You can mix and match workshops based on your child’s development goals.
Are there any prerequisites for these classes?
No prior experience is required! Our classes are designed for beginners and offer progressive learning. Whether your child is new to game design or has some prior knowledge, our instructors will provide step-by-step guidance to ensure they are engaged and supported throughout their journey.
How much are the weekend workshops?
Weekend workshops are priced at $60 per class, each session is 90 minutes. We aim to keep the cost reasonable while providing an exceptional educational experience in small, focused groups.
What is the class size in your programs?
We keep our classes small, with a maximum of 8 students per class on weekend and all day sessions, and for certificate programs even smaller 4 students per class. This allows for more personalized attention and a collaborative environment where students can interact, share ideas, and receive individual feedback.
How Refer Friends Program work?
When you refer a friend to Game Design Academy, you’ll receive a 20% discount after your friend books at least one session.
As a bonus, your friend also gets 10% off their first session!
Discounts apply to the lowest-priced session in your cart, so plan your bookings accordingly to maximize savings.