Our longest running and most popular camp! For new and experienced coders alike, in this camp you'll create your own simple video games using PuzzleScript. You will learn about coding, how to design engaging games and algorithmic thinking skills. Everything you make will be visual, creative, and playable from day one!
When?
Monday March 17 - Friday March 21, 2025; 9:00am-12:00noon.
Who?
This camp is for students in grades 5-8.
Where?
The Vancouver School for Science and Technology (VISST): 1490 West Broadway, Vancouver.
Why should you attend?
Learn coding and, at the same time, get your creative juices flowing with the games and artwork you design.
Build something you can show your friends in just one week.
Try something you won’t find in school that combines programming and puzzle solving.
Earn a certificate of completion from the Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology.
What will you learn?
The Basics: We’ll get oriented with PuzzleScript. You’ll learn how to create artwork and basic rules. You’ll work on creating a simple game to practice your new skills. By the end of the day, you’ll have a link to share your first game with friends.
Coding with Puzzlescript: We’ll dive into some more sophisticated rules in PuzzleScript. Can two objects occupy the same space? Can the game update between your moves? Does the order of the rules matter? We’ll answer these questions with hands-on exercises. Then, you’ll start to plan your own PuzzleScript project.
Puzzle Game Design: By now we have learned the concepts of how PuzzleScript can be used to create puzzle games, but what makes a good game? And beyond that, there are many ways to code the same game, so what makes good code? We’ll dive into design philosophies to answer both of these questions: what makes a puzzle game fun and, once you’ve settled on a game design, what is the best way to code that design?
Projects and Playtesting: We’ll play-test each other’s games and give each other feedback. Then we’ll implement the feedback we received and, finally, share our games with the class.
Everyone will leave the camp with a shareable link to their game, new knowledge of fundamental programming concepts, and perhaps a new hobby!
Program Requirements
Students should bring their own laptops.
If you want to borrow a laptop from us, we have a VERY limited number available. Please email us to request one.
Why PuzzleScript?
PuzzleScript is a special-purpose programming languages for making puzzle games. What we discovered is that it’s also a perfect tool for education. Because PuzzleScript is so visual, it’s super easy to hit the ground running and start channeling your creative impulses right away. In fact, you will be able to create your own simple puzzle game after just one day of this camp!
In the process of learning PuzzleScript we’ll encounter fundamental and challenging questions in programming and algorithmic thinking, with a lot to offer for new and experienced programmers alike.
Here is what a PuzzleScript game looks like:
Camp Instructor
Thanh Nguyen
Thanh is a multimedia artist with over a decade of experience in teaching creative technology and digital fabrication in the Metro Vancouver region.
Since graduating from the Art Institute of Vancouver with a degree in Game Art and Design, she has been teaching game design and programming, 3D modeling and animation. She has been developing specialized curriculums and teaching creative technology courses, workshops and camps with
Byte Camp and MakerLabs, and is currently the Design and Technology Specialist with VISST.
Thanh is always looking for ways to provide accessible avenues of learning to students keen on learning about the digital arts.
Testimonials
“I liked that I learned a lot about coding and how it works. Before the course I felt like I didn't know much about coding and how to code. Now that the right instructors have taught me and helped me learn I know a lot more about coding and how to code.”
—- Participant, Puzzle Programming, Age 13
”I loved it! It’s really fun and I love making the little games, it’s just satisfying to see the games coming out of my own hands!”
—- Participant, Puzzle Programming, Age 13
”I liked how the teachers taught us how to code and then let us create fun games ourselves. It was really fun.”
—- Participant, Puzzle Programming, Age 12
Past Student Work
Check out the PuzzleScript games made by past camp participants at our Student Work page.
Make it a Full-Day camp
If you want to make this a full day camp experience, you can register for this camp AND our 2D Game Design camp from 1:00-4:00 (March 17-21) concurrently and save $40. Students who take both camps can stay at VISST from 12:00-1:00pm for lunch. Please bring your own lunch (no nuts or seafood).
Fees and Registration
If the fee is a barrier to your participation, a limited number of bursaries are available for eligible families - please email camps@visst.ca to inquire.
Refund policy: To request a refund, email camps@visst.ca. We will refund you for all remaining classes occurring at least 2 weeks after the date of the refund request.
Cancellation policy: VISST reserves the right to cancel camps and refund camp fees due to low enrolment. In this event, we will provide as much advance notice as possible.
Questions?
Please email camps@visst.ca