Have you ever wanted to design your own video game? In this eight-week, hands-on course, middle school students will learn how to design, build, and launch their own interactive video games using Scratch, the block-based programming platform developed by MIT Media Lab. This is more than just playing games — students will learn what goes on behind the scenes to make games work. From character movement and scoring systems to level design and sound effects, students will develop real coding and game development skills while bringing their ideas to life. Throughout the course, students will: • Learn core programming concepts including loops, conditionals, variables, and event-driven coding • Design player controls, scoring systems, and win/lose conditions • Build interactive levels and increasing difficulty challenges • Incorporate sound effects, animations, and custom sprites • Test, debug, and improve their games through iteration • Present and showcase their finished game to peers Students will begin with guided mini-challenges and progressively move toward designing a fully original game of their own. Creativity is encouraged — platformers, maze games, racing games, adventure games, and more are all possible! No prior coding experience is required, but students should be ready to think critically, problem-solve, and bring their ideas to life. At BrandywineBOTS, we believe in empowering the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers through hands-on STEM experiences - and this course is an exciting step into the world of coding, creativity, and digital design.