Our story begins in the early 2000s with two wizards of the Internet named David Baszucki and Erik Cassel. These visionary friends loved building and creating, and they dreamt of a place where everyone could let their imagination run wild. Together, they set out on an epic quest to create a platform where people could build their own games and play together.

In 2004, they used computer coding to create DynaBlocks. It was a virtual land where players could build and explore, creating their own adventures and challenges. 

Their chosen tool for their game idea was Lua, a scripting language known for its simplicity and versatility. Lua provided the foundation for David and Erik to weave the intricate code required to create a platform where users could unleash their creativity.

The development of DynaBlocks and its evolution into Roblox was no small task. David and Erik, armed with their coding expertise, spent several years refining and expanding their creation. The process was marked by many hours of dedication, trial, and error. As they encountered challenges and made changes, the two founders tirelessly worked to improve the user’s experience and build a platform that would capture the imagination of millions.

David and Erik hired a team of skilled programmers to get the job done. This collaborative effort brought many talents and perspectives into the mix, enriching the game design process. The team worked worked together to deal with technical challenges, optimize performance, and introduce new features that would contribute to the Roblox’s growth. As the team expanded, so did the complexity and depth of system, demonstrating the power of teamwork and innovation in the world of computer programming.

By 2006, Roblox officially became the digital space we know today, where players could build, play, and make friends from all corners of the globe.

As more adventurers joined the Roblox world, it started to sparkle with millions of games created by imaginative minds. You see, Roblox was designed so even the players could learn how to code and use graphic design to create their own games using the Lua programming language! How amazing is that? It means the possibilities for Roblox were endless! The popularity of Roblox soared, and soon it became a global sensation, enchanting players young and old alike.

In Robloxia, the virtual land of Roblox, players can embark on incredible quests and adventures created by fellow players. Some of the most popular games include “Adopt Me!”, where players can adopt virtual pets, and “Brookhaven,” a magical town where everyone can become anything they imagine.

The developers behind these games, like Adopt Me!’s DreamCraft and Brookhaven’s Wolfpaq, are like modern-day sorcerers. They spend hours waving their digital wands to create magical experiences for players to enjoy. These games became so beloved that they attracted millions of players, turning the once-small Robloxia into a bustling metropolis of creativity.

Now, let’s talk about some young adventurers who turned their dreams into impressive games. Players like Alex “builderman” Balfanz, made their fortunes by crafting games that captured the hearts of millions. Alex created “Jailbreak,” a game where players can choose to be cops or robbers in a thrilling chase. His creativity didn’t just entertain, but he was also able to earn money from his game, turning him into a legendary figure in the Roblox world.

In the magical land of Robloxia, some young creators have discovered a path to riches. Take, for instance, the young adventurer Andrew “badcc” Bereza. His game “Bad Business” became a sensation, and as players flocked to experience the excitement he crafted, Andrew found himself with a treasure trove of Robux, the currency of Roblox. 

Some of the young creators were able to earn enough to pay for their college education, which is pretty impressive!

In the world of Roblox, not all heroes wear capes – some wear headphones and sit in front of computers. Let’s delve into the tales of two creators who warmed the hearts of players everywhere.

One such gamer is EthanGamerTV, who started creating Roblox videos at a young age. His enthusiasm and love for the game resonated with many, turning him into a beloved figure in the Roblox community.

Another popular player is “Work at a Pizza Place,” Dued1. His game, where players can experience the joys and challenges of working at a pizza joint, became a beloved classic. Dued1’s journey from a humble creator to a celebrated figure in Robloxia showcases the power of imagination and hard work.

What do you think of the story of the creation of Roblox? It always amazes me to think of the small beginnings of projects like this. I mean, that’s how my podcast started, too. The idea for Roblox started in the minds of David Baszucki and Erik Cassel and with lots of hard work, talent, and determination led to the game we know today that is played by millions of creators and gamers around the world.

If you were to create your own game or app, what would it do? If you have an idea, write it down, draw some pictures to describe it, and use websites like Canva or Fiero Code or Scratch to learn how to design and code and bring your creation to life. Like Roblox, every big idea has to start somewhere!

The post History of Roblox for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

So what is the history of toys? When did humans start making toys and playing with them? It can be hard to know exactly when this took place because human history is very, very old, and we don’t always have evidence of what early humans made. But going back to the ancient world, when cities were on the rise we started to see some evidence of early toys. 

Let’s go back to the cradle of civilization, Mesopotamia, around 4000 BCE. That was around 6,000 years ago. Whoa, that blows my mind. Children in this ancient land played with dolls made from clay and wooden carts with wheels. These were simple yet cherished creations that marked the birth of toy making. There is even archeological evidence of yoyos at this time made from wood and metal. At the same time, across the Nile River, Egyptian children crafted small figures and toys from papyrus and reeds, as symbols of the animals they loved.

As the centuries rolled on, toys evolved with the changing times. In ancient Greece, children delighted in intricate dolls, carved from wood or bone, and toy chariots that mimicked the Olympic Games that also started in Greece. The spirit of play and imagination continued to grow, going beyond cultures and civilizations. It was an instinctive human nature thing to want to play and to make toys to extend that playtime. How cool is that?

Fast forward to the medieval era, where toys took on new forms and meanings. Simple delights like wooden dolls and hand-carved animals brought joy to the lives of children in castles and villages alike. In this era of chivalry, knights and ladies, toy makers crafted miniature armor sets and dolls dressed in medieval fashions.

As winter nights grew longer, toy makers invented whirligigs – small, spinning devices that captivated children with their whimsical movements. These handmade marvels were often given as gifts during festive seasons, fostering a spirit of joy and camaraderie.

The Renaissance began a new era of the arts and thinking, and of course  toys continued to evolve. During this period, board games became a popular pastime. Chess, with its strategy and required smarts, captured the minds of young and old alike, becoming a symbol of the intellectual pursuits of the time.

In the spirit of giving, families exchanged hand-painted playing cards and personalized game sets during the holiday season. These thoughtful gifts not only entertained but also fostered a sense of togetherness and friendly competition.

The 19th century brought about the Industrial Revolution. This was when factories and steam power and assembly lines changed the way things were made. As you can imagine, it also transformed toy making. Metal and tin became available materials, giving rise to a new generation of toys. Tin soldiers, with their precision and uniformity, became a popular choice for children with dreams of epic battles and heroic adventures.

Mechanical toys, powered by clockwork mechanisms, were able to move without someone touching them. Imagine how magical that would have seemed for these people! Wind-up trains circled miniature tracks and tin carousels twirled with delightful melodies. The spirit of giving during the holidays took on a new dimension as families exchanged these mechanical wonders, sparking joy in the hearts of children and adults alike.

The 20th century witnessed the impact of two World Wars, which influenced the production and availability of toys. During these challenging times, families often had to make do with what they had. Ingenious creations like sock monkeys, crafted from old socks, and paper dolls became popular. The spirit of giving was marked by resourcefulness and resilience, as families found joy in creating toys with their own hands. Even without money, parents and children found ways to play with what they had. Dolls made of corn husks were common during times like the Great Depression.

The post-war era saw the rise of plastic as a new material for toy making. Toys like LEGO bricks brought endless possibilities for creativity and building. Be sure to check out our episode about Ole Kirk Christiansen and the creation of Lego. These toys made of plastic laid the foundation for the modern toy industry.

The 1980s were a neon-colored explosion of creativity in the toy world. Action figures took center stage, with iconic heroes like He-Man and She-Ra battling evil forces, accompanied by their array of fantastical vehicles and playsets. Transformers, the shape-shifting robots from Cybertron, captured the imaginations of children as they morphed from vehicles to mighty robots in the blink of an eye. Barbies, Cabbage Patch Kids, and My Little Pony also became popular toys.

As the 1990s dawned, technology began to infiltrate the world of toys, bringing a wave of electronic wonders. The Nintendo Entertainment System revolutionized home gaming, introducing beloved characters like Mario and Zelda to a whole new generation. The era of Beanie Babies saw collectors and enthusiasts alike hunting for the rarest plush treasures, turning toy stores into bustling hubs of excitement. The spirit of giving evolved into a quest for the latest and coolest electronic gadgets, marking a shift toward the digital frontier in the world of play.

The late 20th century was marked by fads that swept through playgrounds and bedrooms like wildfire. Yo-yos made a triumphant comeback, with kids mastering intricate tricks and competitions. Pogs, the colorful cardboard discs, became a trading craze, with slammer battles determining the ultimate champion. Pokémon emerged as a global phenomenon, with trading cards, video games, and animated series capturing the hearts of children worldwide. Be it the Tickle Me Elmo craze or the explosion of Power Rangers action figures.

As we step into the 21st century, the landscape of toy-making has been reshaped by technology. Electronic gadgets and video games have become popular, offering new ways for children to play and learn. This includes iPads, phones, many different video game consoles, and more recently VR. Yet, traditional toys are still around, adapting to the changing times. I mean, I went to the store the other day and still see Ninja Turtles, Batman, He-Man, and Transformers. How wild is that!?

But let’s back up and talk about why we have toys. Toys are not merely playthings; they are useful to a child’s growing imagination and creativity. From the earliest days of clay figurines in ancient Mesopotamia to the digital wonders of today, toys have served as the building blocks of a child’s brain development. They are not just objects but conduits for dreams and fantasies, sparking creativity and encouraging problem-solving skills. Action figures become the heroes in epic tales, dolls transform into lifelong companions, and building blocks like Legos turn into towering structures of the imagination in the hands of a child.

And back to the holidays, throughout the years, the history of toy-making has been connected to the spirit of giving. Whether it was a simple clay figurine in ancient Mesopotamia or a high-tech gadget in the 21st century, the act of giving toys has always been a way to express love and experience joy.

As we celebrate the holidays today, let us remember the wonders of the past, where each thread represents a toy that brought smiles and laughter to children across down through time. Whether it’s a handcrafted wooden toy or a cutting-edge digital marvel, the spirit of giving continues to connect generations, fostering a love for play, creativity, and the timeless joy that toys bring to our lives.

A few of my favorite toys on my shelf!

The post History of Toys and Toymaking for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine a world where you can run as fast as the wind, where every turn is a new adventure waiting to be explored. The sun is setting, painting the sky with beautiful colors, and there you are, getting ready for an incredible journey.

You take a deep breath and zoom forward like a rocket. The wind whooshes past you, and your heart races with excitement as the ground seems to turn into a colorful blur.

Everything around you becomes a mix of bright colors, like a rainbow on fast-forward. You dart through tunnels, jump over big hills, and even spin around in loops that make you feel like you’re flying. It’s as if you’ve become a superhero of speed!

While you’re dashing as quickly as lightning, you notice shiny golden rings scattered everywhere. As you collect them they give you strength to fight and push past any enemy.

 Zooming through the mountains you notice a group of robot creatures trying to block your path. But you’re not afraid. You spin around like a tornado and with one forceful attack send them flying, with their parts clinking and clanking as they go.

Your surroundings begin changing, and now you’re in a big city full of towering buildings and colorful lights. You bounce from one building to another, feeling like you can touch the stars. The city is alive with energy, just like you, Sonic the Hedgehog .

Sonic the Hedgehog has become an iconic character of speed, adventure, and the world of gaming. His journey mirrors the rise of Sega, a company that has left a lasting mark on the gaming industry. 

Join us today as we dive into the captivating world of Sega and its important impact on the world of entertainment.

Sega’s journey began in 1940 with a man named Marty Bromley. This was a time of great uncertainty and upheaval, as the world was in the middle of the chaos of World War II. One of these founders, Marty Bromley, had started a company called Standard Games in 1940. His company provided slot machine games for military bases in Hawaii. Eventually, the war ended, which was great for the world, but left some countries like Japan in a tough spot. 

The war had taken a toll on Japan’s industries and people. While the United States was helping Japan get back on its feet, Marty saw an opportunity to make money in Japan bringing these slot machine games there. This company became known as Service Games.”

During this time, a man named David Rosen started his own business where he sold paintings and set up photo booths where people could get inexpensive pictures for things like IDs they needed for work or travel. 

When the US military brought more money into Japan, he decided to start bringing in arcade games. Back then, in the US, the arcade game business wasn’t doing great, except for pinball. Arcades were not like the family-friendly places they’d become later. 

Rosen saw that he could get arcade machines for cheap and sell them in Japan more easily than in the US. So in 1964, Rosen Enterprises and Service Games joined together, and they became SEGA Enterprises.

At this time, SEGA Enterprise kicked off its journey into designing and making its own arcade games. Their very first creation was a game where you pretended you were in a submarine and shot at the target, and they named it Periscope. This arcade game was huge – almost ten feet deep and six feet wide, and it cost twice as much to play as other games. But the people who played it and the owners of arcades all agreed it was absolutely worth the extra cost. Periscope did so well that SEGA started sending their games to America, which turned them into a global company based in Japan. Later, SEGA was bought by a company called Gulf + Western, but David Rosen, who started it all still stayed in charge.

As the 1970s rolled in, the whole arcade industry went through a big transformation. Arcade video games quickly became more popular than games with lots of moving parts like pinball machines. Soon, small computers known as microprocessors took over the old-style games with moving parts. At this time, in 1978, another company called Taito created a game called Space Invaders. Gamers loved Space Invaders so much that it actually caused a shortage of coins in Japan because so many people were using coins to play the game.

To keep pace with the rapidly evolving gaming market, the company continued to make more and more exciting games and brought in new game developers who would help make SEGA’s games unique and creative. 

SEGA’s games became known for their impressive graphics, which were some of the first 3D graphics in arcade gaming. “Turbo” was the first racing game to use advanced graphics that could change in size and had more colors. Zaxxon had graphics that scrolled and looked 3D. Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom went even further with super-fast 3D graphics and really detailed images. SEGA became a leader in the arcade video game business because of all their new and impressive innovations.

In the late 1980s, Sega took a bold step into the world of home video game consoles with the release of the Sega Genesis. This was a game-changer in the industry, as it allowed kids to experience the excitement of arcade-quality games in the comfort of their own homes. The Sega Genesis introduced iconic characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, who quickly became a beloved mascot for the company.

Kids worldwide were drawn to the fast-paced action and colorful worlds that Sega offered through its console. The “console wars” between Sega and Nintendo, the other big video game console, were fierce. Kids often found themselves passionately defending their favorite gaming brands. Sega’s Genesis was a true contender and helped shape the modern gaming landscape.

Sega didn’t just make games; they also played a significant role in shaping the gaming industry as a whole. They were pioneers in 3D gaming with titles like “Virtua Fighter” and “Sonic 3D Blast,” pushing the boundaries of what was possible. Sega also introduced innovative peripherals like the Sega CD and Sega 32X, which expanded the gaming experience.

In the mid-1990s, Sega unveiled the Sega Saturn and the Sega Dreamcast, two consoles that continued to push the envelope in terms of graphics and gameplay. While the Dreamcast, in particular, gained a devoted following, it faced stiff competition from Sony’s PlayStation and ultimately marked the end of Sega’s time in the console market. 

While Sega may no longer produce home consoles, it continued to thrive in the gaming industry. They have transitioned into a successful software developer and publisher, creating games for a wide range of platforms, including smartphones, PC, and current-generation consoles.

One of Sega’s most beloved characters, Sonic the Hedgehog, remains a star in the gaming world. Sonic’s adventures continue to captivate kids and adults alike, with new games and animated series keeping the blue blur in the spotlight. Sonic has even been made it into cartoons and more recently live-action movies!

In the animated shows, Sonic goes on adventures to stop Dr. Robotnik. Sonic is known for his speedy moves and funny lines. And in live-action movies, he interacts and fights enemies with real people.

In the most recent years, Sega has undergone significant transformations to stay relevant in the ever-evolving gaming industry. While it may no longer hold the same console dominance as it once did, Sega has shifted its focus towards game development, mobile gaming, and licensing its famous game series like Sonic.

Sega’s journey from its humble beginnings to its current status as a big player in the gaming industry is nothing short of remarkable. The company’s commitment to creating memorable gaming experiences for kids has left an enduring legacy. From the glory days of arcade gaming in the ’80s to today’s digital games, Sega’s history is full of innovation and memorable experiences that truly impact the history of the gaming industry.

The post History of Sega and Sonic the Hedgehog for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine a world where interesting creatures that have powers roam free, each with their own unique abilities and personalities that you can catch and keep in a little red and white ball. These creatures are called Pokemon and you keep them in a poke ball. As a young trainer, you set out on an adventure to explore this world and catch as many of these creatures as you can, traveling through different regions, each with its own unique environment and different types of Pokemon.

You’ll journey through lush forests, treacherous mountains, and even mysterious underwater kingdoms, encountering new and exciting Pokemon along the way. With your trusty poke ball, you’ll be able to capture these creatures and add them to your team, training them to be stronger and braver so that they can fight for you.

As you travel, you’ll meet other trainers and their Pokemon, and you’ll have the chance to challenge them to battles. These battles are a test of your skills as a trainer and a showcase of the strength and abilities of your Pokemon. You’ll have to strategize and work with your Pokemon, using their different moves and powers to defeat your opponents.

Along the way, you’ll also have the opportunity to collect valuable items and earn rewards, such as gym badges and special items that will make your journey easier. You’ll meet friendly and helpful characters who will give you tips and advice on how to become a better trainer.

But your ultimate goal is to become the greatest Pokémon trainer of all time. To achieve this, you’ll need to journey to the Pokemon League, where the strongest trainers from each region come together to compete in the ultimate test of their skills. You’ll have to defeat each gym leader, earning their badges along the way, and then face off against the Elite Four and the Pokemon Champion. Only then will you be able to call yourself the greatest Pokémon trainer of all time!

So pack your bags, grab your poke ball, and embark on an adventure through the history of Pokemon with us today!

—————————————

Let’s travel back in time to the early 1980s,  in a place called Setagaya, Tokyo, where there was a boy named Satoshi Tajirwhen. Satoshi loved catching bugs and collecting them as a hobby when he was young. His friends even called him “Dr. Bug”!  As Satoshi grew up in the bustling city of Tokyo, he noticed that the spaces where he used to hunt for bugs were disappearing as more and more land was being covered by streets and buildings. But Satoshi didn’t want to lose the feeling of catching and collecting creatures, and he dreamed of a way to bring that same joy to other kids.

As he got older, Satoshi became fascinated with arcade games and spent many hours playing them. His love for games like Space Invaders and Dig Dug inspired him to create his own video games. Satoshi took apart his video game system to understand how it worked, and even won a video game idea contest when he was 16 years old! 

Satoshi’s love for video games never went away even though his parents thought he was a troublemaker for spending so much time playing them. He even cut classes to play games. Ove time he made up for it by attending make-up classes and eventually earning his high school diploma. 

Instead of going to college, Satoshi attended a two-year technical degree program at the Tokyo National College of Technology, where he studied electronics and computer science. 

When Satoshi became a little older he made a special magazine that he would write by hand and staple together called “Game Freak”. Game Freak was a magazine that had tips and tricks on how to beat games and find hidden secrets in them. A hidden secret in a game is called an “Easter Egg”. The magazine became so popular that one magazine sold over 10,000 copies! Satoshi’s friend Ken Sugimori was the person who drew the pictures in the magazine, this is called an illustrator. As the two of them wrote this magazine they realized that most video games weren’t very good. So, they decided to make their own games instead! Tajiri learned how to make games by studying and practicing a lot. Finally, in 1989, Tajiri and his friend Sugimori started their own video game company called Game Freak. Their very first game, Quinty, was a big hit and they never looked back!

After several years of developing games for different consoles,  Satoshi Tajirwhen and his friend Ken Sugimori,  decided to talk about  their idea to Nintendo for a game about collecting monsters. The idea was a hit, but it wasn’t easy to convince Nintendo to take a chance on something so unique. Thanks to their previous successes, Game Freak was given the “OK” to develop the game under the help and mentorship of Shigeru Miyamoto. Shigeru Miyamoto was the creator of Super Mario, a video game about an Italian plumber who crawls through green pipes and collects gold coins while trying to save the princess Daisy from the evil Bowser!

Satoshi worked long hard hours on his video games and in an interview once he was asked why he looked so tired and he responded by saying, “I sleep 12 hours and then work 24 hours. I’ve worked those strange hours for the past three years. It’s better to stay up day and night to come up with ideas. I usually get inspiration for game designing by working this schedule.”

After 6 years of long hours and a lot of hard work the world was introduced to Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, the very first Pokémon video games. These games allowed players to catch, collect, and trade over 150 different Pokémon characters. It was an instant hit in Japan, and soon the game was spreading to other parts of the world.

So what is Pokemon? In the world of Pokemon, people known as Pokemon trainers catch and train creatures called Pokemon. Pokemon are fictional animals with unique abilities and characteristics. The trainers then battle their Pokemon against other trainers to determine who is the strongest.

The games and cartoon series follow a young trainer named Ash Ketchum and his journey to become a Pokemon Master. In Japan instead of Ash the main character’s name is Satoshi. If you remember, Satoshi is the creator of Pokemon, so Ash was supposed to be Satoshi when he was a little kid. He travels through different regions, catching and training new Pokemon, making friends and rivals along the way, and participating in many competitions and battles.

When the first Pokemon video games were released in Japan they were an instant success. In the games, players take on the role of a Pokemon trainer, starting with one Pokemon and traveling around the game world to catch and train more. There are now over 800 different species of Pokemon, each with their own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses, that’s a lot of Pokemon to catch!

The thought of catching and training creatures was completely new, and the game offered a sense of adventure and discovery that was unlike anything players had experienced before. The games quickly gained popularity and as Pokemon grew in popularity, it expanded into TV shows, movies, and card games. Kids everywhere were obsessed with the world of Pokémon, and it wasn’t just a game anymore – it became extremely popular and well-known to the point where almost everyone knows about it and it ended up having a big impact on things like movies, TV shows, toys, and games. 

The TV show followed the adventures of Ash Ketchum, a young trainer from Pallet Town, and his trusty Pikachu as they journeyed through different regions, encountering new Pokemon and battling against other trainers.

The success of the TV show led to a boom in the sale of Pokemon merchandise, such as toys, trading cards, and other products. 

One of the main reasons that Pokemon became successful was because the games were designed to be played with friends, and the trading and battling parts of the games encouraged players to connect and compete with one another. 

Over the years, the Pokemon franchise has continued to evolve and expand and Satoshi and Ken’s vision for Pokémon has inspiring a generation of young people to explore the world around them, make new friends, and be creative. Today, Pokemon continues to evolve and grow, offering new adventures and exciting experiences for fans of all ages. And so, the story of Pokémon continues, with new games, new creatures, and new experiences waiting just around the corner.

Just like in a Pokemon battle, we all have strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and that’s what makes us special. Just because someone is strong in one area doesn’t mean they’re better than someone else. We should respect and appreciate each other’s differences, and work together to achieve our goals. 

More recently, in 2016, the game Pokemon Go was released. It introduced many new gamers to an augmented reality version of Pokemon in which you can walk around the real world and see and catch Pokemon through your handheld device. Pokemon Go became very popular as well and is still played by many gamers today.

Pokemon Poem by Chat GPT: 

In a world of monsters big and small,

There’s a little creature loved by all.

It’s called a Pokemon, have you heard?

It’s captured hearts all around the world.

There’s Pikachu, with cheeks so bright,

And Charmander, all red and white.

Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and so many more,

Each one unique, you can’t ignore.

With special powers and moves to make,

Pokemon battles are never fake.

You’ve got to train and work real hard,

To become the best, to go far.

But even if you don’t compete,

You can collect and make them neat.

Trading cards and figures too,

Pokemon fun is endless, it’s true.

So join the craze, and catch ’em all,

You’ll have a blast, you’ll have a ball.

Adventure awaits, in the great outside.

With Pokemon there, right by your side,

The post History of Pokemon appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Do you like to play board games? If so, can you think of some of your favorite board games? My kids and I love to play board games together. It’s one of our favorite past times. It’s fun to pull out the game, set up the board, and get into the gameplay together. We like card games, too. Some of our favorite games are Chess, Sushi Go, Settlers of Catan, Splendor, Niya, Guess Who, Rummikub, Yahtzee, and Sleeping Queens.

Have you ever wondered about the creative people who make these games? They love to play games themselves but come up with new games on their own. Pretty interesting, right? Today we’re going to learn about one of the first board game inventors named Milton Bradley.

Birth

Milton Bradley was born on November 8, 1836, in Maine in the United States. The Bradley Family lived a simple life and both parents worked to get by. Education was important to the Bradleys, so they spent their free time teaching their children the best they could. They also enjoyed having fun together. One of their favorite things to do as a family was play games. Chess and checkers were two of their favorites.

When Milton was eleven his family moved to Lowell, Massachusetts. There his father worked in a cotton factory and Milton went to grammar school. Milton was artistic, so when he finished high school he wanted to study art at the university. But school cost more money than he had, so he got a job first and started saving. He also spent his free time selling pens, paper, and ink to other workers in Lowell. He was a great salesman because people liked him and he was friendly. 

After Milton had finally saved enough money for school, his family decided to move to Connecticut, so he had to follow them there instead of attending art school. But there wasn’t much for him to do in Connecticut, so he decided to move to the bigger city of Springfield, Massachusetts, and make a life for himself there.

Draftsman

In Springfield, he found a job as a draftsman for a train company. A draftsman draws the different parts needed for a machine, such as a train. It was the perfect job for Milton because he liked to draw and had spent many hours practicing over the years. 

One day the Pasha of Egypt visited the train car company. He was an important leader in Egypt. The Pasha wanted a special train car designed just for himself. The company chose Milton to draw the plans for the train and he was very proud of his work when it was done.

But soon there wasn’t enough work to do at the train car company, so Milton decided to start his own company. This is called being entrepreneurial. An entrepreneur is someone who is always thinking of new business ideas. They aren’t always successful, some of their ideas fail, and others work. But they keep trying new things until something good sticks. Milton started off drawing as a draftsman, but that didn’t keep him busy enough, so he started a printing shop. Unfortunately, it was a tough time to start a business, because war in the United States would start soon. This came to be known as the Civil War where the Northern States fought against the Southern States over states’ rights and slavery. Milton was sad about the war and sad that his printing shop wasn’t making money.

Printing Games

One day Milton’s childhood friend, George Tapley, visited to cheer him up. He brought a game and they played it together and had a great time. When they were done George thought “I own a printing shop, I could make my own games!” But as George thought about it, he decided he wanted to make a game that was different — a game that wasn’t only fun, but taught you something about life. His first game design had red and white squares, like a checkerboard, but with different words on each square about different life choices. There was also a spinner. After spinning and getting a number, you chose which direction on the board to go. If you made good choices you ended up on “Happy Old Age” instead “Ruin.” He called it “The Checkered Game of Life.” 

When Milton finished the game he showed it to his friend George who liked it, too. Then he and his assistant got to work printing it and assembled several hundred games for Milton to sell. Next, he packed up all the games and traveled to New York City to sell them. To his excitement, stores were happy to buy his game. He sold them all over New York and they were a great success! 

Once stores sold all of Milton’s games so they asked for more. Word spread about The Checkered Game of Life throughout New York and then into other states. Milton and his assistant got to work making more games to fulfill all of the new orders. 

Civil War

By this time the Civil War had started and soldiers from the Northern and Southern states were fighting each other. One day Milton saw a group of soldiers who looked bored. He thought they might like to play a game. He had the idea to build a small set of games they could carry around, so he made a plan and then built it. It came in a small bag and included a small board for checkers, chess, backgammon, dominoes, and The Checkered Game of Life. He gave some of the game kits to soldiers, then started selling them to stores for $1 a kit. Soldiers loved playing these games, it cheered them up, and Milton was able to sell thousands of them. 

Milton’s next game was called “Modern Hieroglyphics, or Picture Writings for the Times,” which told news stories using hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are Ancient Egyptian writing. 

Finally, in 1865 the Civil War ended. Many businesses struggled, but Milton Bradley’s game company kept selling games because people needed the distraction and something to make them happy more than ever. Milton and his wife Vilona often invited large groups of people to their homes to play games. By this time George was focusing all of his time on just creating new games for his company to print, build and sell.  

Kindergartens

One day Milton met a man named Freidrich Froebel from Germany who had started creating schools for younger kids. He called them “Kindergartens.” He discovered that small children could learn through play. For example, they could play with puzzles to work out a problem or wooden blocks to learn to count. His kindergartens focused on teaching children through play. Milton also met a woman named Elizabeth Peabody who also believed that children could learn through play. Her students used numbered blocks and balls to learn to count and add and subtract. Milton thought this was very interesting and wanted his company to help teach children this way. Soon the Milton Bradley Company was building blocks and other toys for kindergartens and for families to buy for their children. Milton created a learning toy called multiplication sticks, a box of matchstick-sized sticks that taught kids their multiplication tables. Soon his company was also making crayons, paints, and other items that kindergartens needed.

As the company grew they moved into a bigger building and Milton’s friend George joined the company. They spend their time inventing new games and designing new products to sell.

Soon Milton and his family were very wealthy, but he was just happy he was able to do work he enjoyed and help people have fun and schools have the supplies they needed. He didn’t use his money for expensive things, he just enjoyed the extra time he had with his family while they lived in Springfield. In 1907 he retired from the Milton Bradley Company and his friend George took over.

Before long Milton’s children had their own children and he had grandchildren. He enjoyed his growing family and the time he was able to spend with them. 

Conclusion

On May 30, 1911, Milton passed away at the age of 75. Over the years the Milton Bradley Company hired more people to create games and continued to be successful and grow. Some of their most popular games are Battleship, Twister, Candyland, Scrabble, Connect Four, Guess Who, Yahtzee and later strategic games like Axis & Allies and Stratego. In 1984 the Milton Bradley Company was bought by Hasbro, who also bought Parker Brothers game company. 

Like Milton Bradley, you can practice your creativity by using your imagination to come up with new ideas. Everyone is creative in one way or another. Milton wasn’t afraid to fail sometimes and try new things. Failure is ok because it’s one of the best ways to learn. If we never try new things, we never learn. Be brave and don’t be afraid to try new things even if you might not get them right the first time and fail. 

Here’s a challenge for the week: spend some time thinking about and planning out your own board game. Think of other games you like. You could take the pattern for those games and make it a little different based on your interest. Or maybe it’s a card game? Don’t be afraid to try a few different ideas and even start over a few times until you end up with something you like. If you do come up with an idea, with the help of your feel free to share it on our Facebook page! I’d love to see what you come up with.

Listen to the audio

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Have you ever heard of Super Mario Brothers or the Legend of Zelda? Have you ever played these games on Nintendo? Nintendo is a household name across the world, but it didn’t start out that way. And most people don’t realize the Nintendo company has been around for over 100 years — long before video games were invented.

Early Beginnings of Nintendo

Our story begins in 1889 in the large city of Kyoto, Japan. In Kyoto lived a man named Fusajiro Yamauchi. Fusajiro had a wife and a daughter and was an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is someone who has big ideas and starts new businesses. And Fusajiro had an idea to start his own shop to sell playing cards which were used to play a Japanese card game called “Hanafuda.” His playing cards were hand-painted and he decided to name his business “Nintendo Koppai.”

Fusajiro’s playing cards were very popular in Kyoto and soon he didn’t have enough time to paint all of the cards by hand. When an entrepreneur has this problem, which is a very good problem, he hires more people to help him — and this is exactly what Fusajiro did! He hired assistant and taught them how to paint playing cards like he did. With more playing cards to sell, the Nintendo company grew and grew until Fusajiro opened a new shop in Osaka.

For 40 years Fusajiro’s company grew and grew, they designed games other than Hanafuda and eventually became the largest playing card company in Japan. 

At the age of 70, Fusajiro retired and his adopted son-in-law became the new president. But little did Fusajiro realize what would become of his playing card company.

Hiroshi’s Contributions to Nintendo

In 1927 a boy named Hiroshi was born in the same city of Kyoto. When he was little parents were unable to take care of him, so he went to live with his grandparents. His grandfather was the President of Nintendo. Hiroshi started school when he was 12 and planned to go to college, but when World War II started he had to wait on college and instead worked in a factory making weapons for the war. When the war ended he started college to study law and was also married at that time.

In 1949 Hiroshi grandfather, the President of Nintendo died and Hiroshi was next in line, so he became the president of Nintendo. Hiroshi was only 22 and no one thought he’d be able to run the company. But he proved everyone wrong by being very firm and taking control of the company. And  he would go on to lead Nintendo and help it grow for the next 53 years! 

As the new President of the company, Hiroshi was interested in selling Nintendo playing cards in the United States. In the United States he made a deal with Disney to allow Nintendo to use Disney characters on their cards and eventually sold 600,000 packs in one year. With all of the new money coming in, Hiroshi began to look at new ways for Nintendo to make money. They tried many different ventures such as a taxi business, restaurants, and toy making. While many of the ideas failed, toy-making seemed to be their best bet. 

Gunpei and Nintendo’s Light Gun

One day while Hiroshi was in the factory, he noticed one of the engineers playing with a device he had built that could stretch out and grab things like a hand. The engineer’s name was Gunpei Yokoi and his normal job was to repair machines in the factory. But Hiroshi liked the device he built so much that he decided to turn it into a toy. They called it the “Ultra Arm” and sold over 1 million of them. With the Ultra Arm’s success, Hiroshi asked Gunpei to help design toys instead of work in the factory. Gunpei went on to design several other toys for Nintendo such as the first solar-powered light gun, later called the Nintendo Beam gun. 

In 1972 the American company Magnavox released one of the first home video game consoles and called it the Odyssey. Magnavox used Nintendo light guns with the Odyssey. Not long after the Odyssey’s release, Nintendo started creating its own arcade games using the light gun. Their most popular arcade was called The Laser Clay Shooting System. 

Shigeru Miyamoto and Donkey Kong

In 1977 Nintendo hired a young artist named Shigeru Miyamoto. Shigeru was born in Sonobe, Japan and from a young age loved exploring the natural world around his home, including forests, lakes and secret caves he found. He had a big imagination of loved to draw. He later went to college to become an artist. At Nintendo Shigeru did artwork for an arcade game called Sheriff and worked with Gunpei Yokoi, the designer of the “Ultra Arm” on other new games.

One of their big ideas involved a carpenter, his girlfriend, and a gorilla. The carpenter, also named Jumpman, ran up ramps and jumped over barrels the gorilla threw at him until he reached the girl at the top. When Sherigu finally decided on a name for Jumpman he named him “Mario” after the man who owned their building. They named their game Donkey Kong and it eventually it became one of the most famous video games of all time.

Nintendo and Gunpei Yokoi’s next big invention was a hand-held gaming device called the Game and Watch, which included a simple game and a clock. The Game and Watch was very popular and gave Nintendo more money to invent other new devices. Their next big device was called the Famicom (or Family Computer) and was their first gaming console. It sold over 500,000 units, but many of them had issues and had to be recalled from the stores.

This was very costly for Nintendo, but in 1985 they fixed the system and renamed it the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES. Nintendo was known for its quality games, which had to receive its stamp of approval before being released. The NES ended up becoming wildly popular in the United States. 

The Mario Brothers

Shigeru Miyamoto, the artist with the big imagination, also created Super Mario Brothers featuring his Mario character from Donkey Kong and added a brother named Luigi. They changed Mario from a carpenter to a plumber and gave him superhuman abilities. He could fall from any height and with his hat and thick mustache worked his way through a wild world full of fantastic monsters and underground sewage pipes. 

Legend of Zelda

Designing his next video game, Shigeru remember his childhood of adventure and wonder exploring the natural world around his home in Sonobe. He remembered finding a dark cave and exploring it along with the hillsides and lakes. He decided his next big game would try and capture that wonder he felt as a child. In his game The Legend of Zelda, an adventurous elf named Link would explore an open video game world in search of the Princess Zelda. The Legend of Zelda also became very popular and many sequels have been created under Shigeru’s direction. 

Enter the Gameboy

Nintendo’s next popular device was the Gameboy, designed by Gunpei Yokoi. It was a handheld device and was known for being sturdy with quality games like Tetris, Super Mario Land and Pokemon. The Game Boy eventually sold 118 million units!

SNES and the Wii

The next version of the Nintendo was called the Super Nintendo or SNES with new and improved graphics and a host of new games. At this time, Nintendo began to face competition from the Sega Genesis gaming system, which included wildly popular games like Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sony Playstation and later Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system also competed with Nintendo, which later released the Nintendo 64 with 3D graphics, the Game Boy Color, then the Game Cube and later the Nintendo DS, and Wii.

The Wii became the best selling game console of all time, selling 10 million units with hit games like Wii Sports, Super Mario Galaxy, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Wii U was released next and finally its current console, the Nintendo Switch. Even with all of the new competition over the years,

Nintendo found ways to reinvent itself and make its game systems different. With the Wii, Nintendo invented the hand-held pointing devices or nunchucks. With the Switch it designed a console that could be played on the TV or on the go. Nintendo also continued to create wildly imaginative, colorful and family friendly game franchises such as Zelda, Mario Kart, Metroid, Star Fox, and Pokemon. 

In the end, Nintendo was successful due to the business sense of its President Hiroshi Yamauchi and the creativity of designers like Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi.

Entrepreneurs

Would you like to be an entrepreneur some day? Remember an entrepreneur is someone who is creative and comes up with ideas for new businesses. If you’ve ever held a bake sell or sold lemonade you’re practicing the skills to become an entrepreneur. Remember, Fusajiro was an entrepreneur when he started his first playing card shop called Nintendo.

Do you like to draw or have a big imagination like Shigeru and Gunpei? If you created your own video game like Shigeru what would it be about? What would it look like? When you find the time, write out your ideas, draw a few pictures and plan out how it would work. Creativity, like other skills, requires practice. Take some time to think about how you can exercise your creativity muscles and invent imaginative worlds like Shigeru did with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

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Have you heard of Minecraft? If so, have you ever wondered how it came to be? How is a video game made and how does it grow from its first player to millions of players all over the world? Listen closely, because today you’re going to find out.

The story of Minecraft goes back to the year 1979 in Stockholm, Sweden when a boy named Markus Persson was born. Growing up, Markus’s father had one of the early personal computers called a Commodore 128. Markus first learned how to program the computer when he was just seven years old! Programming is when you type instructions into a computer to make it do something. Markus created his first basic video game when he was eight years old. When he got older, he worked for a company programming video games for the Internet. This company was called King. In the evenings, Markus enjoyed creating his own games. Over time he shared them with friends and other people online. After playing games like Infiminer, Dwarf Fortress and Dungeon Keeper he had the idea to create a game with a blocky visual style and RPG elements. RPG means role playing game and usually means you can find loot in the game and build up your character over time. He programmed this new game in a language called Java and decided to call it Minecraft. 

In May 2009 Markus released the first version of Minecraft and shared a video of it on YouTube. He made it available online and people played it and gave him ideas about how to make it better. This is called collaboration and a great way to improve anything you create. In Minecraft players explored a 3D blocky world, mined ore and other elements and used the materials they mined to craft tools and build buildings or earthworks. One reason Minecraft was different from other games, is it allowed players to use their imagination and be creative. Similar to a toy like Lego, using Minecraft players could use the blocks to bring their imaginations to life.

A year later Markus released the next version of Minecraft. This version had new items, new blocks, new mobs (or non-player characters, or NPCs for short) and a new survival mode. At the time he was still working for someone else’s company, but eventually he left that job so he could focus all of his time and effort on making Minecraft better. He started his own video game company, hired other programmers and business-people to help their company grow, and named it Mojang. By this time millions of people had bought Minecraft and were playing it on their own and with friends. Players loved the freedom Minecraft gave them to explore the interesting and diverse worlds and use the elements within it to express themselves and be creative. In Survival Mode players crafted items and built shelters during the day, so they could protect themselves from zombie attacks at night.  

Over the next few years Markus and Mojang continued to make Minecraft better. They fixed bugs in the software (a bug is a problem in the software) and added new items and new elements that made Minecraft more fun and interesting. 

By the year 2014 Mojang had sold over 17 million copies of Minecraft and it had become one of the best selling computer games of all time. The same year Microsoft bought Minecraft and Mojang for 2.5 billion dollars! This gave Microsoft not only the game, but ownership over the intellectual property — which means they could sell or make anything using the Minecraft name. 

Microsoft continued to improve on Minecraft and also made versions for the Xbox and Playstation and a Pocket Edition for mobile devices like Android and iPhones and tablets such as the iPad.

Another reason Minecraft has become popular, is that it allows its players to modify or “mod” the game. This means if you have the idea for a new weapon or skin for your character, or a new type of block or element in the game — if you take the time to learn the coding skills, you can create whatever you want in the game. This has led to thousands and thousands of unique “mods” that players create and make available to other players. Minecraft is the way many people first learned how to write code. They were interested in “modding” Minecraft, so they read books or online articles and figured out how to do it by writing computer code. For any kids who are interested, there are many great websites out there that teach kids how to code or “mod” Minecraft.

Over the years, the Minecraft community has spread across the world. To date there are around 126 million users. Some players have become famous sharing their gameplay on YouTube and to date, Minecraft is the most watched video game on YouTube. A few of the most popular YouTubers are Stampy, PrestonPlayz, TheAtlanticCraft and Popular MMOs. But don’t be deceived that this job is an easy one. YouTubers who have gone far have spent countless hours perfecting their craft and presentation. Preparing videos to share with their fans takes many hours of focus and dedication. 

With such a huge community, Minecrafters now meet once a year for a Minecraft Convention called MineCon. At Minecon they meet at a huge convention center in different cities around the world and come together to play Minecraft, meet YouTubers, make costumes, and learn more about their favorite creative video game. The first Minecon was held in November 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. More recently, Minecon Live is streamed online so players all over the world can tune in to join in the fune, too. 

Often Minecrafters join together and work on huge worlds and creations. Looking on the Internet we found cities with hundreds of buildings, a gigantic Space Shuttle, castles from Lord of the Rings, and a Spanish Galleon. The planning and dedication to create these structures is pretty amazing if you think about it.

With its popularity, Minecraft has become more than just a video game. Now it has movies, several book series, toys, t-shirts, action figures and all types of collectibles to give its fans plenty of other mediums to experience and enjoy their favorite game world. 

Minecraft is considered one of the most important games of the last 20 years and in 2010 it was inducted into the video game hall of fame.

It’s pretty interesting to learn how things come to be, right? Often we see them or play them in the case of Minecraft and just take them for granted. But the original creator and thousands of programmers and designers and fans have put countless hours into making games like Minecraft into what they are now. Have you ever had the idea for a video game or other creation you’ve dreamed up in your imagination? If so, take the next step and use a pencil and paper to write down your ideas. Create a story and draw a few pictures of what it might look like. If you’re interested in coding there are plenty of great tools out there for kids like Scratch, CodeAcademy, Code.org and CodaKid is one of our favorites. Also, ask if your library uses Prenda Code Club. You can learn more about it at PrendaCodeClub.com. It’s actually a website I helped create, so I recommend checking it out. 

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