There are a huge number of educational computer games for kids. Some are online, some are designed for PC or consoles. This page focuses on some of the games with a science or medical element.
Kids love doctor, nurse and hospital games. As they get older, some will become interested in the science of health care and medicine. Treating sick animals in veterinary simulation games will engage children from a very young age and is another way to encourage an interest in science based learning.
Veterinary Games
Vet games are one of the most popular genres of simulation games on the net with an ever growing number of titles. Some vet games are highly realistic and follow the kinds of procedures a real vet adopts. Other games are aimed at younger children and foster a concern for the welfare of animals.
Legacy Games
Legacy have produced some of the most successful vet games and achieved wide popularity with Zoo Vet and Farm Vet. These games appeal most to young teens. In each game there are a wide range of animals to treat. Emphasis is on patient diagnosis followed by the correct selection and application of treatments.
In Zoo Vet, for example, there are several ways to examine each animal ranging from an ophthalmoscope to an x-ray machine. The animal can be monitored with a blood oxygen meter, a stethoscope and a thermometer. There are blood, urine and bacterial tests to administer. Diagnosis is made in a question and answer format with children entering the results of tests and eventually being led to a diagnosis. After this, treatment can begin. This might be the administration of medication or even surgery. For each successful treatment the player receives rewards like an office upgrade or an accolade.
Farm Vet follows a similar pattern of game play but also includes a large 3D world for the player to explore. There is also more emphasis on playing with the animal between treatments.
Paws and Claws
There are several titles available in the Paws and Claws series from Valusoft (for PC). They involve running a veterinary clinic in a variety of setting. Some settings are town based, some countryside based. Each has a large virtual world. There is less emphasis on strictly scientific investigation of animal illnesses and more on creating and running a clinic. Even so, there are many animals in need of simple treatments. Paws and Claws is suitable for younger children than the Legacy Games but has hooked many parents as well!
Petz Vet
This game is part of the popular Petz series and offers the chance to care for sick animals with problems like a broken leg, sunburn or asthma
Online Vet Games
There is range of games for online players. These are suitable for all ages with the emphasis much more on care, grooming and organizational skills (in a busy clinic, for example). There is a link below for online vet games.
Operation Games
Moving to the world of human medicine, there are many excellent online games available. Some of the best come from the Edheads team and have titles like' Virtual Knee Surgery' and 'Deep brain Stimulation'. These offer realistic operations in a cartoon-like format which are fact packed and engaging. The games come with teacher's notes and supporting material for use in an academic environment but teenagers find the games engrossing and will play them without any encouragement from educators!
There are also a number of heart surgery games from various charities and educational organizations.
A link for operation games can be found at the foot of this article.
PC Games with a Medical Theme
Medical simulation games have titles like 911 Paramedic. Hospital Tycoon, Sarahs's Emergency Room and Theme Hospital. Each has a particular focus. The Paramedic game is from Legacy games and has a diagnose, monitor and treat format. Hospital Tycoon and Theme Hospital are more comic than serious as you try to manage a large hospital and deal with (often difficult) patients and staff. Sarah's Emergency Room follows a nurse as she progresses through her first year in her job.
'The Sims' also offer a hospital game- but only in Sims 2. In 'The Sims 3 Lifetime Wishes' game, you can pursue the life and career (amongst many options) of World Renowned Surgeon!
Will these games encourage Children to be Vets, Doctors or Scientists?
They can certainly help you identify kids who have scientific interests. There is also plenty for kids to learn about important areas of life.
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