Nintendo of Canada sent out the following
Nintendo of Canada and Actua, Canada’s leading STEM outreach organization, have teamed up to bring Nintendo Labo kits to Actua network members nationwide, combining the innovative play of Nintendo Labo with the basic principles of science, technology, engineering,and mathematics (STEM) to inspire youth and help make learning fun. Nintendo has providedNintendo Labo: Variety Kits, Nintendo Labo:Vehicle Kits and Nintendo Switch systems to participating network member programs to reinforce digital literacy skills. The program aims to reach approximately 2,000 students ages 8 to 12 during 2018.
Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools to make DIY creations like a Fishing Rod, Piano and RC Car; play games with these creations through a mix of physical and digital experiences; and discover how Nintendo Switch technology brings it all to life. Ever since the first two Nintendo Labo kits debuted in April, people of all ages have become amateur inventors using a mode included in the software called Toy-Con Garage. Toy-Con Garage introduces basic principles of programming, allowing anyone to use the tools and technology within each kit to develop their own imaginative creations, from fully-realized musical instruments to analog clocks and much more.
Nintendo is partnering with Actua to inspire Canadian youth to be the innovators of tomorrow through digital literacy programs that offer hands-on experience with new and emerging technologies, like Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Labo. Nintendohas provided Nintendo Labo kits and Nintendo Switch to 21 Actua network members who have been using them since September, determining how best to incorporate them into their fall and winter programming.
“There is a real gap in opportunities for young Canadians to learn about the technology that is shaping our world. Not just how to use technology, but how to design it and build it too. Nintendo Labo offers youth an exceptional opportunity to experience the digital-physical interface, and to better understand how technology works, and how it can be designed to power our physical world,” said Jennifer Flanagan, Actua CEO. “We are pleased to partner with Nintendo to provide more opportunities for all youth, regardless of background, or socioeconomic status, to build skills and confidence in science and technology.”
This program is part of a broader North American initiative to introduce Nintendo Labo in different educational settings. In the U.S., Nintendo is partnering with the Institute of Play (IOP), a nonprofit committed to creating transformational play-based learning experiences, to help teachers in 100 schools across the country to integrate Nintendo Labo into their curriculum.
“The ingenuity of Nintendo Switch brings Nintendo Labo to life to provide a fun way for kids to explore basic STEM topics together and be entertained while building a fundamental understanding of the technology behind them,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “We hope our programs in the United States and Canada encourage kids to explore, tinker, problem-solve and, in the process, get excited about design and technology—all while having fun.”
For more information about the Nintendo Labo partnership with Actua, visit https://www.nintendo.com/en_CA.
Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/en_CA/switch/.
This is excellent news. This will help kids in many ways!