Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Natural disasters become less scary in sim games.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Stop Disasters!
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
What's It About?
The United Nations' International Strategy for Disaster Reduction organization came up with STOP DISASTERS! game to help kids learn about natural disasters, how to prevent and mitigate their effects, and how to deal with the aftermath. This game educates kids by having them play through five scenarios: a tsunami in Southeast Asia, a hurricane in the Caribbean, a wildfire in Australia, an earthquake in the Mediterranean, and a flood in Europe. Each disaster can be played on three levels of difficulty. In each scenario, kids are given a set amount of money and time to make improvements to a community before a natural hazard occurs. As you play the simulation, you're given suggestions about how to prepare your community for the upcoming hazard. When you are done with preparations, the disaster occurs, which you watch from a top-down perspective. The game judges you on how well you protected your community.
Is It Any Good?
As with all good simulation games, in Stop Disasters!, kids learn by trial and error. The great plus here is that developers have taken extra steps to ensure that players are engaged whether they succeed in a round or not. Sharp graphics (for a sim) and great sound elements boost engagement; and the rush of racing against the clock leaves players wanting more regardless of the outcome. One caveat: Given the nature of the topic, some kids may find the simulations scary. But while people are reported as dead or injured, you never see anyone being hurt -- most of the fallout from disasters is reported as a fake news bulletin at the end of each round.
For those not put off by the subject matter, the game offers a terrific immersion that illustrates how public safety must be carefully engineered. In addition to learning by doing, the associated site to the game also provides fact sheets on each type of disaster and links to other resources.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether they live in an area likely to experience a natural disaster and what steps they can take to minimize its effect.
Many times, people affected by disasters don't have access to the Internet or cell phone coverage. How else might they get information they need to protect themselves? Warning systems? Radio broadcasts?
Game Details
- Platforms : Mac , Windows
- Subjects : Science : engineering, ecosystems and the environment, weather, Social Studies : events, global awareness, the economy, Math : money, numbers, statistics
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence, applying information, problem solving, Emotional Development : empathy, handling stress, persevering, Responsibility & Ethics : learning from consequences, making wise decisions, Self-Direction : time management, work to achieve goals, working efficiently
- Pricing structure : Free
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
- Release date : March 5, 2007
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : Science and Nature
- Character Strengths : Empathy
- ESRB rating : NR
- Last updated : July 28, 2018
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