“Theme Park Kitchen” game. (Credit: New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – A new video game aimed at young children and teens about food safety has been created by a team at New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service.
The media production team in the NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Innovation Media Research and Extension and Learning Games Laboratory developed “Theme Park Kitchen.” This game includes information about storing and cooking food, safe cooking times for meat, poultry, and fish, and how to avoid cross-contamination.
This game was funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's New Technologies for Agricultural Extension Grant.
“Young people learn how to prepare and handle food from those around them who may not know about food safety or the importance of proper processes. To meet this need, our team teaches young people about food safety. “We developed 'Theme Park Kitchen,' an online learning game that teaches the practice of learning in an engaging way,” said Matheus Cezarotto, educational technology extension specialist at Innovative Media Research and Extension, in a news release. “Players explore the adorable world of the theme park while preparing and serving increasingly complex dishes. As they learn the tricks, they learn which actions add or remove contamination to keep customers safe. You have to remember what to do.”
During the creation of the game, the NMSU Learning Games Lab team worked with 40 local youth to test the game and provide feedback.
A redesign of 2011's Ninja Kitchen, Theme Park Kitchen is more accessible, more diverse in expression, and avoids cultural stereotypes. During the creation of the game, the NMSU Learning Games Lab team worked with his 40 local youth to test the game and provide feedback.
Click here to play the game.
