Innovative Computer Game Strives to Help Children Deal with Realities of Divorce
While a divorce can be especially hard on children, a Jerusalem company is trying to make the process a lit bit easier with a computer game that aims to help kids cope with this major change in their lives. Zipland Interactive says that its new computer game, Earthquake in Zipland, is the first-research based game to tackle the problems that children may encounter following a divorce.
The game begins in Zipland, a small paradise kept together by a zipper which is supposed to represent the marriage of the island’s King and Queen in the story and the user’s parents in reality. When an earthquake separates Zipland and leaves the King and Queen on two different islands, the game’s main character “Moose” attempts to build a new zipper and bring everything back to the way it was. However, Moose realizes during his adventures that this is not possible and thus helps children playing the game deal with a wide variety of emotional issues surrounding divorce, including anger, guilt and this fantasy to reunite parents.
The creators of Earthquake in Zipland say the game uses techniques and insights from various fields, including child therapy and clinical psychology, to help kids deal with their parents’ divorce. Intended for ages 9-12, this innovative game is also recommended for therapists and school counselors. Watch an Earthquake in Zipland demo. As for parents who may be interested in using this game as a means to help their children following a divorce, they can learn more about it with this Parent’s Guide.
