Awards and Reviews.
Hear it from real Youth Digital parents and kids, and award organizations.
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Parent & Student Reviews."I can’t say enough good things about this course! Obviously, students learn beginning programming skills by editing and changing existing Java code. They learn the logic of programming and the challenge of troubleshooting. But they also learn some excellent applied mathematics! This course capitalizes on kids’ love of Minecraft and shows them how necessary some middle school math skills are to design the games they love. It’s educational gold!” -M Stahl “Our 13 year old can’t get enough of this lovely course. The teacher is engaging, funny, & keeps him hooked from the start to end of each lesson. I hear so much laughter each time he tunes into a lesson & the results he gets on the quizzes are amazing. Now the others can’t wait to be signed up for classes!!” -Kendra “This course was amazing! The class is fun and presented in a very upbeat and motivating way. We looked forward to each lesson and learned so much. Built a great understanding of coding in a fun way. Very impressed.” -Patti P. |
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"If you asked my 9 year old son what is the best thing he has done in homeschool, he would say Mod Design One- hands down! I got him this class for Christmas and for the next three months he raced through his school work every day so he could do this class, and even asked to work on his Mod on the weekends. He had very little programming experience when he started, but has successfully created a mod he is proud to show everyone, and is already planning to go through the lessons again to make another mod. The support staff has been great- my son has been able to contact them and solve his problems without my involvement. the video segments are so engaging that the younger siblings crowd around the computer to watch. I have been very happy with Youth Digital, and am already thinking about which class we will do next!”
-Julie W.
"I bought Fashion Design 1 for my daughter after my son had such a positive experience with the Mod Design 1 class from Youth Digital. She is really enjoying it and learning a lot. She is not only learning about fashion design, but about file management and learning how to get help from customer service online. This company has the best customer service I've ever seen. Help e-mails are copied to my account so I can see what my kids are doing and what they need. Follow up messages from Youth Digital are timely, friendly, and very helpful. My son is almost done with Mod Design 1 and he is already looking for his next course. Thanks for a great product with EXCELLENT customer service!!!"
- Melissa B.
“My 12 yr old daughter LOVED this. The video lessons were hilarious and easy to understand. Any questions she had were answered fully and by the following day. Her attitude toward maths has completely changed now from thinking it was boring and irrelevant to now understanding one of the practical applications of algebra. She loved it so much she spent every spare minute of her holidays using it, completing the whole course and getting %100 for her assessment in a matter of months. We will definitely be buying anything else that Youth Digital produce as she is now seriously considering a career in I.T.”
-Christie L Australia
“This has been the best purchase, by far, in my homeschool curriculum! My son loves the class. The videos are easy to understand, entertaining and done in a step by step fashion to ensure success. When my son did have trouble, Youth Digital was quick to respond to the email and helped him through. The troubleshooting and reviews at the end of each segment are valuable and check for understanding before moving on to the next lesson. We will definitely continue to look for more DigitalYouth products that interest our family. My younger son has been watching his big brother and can’t wait to try it next school year! “Justin” feels like part of our family now! I have told many people about it and highly recommend this product. I can’t speak highly enough on the quality of this product and the timely and effective customer service! I have been pleasantly impressed!”
-Kellie D.
“We have been using this for a few months. - 10 year old son. He has been doing this completely on his own. He has made two mistakes and received error messages. We contact them and they respond promptly, are always nice, and help him see where he missed something or had a typo. He absolutely loves his class. I have him on a schedule where he uses the class two evening a week. While his brother is at karate. He would love to do more! When you consider the cost of karate classes and other sports that parents are willing to pay for - this is a great deal! My son is not interested in these type of sports, although he is always outside playing or helping us. So, we consider this his sport/extracurricular activity.”
-Melody S.
“This is a great product. The boys are thrilled to design and publish their own mod for minecraft. I am thrilled because it is not something that they will never use. It’s Java and it is real programming experience, definitely something they will use and build on.”
-Betty Jo R.
“This course was just what we needed! It is both engaging and inspiring for my boys (14 & 15) who already enjoy playing Minecraft, are now in the process of learning how to make modification in game. They are keen on learning more of the coding (as this was primarily an opportunity for them to cut and paste, but still a good chance to learn how JAVA works and the importance of attention to detail and to see how changes they made modified the outcome). Both boys also had an opportunity to interact with the help desk, which was a good experience for them. The Admins are prompt, helpful and courteous. I would recommend this course.”
-Michelle M.
“Our son, 11, has really enjoyed making his own tools, foods, and other items on Minecraft. My husband and I are happy that he is learning a programming language. It has been great exposure for him. Thanks for offering this great program to the homeschooling community!”
-Sharon H.
“My son has been using the Mod Design 1 program for a few weeks now and he is really enjoying it! He says it is awesome and highly recommends that other people use it also. The videos are well done, fun and very informative. He has used the customer support and has found that they are very prompt and helpful with their responses, and all issues have been resolved quickly and efficiently. I have included this program in his homeschool curriculum, and it is the one subject that he does willingly and enthusiastically. We will continue to use this product, and are looking to purchase other products from this company.”
-Ellen M.
“My children love to work on their Mod Design project. The class has been very easy to understand, and it keeps them interested. With the instructional videos they can keep going on their own, which frees me to work with other children on other subjects.”
-Theresa P.
“Mod Design 1 has been a really fun addition to my son’s education. He really enjoys the quality video lessons, and the rest of the family find themselves hovering around while he watches. It catches and holds his attention and teaches all the concepts in a very straight forward way. I haven’t had to help him at all in the process, so he feels really empowered to be working with all of the technology on his own. We also really enjoy the creativity you get to have in the whole experience. It is a wide, wide world of possibilities and my kids have had many fun discussions trying to decide a theme for my son’s Mod. This is the most kid friendly technology curriculum I have seen out there. I say that based not only on ease of use, but on entertainment level and volume and quality of info taught. No one told the folks at Youth Digital that kids need lots of entertainment and very little substance. They have accomplished an incredible feat in making a product that gets all the info across, but also makes kids WANT to use it. I have recommended this product to friends, and will continue to do so. The price is pretty high for our family’s budget, but I think the quality is there to justify it. As budget allows, we will definitely use Youth Digital’s products in the future.
This company makes laugh-out-loud fun products with a high skill level of learning and couples it all with great customer service. What more can a parent want?”
-Britany F.
“I think this course helped kick my son into gear into finding something he really enjoys besides just playing a game. Now he has seen what it is like to actually have a part in creating a game and he is looking forward to learning more about programming. It is great to see your children become interested in productive activities. Thanks for offering this great course!”
-Chris
“My son has thoroughly enjoyed this course. It has challenged his creativity and has helped him think through what he is going to do. Good qualities to take with you through life. I would definitely recommend the course to others. He is looking forward to the follow-on course.”
-Chris G.
“When I first saw Mod Design 1, I thought that it would be a huge hit with my son (a 9-year-old-Minecraft-fanatic), but my husband (who knows programming) was concerned that Java would be too difficult for a first time programmer. I over-ruled him and I’m so glad that I did. My son loves it and asks to “mod” as an after-school treat. My 7-year-old daughter is now begging me to get her it. The kids have both told all of their friends about it, and I have told their parents, who inevitably ask after hearing my kids’ rave reviews. I would highly recommend this product.
Here is my son’s review:
“I love it! Justin is very enjoyable to watch and learn from. He walks you through all of the steps needed to finish what you are working on. He makes it fun and easy!””
-Jennifer M.
“I purchased this for my 14-year-old, since he loves Minecraft and has expressed an interest in programming. Once he really got into the course, he became enthralled by the ability to create his own mods. Having done a bit of previewing of the course (and assisting with the occasional troubleshooting), I have to say that I think they’ve put together a fine product and it’s a very good value.
The instructor, Justin, is goofy and accessible to kids and the instructions are very specific, which is important for anybody that is learning coding.
I am absolutely planning on purchasing one or more additional Youth Digital courses and have already recommended it to several friends.”
-Nathan A.
“I think the Mod Design 1 is great because the teacher in the videos is very funny. He explains the code in eclipse really well.”
-Michael A.
“This was an excellent product with great online help. It made Java code fun for my children and we have/do recommend it! Currently our kids are working on their second mode now. They really enjoy this.”
-Beverly
“Mod Design has been an awesome program for my son (13). He recently expressed an interest in computer programming. With his love for all things Minecraft I thought this might be a good way to get his feet wet in programming. He LOVES it!! There are 12 modules to complete in the program which I thought would occupy him for awhile. He enjoys it so much that he has just begun number 11 already. His younger siblings like to try out the new mods he’s made when its their turn to play Minecraft. Great program, and Youth Digital has several other courses that I plan to consider down the road.”
-S. Hajek
"My daughter loved the Fashion Design 1 course. The teacher gave her great feedback and she finished the course very quickly because she just wanted to keep working on it! This was our 2nd Youth Digital course, and we have since taken a 3rd, and are about to start a 4th."
-Julie
“My son is on his 3rd class with Youth Digital and I plan to purchase all the classes if his interest continues. We have learned a lot and just love the classes.”
-Susan T.
“My son is a big Minecraft fan and was excited to be able to create custom mods. He got to learn how Minecraft works from the inside. The instructor is entertaining in his instructions. Highly recommended as first exposure to programming and for Minecraft fans. I plan to try other classes.”
-Mr. Alamo
“Both my 10 and 12 year old boys love MineCraft and were excited to take this class. They found the instructors to be quite entertaining and the activities both fun and the right level of challenge. They learned quite a bit about programming as well as using creative programs like Gimp. I would highly recommend this class.”
-Tammy M.
“Our family has enjoyed the Mod Design 1 class! The instructor is funny, with humor that is age appropriate. The steps are easy to follow, and the kids feel a sense of accomplishment throughout. This is a creative way to use a child’s natural interest, in this instance Minecraft, to introduce them to Java programming.”
-Juli S.
“My 13 year old son says: I love this Mod Design 1 course. It is the best resource in mod design I have ever seen. It goes through every step in amazing up-to-date accuracy. It is cool in every way, shape, and form. He looks forward to each lesson and I never have to remind him to get to work!”
-Roxanne M.
“My family has enjoyed this educational project. It has been extremely entertaining and the support we have received has been exceptional.”
-D. Moore
“My 9-year-old son has been using Youth Digital’s Mod Design 1 for several months now. It has been a wonderful experience for him. He is really learning how to program with a real programming language in a game that he loves - Minecraft! The videos are excellent and easy to follow. I am really impressed with how much he’s learned already. When we have needed support from Youth Digital, they have responded promptly and resolved our concern. This is the best programming experience my son has had so far.”
-Debi R.
“My grandson loves this program. He has created a sword to use in Minecraft. The program eases them into learning computer programming in a fun manner. The excitement over creating on the computer is increasing energy with other school tasks. Thank you for this program.”
-The Andreponts
“My 10 year old daughter, who had NO previous Java exposure, began the Mod-Design-1 course at the beginning of the year. She finished her first Mod within 8 weeks. Since the license we purchased said it was good for an entire year, I told her to continue creating mods and asking the teaching staff for assistance. She’s now almost finished with her second, more complex mod and I am very pleased with the team responsible for interacting with the students. They are friendly, encouraging and seem sincerely excited to be teaching and shaping the next generation of IT experts. My daughter, my IT husband and I highly recommend this program and company!”
-A. Crosby
“We absolutely love this! It is just great, the kids have no problems following it (and learning English, which is second language) and learn so much - the course is well designed and the instructor fabulous :-) My kids have really gotten into game designs with this so we’re thinking about some of the other courses from YD in the near future. I have told lots of people about it, in our home chooling community and outside it :-)”
-Sisse H.
“My 10 year old Ds has adored this product, and we will struggle to get a years worth out of it, as he’s nearly finished it in 3 months. A great springboard to learning Java for other applications. We have recommended it to lots of friends!”
-A. Phillips
“My twin 14 year old boys are obsessed with Minecraft. They each received this as a Christmas gift. Both of them are really enjoying the course. They really like the instructor, the customer service has been very helpful when they had issues, and we are excited to be able to count this course as an elective for our homeschool. We will definitely finish the course!”
-Lise B.
"This 3D Printing & Modeling course, and all the courses we have done through Youth Digital, is fantastic. The lessons are clear, concise, entertaining, and the student support is wonderful. My kids feel pride in their finished work and their ability to use such "grown up" software. I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to take Youth Digital's new fashion design course!"
- Elisha W.
“My son has really enjoyed the Minecraft Mod Design which is helping him appreciate the game even more. While there have been some misunderstandings on his part for the programming code, the technical assistance from YouthDigital has been wonderful. They are timely Mon-Fri in responding to help from the kid’s questions. The Mod Design 1 class is really comprehensive with entertaining video lessons. As a parent I don’t know about programming, so having a class my son can take that is complete with tech assistance is wonderful. YouthDigital has been a blessing for our family. Hopefully they will have more classes for MAC users like us because after this class, my son wants to take all the other classes they offer.”
-Sharon A.
“So I asked my child “what is so great about youth digital mod design 1” and he said “EVERYTHING”! He said it really brings out your imagination. He also learned about coding in java and he says it is very complicated. As a parent, I am so glad I made this purchase.”
-K. Pearson
"I love the Youth Digital 3D-Animation course a lot. I am 12 years old. One of the things that I like is that the videos are fun to watch. I never got bored while doing the course, simply because it is funny. Another thing that I like is it gave me a giant boost with my animating hobby. Before I did the course, I was not making that much progress with animating. I was using a different program that wasn't as good, and I almost knew nothing. After taking this course, I started using Blender (the program they teach you to animate with). I made a lot more progress. I am working on a new project right know. It will definitely help my dream of being an animator as a career come true. If that is your dream or you just want to tell a good story, I would definitely recommend this course for you. Also the 3D Printing and Modeling Course could also help you teach you how to make characters in the same program. I am definitely going to take that one next."
- ACE
“We purchased this program for my 10 year old son to learn with my husband. They’ve had a blast! It’s been great to watch them learn about writing code for MineCraft and put it to good use. We are looking forward to moving forward with the program and complete it.”
-Amanda
"3D Animation is our third Youth Digital course and like the previous two it is terrific. The course is taught in such a way to be both challenging and "doable". The thing that sets this course apart is the INCREDIBLE support. When my son has a problem he sends a chat and within 24 hours (except Sundays, they are closed on Sundays) there is a very clear explanation and helpful suggestions."
- LA Day
“My 7-year old Minecraft fan and I have been taking this course together. The (somewhat complicated) material is presented in such a light-hearted step-by-step fashion, that neither one of us feels daunted. Because it’s in short modules, we can tackle it a little at a time, which is helpful with his young attention span. We are VERY impressed with this high-quality course and would recommend it to anybody with an interest in Minecraft and making mods.”
-Amy E
“My 11-year-old daughter is so motivated by the enthusiasm of the instructor and the fact that she is learning to make her own Minecraft mod, that she does this class of her own accord. My computer professional husband is impressed with the material she is learning. My daughter says, “Mod Design 1 is really fun, and so is the teacher! He always says funny jokes about his ‘Grandmodder’. I even want to do this during my free time!””
-Angela S.
“This is my son’s second class from Youth Digital. He is learning a great deal about Java and programming, while having fun. The teachers at Youth Digital have been fantastic. He works on his Mod daily. I look forward to seeing his completed Mod. This course has required very little input from me, allowing me time for grading/etc during the school day. I’m very pleased with both of the courses we’ve purchased from Youth Digital.”
-Jenn L.
“Mod-Design-1is by far is my son’s favorite course. I often hear him laughing when he watches the instructional video. The course is well designed and can be done independently. I helped him do the initial download of the software but it was not necessary because the process was well taught step by step. This was a great investment to jump start interest into the world of computer programming. We have since purchased another course from Digital Media and have had the same response. The price tag was a bit high but the quality is high and the motivation it produced in an otherwise hard to motivate student was priceless.”
-Laurie
“We got the Mod Design 1 class for both of my boys. They absolutely love this class. Some days they even do beyond their daily work and keep going. Thanks so much!”
-Heather T.
“This class is so well produced! The videos are engaging and the instruction is very thorough. The lessons are challenging but not too hard for my 11yo to do on his own. He’s very proud of what he’s been able to produce using Mod Design 1. This class is a great value and I highly recommend it.”
-Rachel M.
“My boys, ages 13 and 11, loved taking ModDesign 1. The videos kept them engaged and challenged. The instructors always responded promptly whenever we had a question. I was so impressed with Youth Digital that I registered for the 3D Game Design class through Homeschool Buyers Co-Op.”
-Kelly
“Mod Design I has been so great for us! We have enjoyed the amusing and engaging lessons taught by the super knowledgable instructor. The interface that is used to deliver the online class is first rate. These guys have seriously raised the bar! My son has learned so much and is eager to get started with the 3D graphics class. ”
-Michelle S.
“I feel like I’ve “tricked” my son into learning programming! He LOVES this class and all the cool things he can do with it! I love that he’s learning something that could help in his future career!”
-Bethany N.
“My 11yo has had a great time with this class. He seems to be learning a lot, and it is presented in an engaging way. Help desk has also been very helpful.”
-J. Marchman
“Youth Digital is awesome!!! We purchased Mod Design 1 for our 9 year old son about a year after purchasing Game Design 1. We have been so excited to be able to tailor his schooling to something he loves that is also great career training. And, the prices through HBC were unbeatable! Our son loves doing his Mod Design each day and the training videos are SO fun and informative. I love hearing him in there cracking up as he watches the videos. I have often heard him say, “This is awesome!” The support from Youth Digital has been fantastic. Whenever we have an issue, we hear back from them right away and sometimes several times a day as we email or chat back and forth. They are always super friendly, helpful, and very clear in their instructions. I can’t say enough good things about Youth Digital and their products. :) We will definitely be purchasing more of their classes!”
-Rachelle P.
“We purchased Mod-Design 1 for our 11 yo son. He is learning so much and enjoying creating his own mod for Mine Craft. This class is not only teaching him to mod his favorite game, he is also learning the computer language JAVA which I’m sure will help him in the future should he wish to pursue computer programming later on.”
-KB. Avery
“This is the first java class my son has taken and it has been a wonderful experience. The instructional videos are funny, entertaining, and educational. My son was able to advance through the class primarily through the video instruction, however, when he did run into a few problems, the teachers were always ready, eager, and capable of fixing his issues. I highly recommend the class.”
-S. O’Connor
“We are extremely happy with our decision to purchase this for our 11 year old son. This is so much more than just learning Java Script. Although that in itself is worth while. Our son has learned so much and is proud of his accomplishments. As parents, we are too. Let’s face it, video games are not on our priority list, but they are on our kids list! This was a great way for us to take his love for gaming to a whole new level. Practical skills our son has learned is how to follow instructions, and consequently, what happens when you don’t!, how to ask for help, how to fix his own mistakes, patience, and self control, persistence-it pays off, problem solving, collaboration with others to name a few. The ability to be creative and have complete control over his own project has empowered him in good ways. We have no regrets with Mod Design 1. Justin, the instructor was fantastic. His lessons were engaging and humerous. When we needed on line teacher help, we got it. They were prompt, courteous and helpful. We have recommended this product to many others already. Some of whom have purchased Mod Design 1. It’s been rewarding to hear my son get phone calls from other kids asking for help and advice and seeing how he is meeting their needs. Again I have to say...This is so much more than learning Java Script!
Sincerely,
-Kelly G.
“MOD-Design has been a great experience for my daughter! She has become so computer savvy that she is now teaching her older siblings about all things computer related. We couldn’t be happier with the skills she is acquiring. And the support from Youth Digital is timely and excellent. We are beyond satisfied with these courses! Our daughter can’t wait to move on to more challenges and other courses. Thank you, Youth Digital!”
-A. Hauck
“My son loved the Youth Digital Mod Design course. He got up every morning and asked when he could work on his course! I highly recommend it!”
-M. Robinson
“This is a fabulous course!! The support team are wonderful, friendly and helpful. My 11 year old son loves it and is inspired to learn more about game design and programming after he finishes this course. We’re very pleased! :D”
-Sarah
“I can’t say enough good things about this product. It’s worth it’s weight at full price since I never had to make my child sit down and do this course daily, she simply loved it. The video instructions are rather interactive. The support staff is very helpful and speedy in their responses. Not only that but my daughter learned the basics about Java programming, painlessly while creating items in minecraft. I wish they had more products in other computer languages, and when they do, I’ll gladly sign my kids up.”
-Nita
“I purchased this product for my son although he was at the high end of the suggested ages. He loves computer games and favors mine craft, so this program really interested him. He has really enjoyed not only the course itself, but also having the support team available when things don’t go as planned. We plan to order several of the other courses offered by this company! An excellent buy for our family!”
-Kim B
“This is a great course - worth the money if you child is interested in coding or modifying mine craft. The video lessons are enough fun that my daughter calls us in to watch the funny parts and will play them multiple time. Their response to questions is 24 hrs max, they only take Sundays off. And my daughter is learning to code in java - she really has a grasp of how changes in one section affect the game and how to find and correct errors. It seems a bit expensive with so many “free options” out there - but the it is organized, progressive, and fun in a way no free program is.
It’s worth the price.”
-Ray D.
“Our son really enjoyed this class. Their instructional videos are fantastic and have the best geek humor. We highly recommend this class to anyone who has a kid interested in learning to mod Minecraft.”
-Heather H.
“Mod-Design-1 has been great for my daughter! It is engaging and entertaining while she is learning programming skills. Thank you for offering these courses!”
-A. Otto
“I originally bought this online course because Minecraft was dominating all of my son’s extra time and I thought that he could learn some valuable skills, such as a programming language, through this course. The best thing about this course is that they provide a skeleton of the program and allow the students to add to it slowly rather than starting from scratch. This helps in seeing immediate results. My son absolutely loves the videos and has gained quite a bit of knowledge about Java through this course. He looks forward to learning more about it every day. He has also learned a lot about troubleshooting and problem solving. I mentioned how much he enjoyed this course at our last curriculum-share night with our homeschool group.”
-Patricia M.
“LOVE IT!!! My older son started on the course first and my 7-year-old started watching and really wanted to do it also. We bought the course for him and, with my help with the reading, he has thrived! He loves the instructional videos -- Justin (the instructor) is great. Now that we are near the end of the course, my little guy can basically do everything himself and needs only a little of my help. It has also been great for me to refresh my own programming skills.”
-Debra H.
“We absolutely LOVE this class! We have recommended the Mod Design 1 class to people far and wide, including a family at Disney World who stopped to ask us a question. Justin, the teacher, is passionate, fun & engaging. What better way to learn. It is well worth the money!”
-Ann S.
“As a student user of a number of these Youth Digital courses I rate them 5 stars. The instructors are very clear and quite amusing. They teach you skills that can allow you to go beyond what they teach you after the course. The points system for each activity makes sure that students strive to do their best to unlock new content to add to their games. This specific course allows you to experiment and play with Minecraft. In conclusion this course is well done and fun, I would highly recommend getting it for any kid of ages 8+.”
-Joe P.
“This class (which offers access for an entire year!) has been incredible for my 10 year old son. He loves Minecraft, and now I have been able to redirect his creative efforts into learning a programming language!
The staff is excellent. They have a real talent for working with young kids, even through email. They are always encouraging and enthusiastic. I was initially concerned at running the help function through email for such young kids (they do have live chat available too, but I need not have worried. It’s been wonderful for my son’s typing and writing (learning to express what his problem is and ask for help) and the staff is exceedingly good at “deciphering” the “creative spelling” in some of the emails I don’t see beforehand.
Overall, I’m extremely pleased. So much so in fact, that I hope they come out with a Mod Design 2 soon. We’d easily pay full price for these classes in the future, if they aren’t offered at a discount. We plan to purchase App Design soon as well.”
-Lauren D
“Their addiction to Minecraft can be used for good! My 11 year old has been a Minecraft fanatic for several years. The opportunity to use his addiction as a learning tool was a no-brainer! He is learning computer skills while having fun playing?! Win win for this Mom!
Oh, and I am the hero for buying this for him :-)
Thank you for your product and for the savings!”
-Treva
“The teacher for this course is engaging and makes difficult problems easy to master. It allows you to learn Java and at the same time see your work as you go though the course. I highly suggest this course for anyone learning how to use Java.”
-Joel J.
“We’re not quite half way through yet, but my 10yo son is loving this course. His 8yo brother also enjoys watching the lessons. The videos are very entertaining and do a great job of walking a budding developer through the process of learning code and image editors. I’m hoping Youth Digital releases more Mac compatible products in the future.”
-Erik R.
“I bought the mod design 1 class for my 8 yr old son who had been using Minecraft for only 2 months. He had been curious about adding Mods but I had no clue about how to do that. The class is broken up into 12 modules that have several tutorial videos on how to do each step. There are review, troubleshooting challenges and quizzes in each mod. The user can accumulate points towards earning extra codes. My son earned a lightning sword, potion effects and default enchantments. He hopes to earn other odes. The creator, Justin, is hilarious in the videos. My son begged me to do more videos each day. He was mad when I didn’t have the time so he worked ahead. The class was very fun for him but he had times that were frustrating due to errors and also glitches due to our computer. No worries. The customer service was fabulous! The folks at Youth Digital sent detailed explanations on how to solve situations. They were always enthusiastic no matter how many emails we sent. Three times they were able to share our computer screen to solve our problems that were due to errors with JAVA software and the way our computer was set up. My son was able to learn many computer functions (and so was I), he learned about programming in JAVA, he became independent at sending emails asking for questions or providing suggestions to the company, his spelling improved, he learned it wasnt the end of the world if a mistake happened and he just finished his first mod!! What a great feeling for him! He now can redo the steps to make other mods or improve his first one. He loves this class and wants to do a gaming one at some time. This class was worth the price. I recommend it for any Minecraft lover.”
-Christine V.
“This is a GREAT learning home-school program for teens wanting to learn and take them to the next level in computer gaming with MineCraft. It is easy to download and to follow the module steps. When support is needed, the staff is quick to respond and solutions are often resolved quickly.”
-M. McCartney
“We purchased Mod-Design 1 for our 8th grade daughter. She has not completed the course, but has absolutely loved what she has finished. She likes how the videos explain things in a clear fashion, and that you have to practice each step. There is also daily review, with a quiz after each section. That all helps to make sure that she is truly understanding the material before moving on to the next section. Another huge plus is now entertaining and fun the videos are. She truly looks forward to watching them each day.”
-Leah B.
My 13 year old son completed Mod Design 1, and is currently taking Server Design 1. He is loving it! He has gone from the kind of student who has to be begged to finish his school work, to getting up by himself at 6 am, so he can complete his other school work and spend the rest of the day programming. I can't compare this to similar services, Youth Digital is our first Programming experience. But I have been impressed by how well supported it is, the online instructors are experts in their field, and have always been available to answer his questions. The material is presented in a way my son finds engaging and highly amusing. I definitely recommend this course if your student is interested in programming and likes Minecraft."
- E.T. Cable
“My 10 year old son, loves the Mod-Design-1 program. He used to spend a lot of time playing mine craft, which I thought was a waste of time, but now he has created many new tools and creatures for mine craft, while learning to program in Java. At times he gets frustrated with the programming, but has been able to work through the problems and learn more about Java. I highly recommend this program.”
-Ben E.
“My 14 year old son was very excited to add this to his school day. He is already asking for more and he currently has his eye on the app design. We have and will continue to recommend this to other students. Over all, this is a great instructional class, taking what the kids are interested in doing and making it a fun learning experience, that will benefit them in the years to come.”
-B. Beery
“Mod Design 1 has given my homeschooled 9th grader a chance to develop his computer skills through creating a Mod for Minecraft, his favorite computer game. Learning about and coding Java is a brand new set of skills that he is enjoying. Another advantage is that this program works on our iMac. I am so pleased with this purchase!”
-Melissa V.
“My 9 yr. old son enjoys Mod Design 1. When he encounters problems, he emails Customer Service and they respond right away. I’ve also been able to help him solve problems on his own which provides for more learning and problem solving skills. It has allowed him to be creative, understand the work that goes into his favorite game and given him an easily accessible glimpse into the world of Java.”
-D.C.
“I looked for a while to find a programming class for my 10 year old son that would not be so dry! This class certainly met our needs. It’s fun, packed full of information and the support team is quick to respond with any questions. I’ll be buying additional classes from you!”
-Keely A.
“My 10 yr old son and I have been working through MineCraft Modding together and we both love it. Entertaining and educational. I have learned a lot as well as my son. I am not a computer expert by any means it is easy to use and understand. Highly recommend.”
-Rhonda S.
“My 11 year-old son and I love the program! He has learned so much in a fun and engaging way. He would do 6 lessons a day if he could:) This is our stand out purchase of the curriculum year. Money well-spent for us.”
-Sue W.
“Mod Design 1 is the third Youth Digital course my 10-year-old son has taken over the past two years (after Game Design 1 and App Design). As always, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the course. Youth Digital courses are the best online classes we’ve encountered and teach great basic computer/keyboarding skills as well as the specific programming lessons. Courses have a nice progression and are easy for the kids to follow along with independently (a big bonus for homeschool moms!) Technical support is quick and helpful whenever kids run into a glitch, and the feedback they receive on their final product is very thoughtful. My son recently completed his mod and ask every day when he gets to start his next Youth Digital course!”
-Jessica L.
“We’ve been struggling with how to integrate more computer programming into our 12-year-old’s curriculum. There are many programs out there to use, but unfortunately most require my support and I just don’t know enough to be helpful to him. We tried Mod Design 1, expecting that with a year to use it if I had to learn it first so I could help him that would give us plenty of time. Thankfully, the support they have provided my son has been wonderful and the fact that he can use the product and ask for assistance on his own when he’s struggling has kept him moving forward quickly. So, we’ve had use of it for a month and he’s been through the entire program. Now he’s able to basically start over and improve upon what he’s already learned. He loves it! We’ve even invited other families who might be interested in purchasing to come sit with him to see how it works.”
-Beth P.
“Great class! I’m a computer scientist, and I mentor a robotics team at the local high school. Teaching a 10-year old Java seemed like a real challenge. This class does a great job of introducing troublesome concepts in a fun way. The focus on Minecraft keeps it playful. Each section ends with a challenge or quiz that gives points toward bonus codes. Our kid enjoys the lessons, remembers the importance of tricky syntax like commas and semi-colons, and is comfortable with terms like instantiation. I’ve recommended this to several co-workers who are looking for good classes to teach their kids programming.”
-Tim E.
“WOW! What a great course. This is one of those courses in which you do not have to tell your child to do, they beg to do it! My son, 13, finished the course in 4 months. It was engaging, well planned, and the instructors were available as promised. The feedback/help on the MOD was quick and friendly. The website was easy to navigate and visually appealing. I would say I highly recommend this, but if I left out my sons input I would be in trouble. We are already looking at doing the following 3D classes etc, but will have to be a birthday present (YES, he would love getting this, surprised? I was too!) as they are more than this course when you buy outside of the Co-op. Would love to see those other courses offered at the discount too. Not that we don’t think they are worth it, just more than I have in the budget. I did send to everyone I know in hopes of deep discount! Thanks for carrying this! We will look for others from Youth Digital.”
-P. Poole
“Mod-Design-1 couldn’t have been better. This is by far one of the most professionally done online courses I’ve ever seen. My 7 year old was engaged and even entertained by the lessons from day one. And since he is having fun, he is REALLY learning and enjoying coding. We are already planning which programming course he will take next. Very grateful for the discounted rate, without which, we probably wouldn’t have tried this.”
-Paul D.
“This has been the best present I gave to my son. My son love it, it is educational and fun at the same time. I will keep looking for more deals like this.”
-Maria B.
“My son loves Youth Digital. We started out taking Game Design 1 and he completed it in 4 months. Now he is taking Mod Design 1. He started the lessons last week. What I love is that he feels confident, he is proud of himself. He stayed up to midnight 4 nights in a row to program in java. He is very excited about learning and can’t wait to finish the class so that he can take 3d modeling class next. The staff is exceptional too. We had few setbacks on setting up the software they helped us get up and running before frustration set in. My son is 10 years old.”
-L Taylor
“This class has been wonderful for our family. I bought the program for my 10 and 14 year old children. They are really learning a lot and enjoying it! My older son who is taking JAVA in college is also learning from this program as he works with his siblings. It is an excellent course that is challenging for the younger kids but not overwhelming and reinforcing what my older son is doing in college. Also, the online technical support has been very good. Thank you”
-Kelly G.
“I have been extremely impressed with this course and the company that offers it from start to finish. The instruction has been engaging enough to hold my son’s attention, and the support they provide has been quick and top notch. Every time my son has come up against an issue with his programming he can’t work out on his own, they have responded with a day to our support requests and resolved the issues. I highly recommend Youth Digital to anyone with a child interested in any topic covered by the courses they offer.”
-Christian R.
“This has been a leaning blessing and reminder that learning can also be a gas! My grandson is addicted, studies/researches the videos, does his work, tests it and redoes it a number of times, and LOVES THIS COURSE!!! More Youth Digital is all he wants for the summer/fall. The instructors are fantastic and I’ve been sharing my thoughts with other homeschool parents. Youth Digital is expensive, but worth it. This course is much more than just Java. It’s math, critical/creative thinking, and art! Haven’t tried anything similar, but will do to the cost. However, if I can’t find anything comparable, we will complete all the Youth Digital courses.”
-Nana
“My 12 year old son loved this course. We gave it to him as a Christmas gift and he immediately wanted to “play” with it. We had to force him to take breaks - it was that much fun!”
-Jennifer T.
“This is one of those magical classes where the students are having so much fun, they don’t even realize how much they are learning.”
-Jane H.
“My son is addicted to Minecraft. It’s is a creative game that challenges him to build ever more complex designs from buildings to creatures. As a homeschooler, this program challenges him to create on a whole new level. He learns basic Java language programming to design totally new tools, armor, ores and other things. He then “imports” his new design into the minecraft game on his computer. This program has both engaging lessons and excellent tech support. I highly recommend this program.”
-V. Penny
“The Mod Design 1 program has been a hit at our house. The well-designed instructional videos give clear, step-by-step instructions, and our 12 year old quickly gained the programming skills to begin designing his own Minecraft elements. The technical support team is also excellent, and they responded promptly whenever our son ran into any problems. The video instructor, Justin, is hilarious, and we enjoyed watching the videos just to hear HIM! We highly recommend this program.”
-J. Lay
“My kids love,love,love the Mod Design 1 course. We didn’t know what to expect but both of our children love to play Minecraft. My kids took off with it the very first day. They were watching the videos and making things very quickly. They loved the humor of the video teachings. It was easy to follow and understand what to do because of the teaching videos they got to watch. They were able to e-mail the teachers when they had a problem. They got responses pretty quickly when they were stuck. We think Youth Digital is a very good company and have been impressed with what we have seen so far. It has had a very positive influence on both my son and daughter. They are able to see how computer programming works behind the game. It gave them a new perspective about how video games are created. It has made them think in different ways now when they play Minecraft. They look forward to moding and after finishing the first mod that got sent in for reviewing they continue to add more mods. They are really looking forward to doing more courses from Youth Digital. We have told others about the course and they have been interested. Thanks so much for offering such a great product for us to purchase.”
-Jill G.
“We are very glad we purchased this course. We felt that the price was high (even with the discount) as we weren’t certain whether we would get a good enough return on it. However, we have been extremely pleased and would purchase future products from this company. I have been sitting next to my son who is 11 as he works through it, so I’ve seen every bit of it so far. He is definitely learning some java (and already understood some basics of programming through SCRATCH before this). My thinking is that this is a first step for exposure to java to get him motivated to learn more. He gets to see results fairly quickly - it takes a few hours to work through a module on how to create a new sword, make it move in Minecraft, create its crafting recipe, and actually go try it out in the game for fun. For my particular kid, I don’t think he’d have the patience to try to learn java start to finish without some fairly quick Minecraft gratification like this, so for us, the fact that they are teaching the required steps specifically for this mod works fine. I do believe that it will teach him enough to be a jumping off point to then learn more java. He definitely gets to be creative but also has to stick to the requirements (which, with programming, can be many). The video instructor is incredibly engaging. I find myself laughing out loud at him sometimes, so my son and I are enjoying this together. They really take you through everything step by step and pause often enough for you to go carry out the steps before moving on. They also have troubleshooting modules so that you can practice troubleshooting mistakes in code, and there are short quizzes that allow you to earn points to purchase additional code for your mod (that presumably will make it cooler though we haven’t shopped in the point store yet). Definitely a big thumbs up from us.”
-Megan RK.
“The Mod Design has been such an awesome program for my son (13) to get his hand on. It has boosted his confidence knowing he is able to create these Mods all on his own. I literally handed him the information and he was off to the races with it. I have had zero involvement. This is something he has been able to do independently at his own will.
I would not consider my son a reader. It is something we have fought about for years. As a mom, I’m happy to find something my son can’t put down. We finally found the right material to motivate him!!!! I would highly recommend to any child that loves Minecraft.”
-Meaghan M.
“This is our second class we’ve bought for our son from Youth Digital. He is at the top of their age range for this class but it hasn’t made a bit of difference. He is really enjoying it, being somewhat of a Minecraft fanatic! We are thrilled with the class and say “Thank You” to Youth Digital! We’ve recommended these classes to several and have had some sign up because of it, as well.”
-The Pace Family
“We love this course! Teachers are funny and entertaining! We all want to watch. My 11yr old son is so enjoying it and whenever he has trouble, just emails in and always gets a cheerful, timely response! Planning on ordering 3-D animation soon!”
-Beth P.
“My daughter took this class recently. She absolutely LOVED it!! The instructor was funny and engaging. The lessons were not complicated. The tech support is awesome! Anytime she didn’t understand something, there is the support button, to guide. Each time they looked at her code they found exactly what she did wrong. She couldn’t wait to do the class every day. She feels so great having just posted her new mod for all to play. I HIGHLY recommend this class. We are going to try a few more of there offerings as well.”
-Teresa L.
“I highly recommend this product. My son is finally learning something while playing his favorite game, Minecraft.”
-J. Norton
“This class was wonderful and absolutely worth every penny we spent on it. My son has completed his first mod and received high marks on it from the Youth Digital staff, and is working on his second. The Youth Digital classes are well structured and easy for kids to use, and the staff was very responsive via email to any questions my son had along the way. We haven’t used any other online computer classes, but we would definitely do another class from Youth Digital in the future. I have made sure that all my friends know how wonderful I think Youth Digital classes (and the Mod Design class in particular) are.”
-F. Michel
“My son has really enjoyed the Mod Design class. It has sparked his interest in programming and he plans to take more classes. The customer support at Youth Digital is great! Any time my son has had a problem and contacted them, he has gotten a response very quickly. They are very helpful and encouraging. I high recommend this class for any kid who loves Minecraft and wants an intro to programming.”
-Kim C.
“We are so happy to have discovered Youth Digital through Homeschool Buyers Co-op! My son loves this class. He is learning so much. The instructors are very accessible if he runs into a problem or has a question. They are also very entertaining and teach at a good pace for my 11-year-old. It has been a wonderful experience! We will be taking more classes through Youth Digital.”
-Beth C.
“I highly recommend this and all other Youth Digital classes. My son has taken a few of them and he loves them! The training videos are humorous and easy for kids to understand. The kids learn a ton and end up with a great Mod at the end. Michelle Caskey”
-Michelle C.
“So far this class has been great. My son has really enjoyed the lessons he has thus far completed and is always eager to get to the next. It is by far one of the best modding/Minecraft courses he has attended. And, he has taken both online and in class courses.
“We purchased Mod design 1, and love it !! My son is 10 years old, he has an easy time doing the assignments on his own. He really enjoys the humor and simple instructions in the videos. He contacted tech support with a question, and got the issue resolved quickly. He is nearing the end, but doesn’t want it to be over !! I hope Mod-design 2 will be coming soon ! Also Justin is favorite !!”
-Brandy H.
“I purchases Mod-Design 1 for my 11 year old son and he has loved every moment. The instructor is very engaging and makes learn so much for for my son. The instructor is easy to understand for my son as well as for me. The few times that we ran into problems the help center was great. My son is looks forward to the program!”
-M. Quinones
“My son has enjoyed going through the lessons of this course. The video presenter is a little corny, but my son appreciates his humor. It amazes me each time I check in with him the new enhancements that he is working on that he learned through the course. My son is 10 and the pacing is just right.”
-April
“We like the structure of this self-paced program. I like that my son can’t jump ahead without achieving milestones in the program. He works on it daily for about an hour and likes it a lot. He likes being able to immediately interact with Minecraft; he can see the result of his script work. The point system helps him to achieve. We are especially pleased with the quick feedback on questions. However, I wish live chat was more active.”
-Annie P.
“My son loves the Mod Design class. It is his last assignment of the day, and it has been a big motivator for him to get the rest of his schoolwork done. I definitely anticipate that he will want to continue with these classes.”
-Ann S.
“My boys are 9 and 11. They are thoroughly enjoying the course. The instructor is hilarious and enthusiastic. If the kids have questions, the team responds promptly and helps them work through until they find the solution. We will most likely be doing more of these courses.”
-N. Frederick
“We purchased this program as a Christmas gift for our son, a ten year old. From the moment he opened the program, he was hooked! We literally could not get him off of the program for about two weeks. He plowed through and was fluent in java (remembering correctly?)code language almost immediately. As we are not programmers, he would just inquire with the online instructors if he had any questions and they were very helpful in a timely manner. I would HIGHLY recommend this product!”
-Mary S.
“This is the first program I’ve purchased where my son said week after week, “I’m so glad you bought this for me, Mom. Thanks!” It has been a great testament to this program to be so engaging, allow him to move at his own pace, and the feedback when you ask questions is amazing! We had 1 hour turn arounds on each of the questions he asked. I thought for sure it would be the next day before we got a response, but my son was able to finish up whatever vexed him that day. He’s so proud of what’s he’s created. My son is 14 and not easy to find an online computer program he looks forward to working on each week. It seems a lot of programs are too hard or too easy. Mod-Design 1 is perfect :)”
-Brandy B.
“My 11 year old son has absolutely LOVED this course! Matter of fact, my entire family gets swept away in the engaging videos. When the video lessons are on we are ALL entranced and laughing...from my 9 month old up! Justin’s teaching style speaks directly to this generation and is really effective and entertaining!
Best money I’ve spent on my child’s education in a LONG time! Looking forward to many more classes with Youth Digital!”
-Stephanie B.
“Well, my husband and I bought this for our son and it’s been love at first sight. We are now trying to figure out how to get him to do his school work. He spends almost all his free time learning and implementing his new skills. He is looking forward to the next level.”
-L. Murray
“My son has taken several camps and classes on game design, but none of them made programming and learning Java click as well as this Mod-Design course has. He thinks the tutors in the video clips are wonderful - funny, encouraging and interesting - and anytime he has a question or problem he e- mails the support staff himself and gets an almost immediate response. My son is so proud of what he’s created in the lessons so far, and can’t wait to finish the course and submit his own mod for publishing. My son loves what he’s learning through this course, and I love what it’s done for his self-esteem. He can’t wait to try out more courses in the future.”
-Casey B.
“My 8 year old son has enjoyed being able to add ‘stuff’ into Minecraft. This was very exciting for him. The anticipated frustration has never been a problem, as the code is already written for them, and they just have to alter small sections of it at a time. I would consider this a very gentle introduction to how Java works. For our family, it has been useful to assess whether we want to take programming education further.”
-Judy N.
“It’s fun! I highly recommend it. I’ve learned how to create armor, a sword, and a pick-ax. If you are using Macintosh, you’ll need to make sure you are using Mavericks.”
-Kaeden, 11 year old user
“My 11 year old son is about half way through Mod Design 1 and he really likes it. He is confident that he’ll be able to continue to make mods on his own after the course is over. The teacher is funny so he enjoys the videos, and the bonus code allows kids to add cool effects to their mods that are beyond their ability to code right now. (they get bonus code with points earned by answering review questions, it’s code written by YD developers that they can incorporate into their mods to make them even more awesome)
As a parent, I’ve been impressed by how easily my son can do this program without help from me. I know how to program and had been expecting to sit with him and help, but it hasn’t been necessary at all. The instruction is fun and engaging for kids - never boring at all. They have “troubleshooting” sections where they give the students sample code with errors to find and fix. I think this is a great way to introduce debugging and show how important every last semicolon is. Overall, I’ve been thrilled with this class and intend to continue with other courses offered by Youth Digital when my son finishes this one.
-Stephanie O.
“Although my son has a very logical mind, he has been reluctant to attempt any coding. Because he is MineCraft crazy, we decided to try this program. He is almost through the entire program and has programmed a few of his own mods (the programming is started and the student needs to finish it to complete the mod). He still has a ways to go to be proficient in the programming language, but this is a way to get him interested...to see how the programming language is and how it translates into a mod. He is almost at the end of the lessons and I am hoping that finish their Mod-design 2 ASAP so he can continue.”
-KS
“Mod Design 1 is an online class that teaches you how to design your own mod for Minecraft. I liked that I can put what I ve always wanted in Minecraft. I could also put what I feel is missing in Minecraft. I like the way they teach too, it s a I-do-you-follow . First Justin shows you the steps on how to do it. Then he tells you to pause the video and copy what he did. Plus the videos he are in are hilarious! Also if you ever get stuck and need help, you can send a message to one of the many teachers. I learned how to code and create images for my own items, blocks, foods, my own mobs and even made my own biomes. Youth Digital teaches you a lot of things, I love Minecraft and really love Mod Design 1. I would continue the program when Mod Design 2 comes out. Most of my friends use Mod Design 1. For people who are thinking about buying Mod Design 1, I say it s worth your money.
Thank you for reading :D”
- S.Kurniawanto
“My 10 year old son took the Mod Design 1 class and loved it. He had no prior programming experience at all. I took Basic and Pascal in Middle School, but that was it so nobody in our house knew Java or could help. It didn’t matter. It was totally on his level, and geared towards his age group. I used it as a reward after he did his regular homeschooling. He loved it. The Youth Digital folks were great at getting back to him regarding questions, etc. He is so proud of the Mod he created. We will take more Youth Digital classes.”
-Karla
“We purchased this as a Christmas present for our 11yo. He loves Minecraft and the education of Mod Design appealed to us. He worked on this almost every day for 3 months and was rewarded with great feedback from the teachers.
Questions were answered very quickly!
This was a great purchase. We hope to look into and purchase some of the other Youth Digital programs.”
-M. Bingham
“This is the second Youth Digital product we’ve purchased& my son loves them! He enjoys the subject matter, but Youth Digital’s support & engaging videos are an incredible added bonus. My son ran into an issue & worked on it with their support team via email until they escalated it to an WebEx. They really went the extra mile & I’ve told them so via social media on Twitter (& they were kind enough to reply!).
This purchase was so helpful that after completing it, my son (who had some previous Java experience) felt confident enough to apply to a Java summer camp assistant position with his former robotics coach!
Thanks, Youth Digital!”
-Marie S.
“I am the mother of a 12 year old boy and bought this class even though I was unsure, didn’t know much about the company and the interface, etc. Now that he has completed the course, I recommend the class 100% but also after our interactions with the company I am eager to have our family take more classes with them.
I was very impressed by the fast, clear and friendly replies to all of his many questions. The instructor was great at getting the kids to work on independent problem solving but they absolutely would step in to help when he got stuck.
I also really appreciated that they took Sundays off and we’d get a short autoreminder of that fact if we emailed them on a Sunday. I love that they have set a family day for their employees as well and it was a good example to my son of not letting even something you are passionate about, take over your life. I would not hesitate to recommend this purchase to anyone else.”
-KJ
“Very fun to use, - they have made an effort to try and engage kids.”
-Mona M.
“This is such a great program!! I was leary because I have no computer coding experience. They are very helpful! Every time my son has a question, they quickly reply. He loves it! I’m surprised by how nicely it is set up -- and simple to navigate. He’s really enjoying it! He’s already looking forward to their other programs, like creating apps, etc.
Thank You!!!”
-Emily S.
“I am so impressed with the Youth Digital company! My son has learned so much about Java and a lot about Minecraft that he didn’t previously know. Their customer service and tech support is amazing. Anytime my son has a question about something in the program or about something he is trying to accomplish, his emails receive a very prompt personal response, sometimes within a few minutes. The support staff are always extremely kind, patient, and encouraging. The program and instruction videos are fun, engaging, thorough, and easy to understand. Overall, the experience with Youth Digital has been outstanding, and we would definitely purchase from them again.”
-Amy M.
“This has been an excellent introduction to programming for my son. One of the keys to learning programming is finding a project that captures their interest. This does. He is having a great deal of fun building his new components for the game.”
-John H.
“This was a Christmas gift for our oldest son. He loved all things Minecraft, and as expected, he loved Mod-Design-1. Doesn’t seem like a class to him. In fact, I have to limit the time he can spend on it each day. Worth every penny!”
-Cheryl S.
“I was hesitant to sign up for an on-line computer programming class for elementary and middle school. Why was I hesitant? Simply due to the fact that I knew my 9 year old would need help at some point, and I am not gifted with computer programming. I have been extremely pleased with the customer service provided. The tech people do not talk down to the kids, but address the concerns on a professional level which is easily understood by students of all ages. We have been telling everyone about the class we are taking, as it truly is one the kids look forward to.”
-S. Gray
“We have told everyone we know how excellent Mod-Design 1 is. My son (8 yrs old) is about half way through and has loved it from the very first lesson. Justin, who presents the tutorials, is animated, engaging, knowledgeable and so very clear in his instructions. He is also so likeable and entertaining it’s a pleasure to sit with my son to help him with this course as necessary (my son is beginner reader and so requires a bit of help at times). Otherwise he would be fine on his own. We will definitely do more courses from this company in the coming years.”
-Susan
“My 11 year old loves this. He has learned he can make mistakes and go back and fix them. He has learned a lot more about computers and programming by playing. He loves the instructer and his sense of humor. We recieved fast answers to our questions. Can’t say enough good things about it.”
-Whitney A.
“We purchased this computer course for our 14 year old son. It has been a great tool for him as he creates his own mods and learns java programming. We are very pleased with the way this course is put together and the fun he had in going through it!
Here are his thoughts: This Mod-Design-1 course is exciting from the very first video! It teaches you how to make everything in Minecraft. It is a little bit difficult at the first step, but as you go deeper into the code, it makes more sense. I have told many of my friends about this course and my new “Mod of Fire” that I created. If you purchase this course, you will be able to put your thoughts into the program and make your own mod come to life!”
-Kim L.
“This is a fantastic product. It is the best produced online learning tool that I have used to date. It is funny and engaging to the kids and fully educational in terms of learning coding. The only issue I have is that I wish there was a family rate instead of having to purchase individually for each child.”
-M. Fernandez
“Aside from being an “Indie Schooler”, I am a tech educator for young kids and I have to say this is hands down one of the best programs I have come across. My son, 9 years old, wakes up and does push-ups to convince me to let him do a Mod Design lesson first in his schooling for the day. Kudos to YD for producing this jewel of a learning tool.”
-Melora L.
“The Mod-Design-1 is great. My plan is to have a career is computer programming and this has been a great start. It is what he looks forward to each school day. I have recommended it to several friends.”
-L. Bolick
“Perfect buy for the Minecraft enthusiast! Your child will design their own food, biomes, ore, mobs, armor, weapons and tools. Youth Digital’s customer service is very quick and thorough. Lessons are interesting and easy to follow. My 10 year old loves the program and is looking forward to sharing his very own mod with all of his friends.”
-Tami J.
“This is a great program for kids. The narrators that explain the step by step instructions are not only thorough but they make it fun and entertaining. The kids learn how to program but they also get to see and play with what they programmed in minecraft. That is very exciting for them.
The tech support has also been wonderful. When my son has entered things incorrectly (which is inevitable being a beginner) the support team has been quick to respond with the solution to the problem and sometimes have even emailed us that there was a problem before we knew it. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to try out programming especially if their children like minecraft. Well worth the money.”
-Jane
“My son has been hesitant about beginning a computer programming course. In fact, I’ve purchased 3 different courses already for him in the hopes of his gaining some programming skills, and he’s given up by lesson ten of each of them. He loves Minecraft and spends hours a day playing it, so when I saw this course, I thought it was my best hope of getting my son interested in programming. It worked! He spends time several days a week working on the programming aspect of the course, and he spends at least an hour a day customizing graphics for his mod. He finds it more engaging than the dry courses he’s attempted in the past, and so far he hasn’t run into any problems with understanding the coding and getting to the next section of the course. I’m so excited about how much he’s enjoying it, and I’m hoping he will want to continue on and learn more coding skills once he’s done with this program.”
-Susan G.
“My son loves this web class. He loves Minecraft and is learning so much about code. It is a great addition to our homeschool.”
-Cynthia H.
“From the student: It is awesome. I love the quick responses when I had a question. Classes were hard at times, but the teachers were very helpful. I would love to take another class like it.
From the parents: Our son thoroughly enjoyed this class. We’ve never tried anything like this before. For us it was a way to combine his love for video games with something that was educational and challenging. The staff was very helpful and professional along the way. We highly recommend the class.”
-Hayden A.
“My kids have really enjoyed this class, and have asked to do other online classes with Youth Digital. They’ve had lots of fun and have learned a lot. They’re always eager to do the next lesson. I’ve recommended it to friends. It’s very well put together and thorough. Well done!”
-Amy C.
“I bought the Mod-Design-1 for my son to do for homeschool, and he loves it. I find him working on the class even on days we are not doing school (Big compliment!), and I hear him laughing in other room at the videos. I love it when my son enjoys doing his school work.”
-Kim H.
My ten year old son is enjoying Mod-Design 1. He has been using it for about four months, and though I have to help him out once in while, the tutorials are user friendly and allow him to complete most tasks on his own. The one time we did have a technical question, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they responded (less than 24 hours). I don’t anticipate my son losing interest in this program anytime soon, and I’m happy I made the investment.”
-Jennifer
“This is, by far, the most successful homeschool product we’ve purchased. My 12-old son loves it, and it has inspired him to commit to hours of java coding practice without any prompting. In fact, he pleads to do this instead of other schoolwork, and constantly wishes that all of his courses were so well done, motivational and helpful. (He wishes Youth Digital did languages, math and science programs!) He is now able to impress his teachers and friends with his own Minecraft customizations, and feels like he has quickly learned a lot about Java in a fun and useful way, instead of just reading a textbook about Java.”
-Todd D.
“Got this for my son, an avid MineCraft fan but only lukewarm on the idea of programming ... until now! Great online learning facility with professionally produced material and quick email response! Makes learning something new and challenging fun for him.”
-Ryo T.
“My 12 year old son LOVES this online course. He asks to do it, excitedly shows me his progress, and is learning A LOT. We plan on taking another class after this one. He is already asking about it.”
-Rhonda T.
“My son age 10 loves this class. The first week he did several lessons. The help desk or support is awesome. On several occasions my son has needed help and he was helped very quickly before frustration set in.”
-L. Taylor
“My 12 year old who gripes over any new curriculum, sat down with a silly smile on his face when I introduced him to this Youth Design class. Any free time he has, he is doing this class. Thanks a lot for providing this class!”
-Ruth L.
“We bought Game Design 1 at the end of last year, and though we didn’t intend to start it until this fall, our son was so excited. Before our summer vacation, he had finished several levels. He found the program challenging (in a good and engaging way), but easy to use. He became very happy with what he created, and is looking forward to finishing the course this fall. We definitely recommend it! And will be purchasing more of their programming courses.”
-Michelle M.
“My 9 y/o started Game Design 1 four days ago and he absolutely loves the program! Aaron, the teacher, is entertaining and easy to understand. The pre-recorded lessons are well structured and easy to follow. I like that there are several questions during the lesson to make sure the child understands what is being taught. There is also a quiz at the end. All of the questions give the child an opportunity to earn points that can be used to “purchase” extra items to use in their game. My son is having fun creating a game, as well as learning how to troubleshoot - which is a huge part of software development in general. We’ll definitely be moving on to Game Design 2!”
-Michelle L.
“Game Design by Youth Digital is fantastic for a child who wants to learn Game Design. My daughter (nine years old) took the class and loved it. She enjoyed the videos and the humor of the instructor, who responded to all questions in a timely fashion. My daughter even uploaded her game to her website. She has signed up for app design one and has begun it. We have told many people about it and simply love YouthDigital.”
-Christine M.
“My 10 year old son absolutely loved Game Design 1. The instructor really gave immediate feedback and encouragement throughout the course. My younger son loves playing the new video game his brother created. We can’t wait to try Game Design 2 and App Design.”
-Gina
“I had been looking for a fun and not overly complicated game design program for my son and decided to try Game Design 1. It was a perfect fit. The program is very engaging and has a nice build up of skills.
My son is now on to App Design 1 and loves it too. We may end up doing all of their courses :)”
-Kate
“When my 10-year-old son asked me to purchase this product I was dubious at best. He is very active and nothing that requires him to stay in one place and focus holds his attention for more than a few minutes. However, to my delight, this program has been a huge blessing for us. My son absolutely loves it and sits at the computer for an hour or more at a time, carefully designing each step of his game. This program is engaging and interesting, as well as very educational. My son is excited to share each step of the game he is building with each one of us in the family and has never once complained of being bored with the program. We have to watch our money and are very careful about our purchases but we have already purchased the 3D Game Design from this company. I believe we will end up buying every one of these programs before my son is satisfied. This program would be a valuable addition to the curriculum of any young person who has expressed an interest in designing video games!”
-Kelly P.
“We purchased App Design 1. My daughter, 11, and son, 8, LOVE it! It is silly and educational at the same time. It’s great when your kids ask to do “school” on the weekend, and they have with this class. Also, the technical support has been Appmazing! ;)”
-Beth
“I purchased this program for my son, and he loves it. It is easy to use, easy to understand, yet challenging and has taught him a lot. He loves working on his game. He hasn’t completed his game yet, but works on it diligently and regularly. It has been a good learning experience for him. We hope to purchase Game Design 2.”
-K Cheney
“I liked Game Design 1 from the start. The instructional videos are very fun and easy to follow, and whenever you encounter a problem in your game, there’s a handy ‘talk to a teacher’ button. There, you can either talk to a teacher if there’s one online, or leave a message describing your problem. The game that you make is really fun to play and the process is pretty easy too. "
Kate, Student
“Hands down our best homeschool purchase! My 11 year old son enjoyed this course so much. Usually he balks at anything with the word ‘class’ or ‘lesson’ in it. I never had a problem getting him to do his game design class, in fact he would often do extra chapters during his free time. The videos are funny and engaging and very informative. We packaged up copies of my son’s game and gave it as gifts. The pride on his face when he handed out his game was priceless. Looking forward to trying more game design classes.”
-Michelle
“My 10 year old son saw this program at a homeschool convention, and months later was still talking about it. When we got it for him through the Homeschool Buyers Co-op, we weren’t disappointed! He learned about programming while having a LOT of fun. The video instruction modules were a great guide to building his game. When he had questions, their customer support was prompt and helpful. My son was thrilled with the personalized evaluation provided when he sent in his finished game for review. Our biggest challenge has been limiting his time at the computer. He becomes so engrossed in programming that he totally loses track of time. He has continued to develop his programming skills with Youth Digital’s 3D Game Design. Their products have been a “win” for our family.”
-Trish W.
“My daughter loves Game Design 1. We have tried other basic programming courses, which where all dry and difficult for her to follow, but Game Design 1 is different. The interactive videos are entertaining and make it easy to understand. She wants to do all of their programming courses when she finishes this one. We would certainly recommend this product to any family who’s looking for an intro to programming course.”
-Jessica M.
“Excellent! Aaron is the teacher and very fun to listen to and learn from. Plan on an hour per module if taking notes (recommended). My 5th grader needs help to take notes but he is able to do the video on his own. I just found that it was better to do with him because if he got to the end and couldn’t do what the lesson said I had no way to help him. I would say that the adult needs to be a little computer savvy to get everything downloaded and working. Highly, recommend! My child thinks he is going to be a game designer so I wanted to start tapping into that so he had a better understanding what he would be getting into. 100% worth the expense.”
-Susan T.
“It’s a great buy because (a) You get everything you need to design and create your own game, (b) The course is fun to do and isn’t extremely difficult to follow. And you can a lot more with the software you get. So it’s a great buy!”
-Clay O. 11 year old user
“Game Design 1 is absolutely wonderful! The modules are very well taught...not too fast, not too slow, and they don’t assume prior knowledge. The teacher, Aaron, is hilarious and explains things in a way that is perfect for the targeted age group. My son would like to meet him one day, he thinks Aaron is so great! My son has a greater appreciation for the games he now plays, and is excited and proud to be creating his own video game. I’m pleased that he is learning valuable skills in a way that he finds interesting. Customer service is excellent - we’ve had questions 2 times that were answered quickly and completely. We have already suggested it to others. I just can’t say enough good about it.”
-D.Kennedy
“I got Game Design 1 for my 13 year old son. He is having a great time with it and learning a lot. The videos are engaging and fun while still teaching what is needed. They are designing their game from the very beginning. My son is so excited that they have come out with Game Design 2. He can’t wait to finish the first class so he can start the second one.”
-Susie G.
“My 10 year old son hopes to become a video game designer when he is older, and this was a great way to get him started. We had some books on programming at home but he didn’t get very far through them because the material was too dry. I think it also helps to use a visual programming language rather than text-based, so he doesn’t get stuck with syntax and spelling too early on. My son loves the videos on the course and the humor appeals to him - I can often hear him chuckling as he works through each unit. I like the way the course is very well planned out and presented to the children. My son can do the work without any hand-holding from me, because it is all explained very clearly. The support is great too. My son has e-mailed the team several times because he thought his program wasn’t working properly, and each time they have sent back a helpful message asking him to review a particular part of the course and then try again. So far, he has fixed all of the bugs without having to e-mail his game to them and ask them to sort it out for him. I feel my son is not only learning how to design games, but also how to persist and to overcome difficulties. He and his brother are now pestering me to get Game Design 2!”
-Sam
“Absolutely LOVE the Game Design program! It allows the computer ‘geek’ in my teens to play. The interactive screens and simple directions allow them to create their own computer games. The opportunity to test their additions and deletions provides immediate feedback as to what works and what doesn’t. A great way to have fun & learn at the same time!!”
-Beth F.
“My 9 year old son began Game Design 1 about three months ago. I have been very impressed with the entire experience. He was able to do the online recorded class sessions completely independently, and only required occasional help with his activities. The presenter/teacher is great - enthusiastic, funny, and very specific in all of his instruction. When we did require help, I emailed our questions and received VERY prompt help (often within the hour) from owners Justin and Molly - unbeatable customer service. He has now almost finished Game Design 1 and we are looking forward to Game Design 2 which we will start next week.
I would highly recommend this class ( and have already) based on our experience, and feel it is a much better value than our previous similar experiences. We look forward to doing business with this company again.”
-Jennifer S.
“My son, Noah says, Game Design 1 is really cool. His dad and he play on it all the time. Dad and I are learning a lot together. We cannot wait for Game Design 2.”
-Kathryn C.
“My 10 year old son absolutely loved Game Design 1. The instructor really gave immediate feedback and encouragement throughout the course. My younger son loves playing the new video game his brother created. We can’t wait to try Game Design 2 and App Design.”
-Gina
“We purchased App Design 1. My daughter, 11, and son, 8, LOVE it! It is silly and educational at the same time. It’s great when your kids ask to do “school” on the weekend, and they have with this class. Also, the technical support has been Appmazing! ;)”
-Beth
“Just wanted to say that we absolutely love this course. My husband works for EA and we wanted to introduce game design/programming to our girls who want to do what Daddy does, but we had no idea where to get them started. This is great, and my 7 yo is doing this independently. Can’t wait to get my 5 yo started, and finish the rest of the courses as well.”
-Andrea
“When my 10-year-old son asked me to purchase this product I was dubious at best. He is very active and nothing that requires him to stay in one place and focus holds his attention for more than a few minutes. However, to my delight, this program has been a huge blessing for us. My son absolutely loves it and sits at the computer for an hour or more at a time, carefully designing each step of his game. This program is engaging and interesting, as well as very educational. My son is excited to share each step of the game he is building with each one of us in the family and has never once complained of being bored with the program. We have to watch our money and are very careful about our purchases but we have already purchased the 3D Game Design from this company. I believe we will end up buying every one of these programs before my son is satisfied. This program would be a valuable addition to the curriculum of any young person who has expressed an interest in designing videogames!”
-Kelly
“I had been looking for a fun and not overly complicated game design program for my son and decided to try Game Design 1. It was a perfect fit. The program is very engaging and has a nice build up of skills.My son is now on to App Design 1 and loves it too. We may end up doing all of their courses :)”
-Kate
“My son, Noah says, ‘Game Design 1 is really cool. His dad and he play on it all the time. Dad and I are learning a lot together. We cannot wait for Game Design 2.’” - Kathryn C. “I’d like to let you know how much both of my kids enjoy the Game Design I Online Class. They’ve also had a great sense of ownership on the quality of their work. Needless to say, I’d consider this a great success.” -TK “My child is really enjoying this project - I was so pleased to see how well-designed it is, and how engaging. It’s a great product!” -DK “Cameron loves game design 1. He’s really having fun and he’s definitely found something he really enjoys. Thank you so much for putting this together!”
-TW
“Absolutely LOVE the Game Design program! It allows the computer geek in my teens to play. The interactive screens and simple directions allow them to create their own computer games. The opportunity to test their additions and deletions provides immediate feedback as to what works and what doesn’t. A great way to have fun & learn at the same time!!”
- Beth F.
“I got Game Design 1 for my 13 year old son. He is having a great time with it and learning a lot. The videos are engaging and fun while still teaching what is needed. They are designing their game from the very beginning. My son is so excited that they have come out with Game Design 2. He can’t wait to finish the first class so he can start the second one.”
- Susie G
“My daughter loves Game Design 1. We have tried other basic programming courses, which where all dry and difficult for her to follow, but Game Design 1 is different. The interactive videos are entertaining and make it easy to understand. She wants to do all of their programming courses when she finishes this one. We would certainly recommend this product to any family who’s looking for an intro to programming course.”
- Jessica M.
"The video instruction modules were a great guide to building his game. When he had questions, their customer support was prompt and helpful. My son was thrilled with the personalized evaluation provided when he sent in his finished game for review. Our biggest challenge has been limiting his time at the computer. He becomes so engrossed in programming that he totally loses track of time. He has continued to develop his programming skills with Youth Digitals 3D Game Design. Their products have been a “win” for our family.”
- Trish W.
“I purchased this program for my son, and he loves it. It is easy to use, easy to understand, yet challenging and has taught him a lot. He loves working on his game. He hasn’t completed his game yet, but works on it diligently and regularly. It has been a good learning experience for him. We hope to purchase Game Design 2.”
- K Cheney
“Thanks so much. The boys are just so motivated to keep going with it. This is the shot in the arm that our home school program needed.”
-JN
“Hands down our best homeschool purchase! My 11 year old son enjoyed this course so much. Usually he balks at anything with the word class or lesson in it. I never had a problem getting him to do his game design class, in fact he would often do extra chapters during his free time. The videos are funny and engaging and very informative. We packaged up copies of my sons game and gave it as gifts. The pride on his face when he handed out his game was priceless. Looking forward to trying more game design classes.”
-Michelle
-Julie W.
"I bought Fashion Design 1 for my daughter after my son had such a positive experience with the Mod Design 1 class from Youth Digital. She is really enjoying it and learning a lot. She is not only learning about fashion design, but about file management and learning how to get help from customer service online. This company has the best customer service I've ever seen. Help e-mails are copied to my account so I can see what my kids are doing and what they need. Follow up messages from Youth Digital are timely, friendly, and very helpful. My son is almost done with Mod Design 1 and he is already looking for his next course. Thanks for a great product with EXCELLENT customer service!!!"
- Melissa B.
“My 12 yr old daughter LOVED this. The video lessons were hilarious and easy to understand. Any questions she had were answered fully and by the following day. Her attitude toward maths has completely changed now from thinking it was boring and irrelevant to now understanding one of the practical applications of algebra. She loved it so much she spent every spare minute of her holidays using it, completing the whole course and getting %100 for her assessment in a matter of months. We will definitely be buying anything else that Youth Digital produce as she is now seriously considering a career in I.T.”
-Christie L Australia
“This has been the best purchase, by far, in my homeschool curriculum! My son loves the class. The videos are easy to understand, entertaining and done in a step by step fashion to ensure success. When my son did have trouble, Youth Digital was quick to respond to the email and helped him through. The troubleshooting and reviews at the end of each segment are valuable and check for understanding before moving on to the next lesson. We will definitely continue to look for more DigitalYouth products that interest our family. My younger son has been watching his big brother and can’t wait to try it next school year! “Justin” feels like part of our family now! I have told many people about it and highly recommend this product. I can’t speak highly enough on the quality of this product and the timely and effective customer service! I have been pleasantly impressed!”
-Kellie D.
“We have been using this for a few months. - 10 year old son. He has been doing this completely on his own. He has made two mistakes and received error messages. We contact them and they respond promptly, are always nice, and help him see where he missed something or had a typo. He absolutely loves his class. I have him on a schedule where he uses the class two evening a week. While his brother is at karate. He would love to do more! When you consider the cost of karate classes and other sports that parents are willing to pay for - this is a great deal! My son is not interested in these type of sports, although he is always outside playing or helping us. So, we consider this his sport/extracurricular activity.”
-Melody S.
“This is a great product. The boys are thrilled to design and publish their own mod for minecraft. I am thrilled because it is not something that they will never use. It’s Java and it is real programming experience, definitely something they will use and build on.”
-Betty Jo R.
“This course was just what we needed! It is both engaging and inspiring for my boys (14 & 15) who already enjoy playing Minecraft, are now in the process of learning how to make modification in game. They are keen on learning more of the coding (as this was primarily an opportunity for them to cut and paste, but still a good chance to learn how JAVA works and the importance of attention to detail and to see how changes they made modified the outcome). Both boys also had an opportunity to interact with the help desk, which was a good experience for them. The Admins are prompt, helpful and courteous. I would recommend this course.”
-Michelle M.
“Our son, 11, has really enjoyed making his own tools, foods, and other items on Minecraft. My husband and I are happy that he is learning a programming language. It has been great exposure for him. Thanks for offering this great program to the homeschooling community!”
-Sharon H.
“My son has been using the Mod Design 1 program for a few weeks now and he is really enjoying it! He says it is awesome and highly recommends that other people use it also. The videos are well done, fun and very informative. He has used the customer support and has found that they are very prompt and helpful with their responses, and all issues have been resolved quickly and efficiently. I have included this program in his homeschool curriculum, and it is the one subject that he does willingly and enthusiastically. We will continue to use this product, and are looking to purchase other products from this company.”
-Ellen M.
“My children love to work on their Mod Design project. The class has been very easy to understand, and it keeps them interested. With the instructional videos they can keep going on their own, which frees me to work with other children on other subjects.”
-Theresa P.
“Mod Design 1 has been a really fun addition to my son’s education. He really enjoys the quality video lessons, and the rest of the family find themselves hovering around while he watches. It catches and holds his attention and teaches all the concepts in a very straight forward way. I haven’t had to help him at all in the process, so he feels really empowered to be working with all of the technology on his own. We also really enjoy the creativity you get to have in the whole experience. It is a wide, wide world of possibilities and my kids have had many fun discussions trying to decide a theme for my son’s Mod. This is the most kid friendly technology curriculum I have seen out there. I say that based not only on ease of use, but on entertainment level and volume and quality of info taught. No one told the folks at Youth Digital that kids need lots of entertainment and very little substance. They have accomplished an incredible feat in making a product that gets all the info across, but also makes kids WANT to use it. I have recommended this product to friends, and will continue to do so. The price is pretty high for our family’s budget, but I think the quality is there to justify it. As budget allows, we will definitely use Youth Digital’s products in the future.
This company makes laugh-out-loud fun products with a high skill level of learning and couples it all with great customer service. What more can a parent want?”
-Britany F.
“I think this course helped kick my son into gear into finding something he really enjoys besides just playing a game. Now he has seen what it is like to actually have a part in creating a game and he is looking forward to learning more about programming. It is great to see your children become interested in productive activities. Thanks for offering this great course!”
-Chris
“My son has thoroughly enjoyed this course. It has challenged his creativity and has helped him think through what he is going to do. Good qualities to take with you through life. I would definitely recommend the course to others. He is looking forward to the follow-on course.”
-Chris G.
“When I first saw Mod Design 1, I thought that it would be a huge hit with my son (a 9-year-old-Minecraft-fanatic), but my husband (who knows programming) was concerned that Java would be too difficult for a first time programmer. I over-ruled him and I’m so glad that I did. My son loves it and asks to “mod” as an after-school treat. My 7-year-old daughter is now begging me to get her it. The kids have both told all of their friends about it, and I have told their parents, who inevitably ask after hearing my kids’ rave reviews. I would highly recommend this product.
Here is my son’s review:
“I love it! Justin is very enjoyable to watch and learn from. He walks you through all of the steps needed to finish what you are working on. He makes it fun and easy!””
-Jennifer M.
“I purchased this for my 14-year-old, since he loves Minecraft and has expressed an interest in programming. Once he really got into the course, he became enthralled by the ability to create his own mods. Having done a bit of previewing of the course (and assisting with the occasional troubleshooting), I have to say that I think they’ve put together a fine product and it’s a very good value.
The instructor, Justin, is goofy and accessible to kids and the instructions are very specific, which is important for anybody that is learning coding.
I am absolutely planning on purchasing one or more additional Youth Digital courses and have already recommended it to several friends.”
-Nathan A.
“I think the Mod Design 1 is great because the teacher in the videos is very funny. He explains the code in eclipse really well.”
-Michael A.
“This was an excellent product with great online help. It made Java code fun for my children and we have/do recommend it! Currently our kids are working on their second mode now. They really enjoy this.”
-Beverly
“Mod Design has been an awesome program for my son (13). He recently expressed an interest in computer programming. With his love for all things Minecraft I thought this might be a good way to get his feet wet in programming. He LOVES it!! There are 12 modules to complete in the program which I thought would occupy him for awhile. He enjoys it so much that he has just begun number 11 already. His younger siblings like to try out the new mods he’s made when its their turn to play Minecraft. Great program, and Youth Digital has several other courses that I plan to consider down the road.”
-S. Hajek
"My daughter loved the Fashion Design 1 course. The teacher gave her great feedback and she finished the course very quickly because she just wanted to keep working on it! This was our 2nd Youth Digital course, and we have since taken a 3rd, and are about to start a 4th."
-Julie
“My son is on his 3rd class with Youth Digital and I plan to purchase all the classes if his interest continues. We have learned a lot and just love the classes.”
-Susan T.
“My son is a big Minecraft fan and was excited to be able to create custom mods. He got to learn how Minecraft works from the inside. The instructor is entertaining in his instructions. Highly recommended as first exposure to programming and for Minecraft fans. I plan to try other classes.”
-Mr. Alamo
“Both my 10 and 12 year old boys love MineCraft and were excited to take this class. They found the instructors to be quite entertaining and the activities both fun and the right level of challenge. They learned quite a bit about programming as well as using creative programs like Gimp. I would highly recommend this class.”
-Tammy M.
“Our family has enjoyed the Mod Design 1 class! The instructor is funny, with humor that is age appropriate. The steps are easy to follow, and the kids feel a sense of accomplishment throughout. This is a creative way to use a child’s natural interest, in this instance Minecraft, to introduce them to Java programming.”
-Juli S.
“My 13 year old son says: I love this Mod Design 1 course. It is the best resource in mod design I have ever seen. It goes through every step in amazing up-to-date accuracy. It is cool in every way, shape, and form. He looks forward to each lesson and I never have to remind him to get to work!”
-Roxanne M.
“My family has enjoyed this educational project. It has been extremely entertaining and the support we have received has been exceptional.”
-D. Moore
“My 9-year-old son has been using Youth Digital’s Mod Design 1 for several months now. It has been a wonderful experience for him. He is really learning how to program with a real programming language in a game that he loves - Minecraft! The videos are excellent and easy to follow. I am really impressed with how much he’s learned already. When we have needed support from Youth Digital, they have responded promptly and resolved our concern. This is the best programming experience my son has had so far.”
-Debi R.
“My grandson loves this program. He has created a sword to use in Minecraft. The program eases them into learning computer programming in a fun manner. The excitement over creating on the computer is increasing energy with other school tasks. Thank you for this program.”
-The Andreponts
“My 10 year old daughter, who had NO previous Java exposure, began the Mod-Design-1 course at the beginning of the year. She finished her first Mod within 8 weeks. Since the license we purchased said it was good for an entire year, I told her to continue creating mods and asking the teaching staff for assistance. She’s now almost finished with her second, more complex mod and I am very pleased with the team responsible for interacting with the students. They are friendly, encouraging and seem sincerely excited to be teaching and shaping the next generation of IT experts. My daughter, my IT husband and I highly recommend this program and company!”
-A. Crosby
“We absolutely love this! It is just great, the kids have no problems following it (and learning English, which is second language) and learn so much - the course is well designed and the instructor fabulous :-) My kids have really gotten into game designs with this so we’re thinking about some of the other courses from YD in the near future. I have told lots of people about it, in our home chooling community and outside it :-)”
-Sisse H.
“My 10 year old Ds has adored this product, and we will struggle to get a years worth out of it, as he’s nearly finished it in 3 months. A great springboard to learning Java for other applications. We have recommended it to lots of friends!”
-A. Phillips
“My twin 14 year old boys are obsessed with Minecraft. They each received this as a Christmas gift. Both of them are really enjoying the course. They really like the instructor, the customer service has been very helpful when they had issues, and we are excited to be able to count this course as an elective for our homeschool. We will definitely finish the course!”
-Lise B.
"This 3D Printing & Modeling course, and all the courses we have done through Youth Digital, is fantastic. The lessons are clear, concise, entertaining, and the student support is wonderful. My kids feel pride in their finished work and their ability to use such "grown up" software. I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to take Youth Digital's new fashion design course!"
- Elisha W.
“My son has really enjoyed the Minecraft Mod Design which is helping him appreciate the game even more. While there have been some misunderstandings on his part for the programming code, the technical assistance from YouthDigital has been wonderful. They are timely Mon-Fri in responding to help from the kid’s questions. The Mod Design 1 class is really comprehensive with entertaining video lessons. As a parent I don’t know about programming, so having a class my son can take that is complete with tech assistance is wonderful. YouthDigital has been a blessing for our family. Hopefully they will have more classes for MAC users like us because after this class, my son wants to take all the other classes they offer.”
-Sharon A.
“So I asked my child “what is so great about youth digital mod design 1” and he said “EVERYTHING”! He said it really brings out your imagination. He also learned about coding in java and he says it is very complicated. As a parent, I am so glad I made this purchase.”
-K. Pearson
"I love the Youth Digital 3D-Animation course a lot. I am 12 years old. One of the things that I like is that the videos are fun to watch. I never got bored while doing the course, simply because it is funny. Another thing that I like is it gave me a giant boost with my animating hobby. Before I did the course, I was not making that much progress with animating. I was using a different program that wasn't as good, and I almost knew nothing. After taking this course, I started using Blender (the program they teach you to animate with). I made a lot more progress. I am working on a new project right know. It will definitely help my dream of being an animator as a career come true. If that is your dream or you just want to tell a good story, I would definitely recommend this course for you. Also the 3D Printing and Modeling Course could also help you teach you how to make characters in the same program. I am definitely going to take that one next."
- ACE
“We purchased this program for my 10 year old son to learn with my husband. They’ve had a blast! It’s been great to watch them learn about writing code for MineCraft and put it to good use. We are looking forward to moving forward with the program and complete it.”
-Amanda
"3D Animation is our third Youth Digital course and like the previous two it is terrific. The course is taught in such a way to be both challenging and "doable". The thing that sets this course apart is the INCREDIBLE support. When my son has a problem he sends a chat and within 24 hours (except Sundays, they are closed on Sundays) there is a very clear explanation and helpful suggestions."
- LA Day
“My 7-year old Minecraft fan and I have been taking this course together. The (somewhat complicated) material is presented in such a light-hearted step-by-step fashion, that neither one of us feels daunted. Because it’s in short modules, we can tackle it a little at a time, which is helpful with his young attention span. We are VERY impressed with this high-quality course and would recommend it to anybody with an interest in Minecraft and making mods.”
-Amy E
“My 11-year-old daughter is so motivated by the enthusiasm of the instructor and the fact that she is learning to make her own Minecraft mod, that she does this class of her own accord. My computer professional husband is impressed with the material she is learning. My daughter says, “Mod Design 1 is really fun, and so is the teacher! He always says funny jokes about his ‘Grandmodder’. I even want to do this during my free time!””
-Angela S.
“This is my son’s second class from Youth Digital. He is learning a great deal about Java and programming, while having fun. The teachers at Youth Digital have been fantastic. He works on his Mod daily. I look forward to seeing his completed Mod. This course has required very little input from me, allowing me time for grading/etc during the school day. I’m very pleased with both of the courses we’ve purchased from Youth Digital.”
-Jenn L.
“Mod-Design-1is by far is my son’s favorite course. I often hear him laughing when he watches the instructional video. The course is well designed and can be done independently. I helped him do the initial download of the software but it was not necessary because the process was well taught step by step. This was a great investment to jump start interest into the world of computer programming. We have since purchased another course from Digital Media and have had the same response. The price tag was a bit high but the quality is high and the motivation it produced in an otherwise hard to motivate student was priceless.”
-Laurie
“We got the Mod Design 1 class for both of my boys. They absolutely love this class. Some days they even do beyond their daily work and keep going. Thanks so much!”
-Heather T.
“This class is so well produced! The videos are engaging and the instruction is very thorough. The lessons are challenging but not too hard for my 11yo to do on his own. He’s very proud of what he’s been able to produce using Mod Design 1. This class is a great value and I highly recommend it.”
-Rachel M.
“My boys, ages 13 and 11, loved taking ModDesign 1. The videos kept them engaged and challenged. The instructors always responded promptly whenever we had a question. I was so impressed with Youth Digital that I registered for the 3D Game Design class through Homeschool Buyers Co-Op.”
-Kelly
“Mod Design I has been so great for us! We have enjoyed the amusing and engaging lessons taught by the super knowledgable instructor. The interface that is used to deliver the online class is first rate. These guys have seriously raised the bar! My son has learned so much and is eager to get started with the 3D graphics class. ”
-Michelle S.
“I feel like I’ve “tricked” my son into learning programming! He LOVES this class and all the cool things he can do with it! I love that he’s learning something that could help in his future career!”
-Bethany N.
“My 11yo has had a great time with this class. He seems to be learning a lot, and it is presented in an engaging way. Help desk has also been very helpful.”
-J. Marchman
“Youth Digital is awesome!!! We purchased Mod Design 1 for our 9 year old son about a year after purchasing Game Design 1. We have been so excited to be able to tailor his schooling to something he loves that is also great career training. And, the prices through HBC were unbeatable! Our son loves doing his Mod Design each day and the training videos are SO fun and informative. I love hearing him in there cracking up as he watches the videos. I have often heard him say, “This is awesome!” The support from Youth Digital has been fantastic. Whenever we have an issue, we hear back from them right away and sometimes several times a day as we email or chat back and forth. They are always super friendly, helpful, and very clear in their instructions. I can’t say enough good things about Youth Digital and their products. :) We will definitely be purchasing more of their classes!”
-Rachelle P.
“We purchased Mod-Design 1 for our 11 yo son. He is learning so much and enjoying creating his own mod for Mine Craft. This class is not only teaching him to mod his favorite game, he is also learning the computer language JAVA which I’m sure will help him in the future should he wish to pursue computer programming later on.”
-KB. Avery
“This is the first java class my son has taken and it has been a wonderful experience. The instructional videos are funny, entertaining, and educational. My son was able to advance through the class primarily through the video instruction, however, when he did run into a few problems, the teachers were always ready, eager, and capable of fixing his issues. I highly recommend the class.”
-S. O’Connor
“We are extremely happy with our decision to purchase this for our 11 year old son. This is so much more than just learning Java Script. Although that in itself is worth while. Our son has learned so much and is proud of his accomplishments. As parents, we are too. Let’s face it, video games are not on our priority list, but they are on our kids list! This was a great way for us to take his love for gaming to a whole new level. Practical skills our son has learned is how to follow instructions, and consequently, what happens when you don’t!, how to ask for help, how to fix his own mistakes, patience, and self control, persistence-it pays off, problem solving, collaboration with others to name a few. The ability to be creative and have complete control over his own project has empowered him in good ways. We have no regrets with Mod Design 1. Justin, the instructor was fantastic. His lessons were engaging and humerous. When we needed on line teacher help, we got it. They were prompt, courteous and helpful. We have recommended this product to many others already. Some of whom have purchased Mod Design 1. It’s been rewarding to hear my son get phone calls from other kids asking for help and advice and seeing how he is meeting their needs. Again I have to say...This is so much more than learning Java Script!
Sincerely,
-Kelly G.
“MOD-Design has been a great experience for my daughter! She has become so computer savvy that she is now teaching her older siblings about all things computer related. We couldn’t be happier with the skills she is acquiring. And the support from Youth Digital is timely and excellent. We are beyond satisfied with these courses! Our daughter can’t wait to move on to more challenges and other courses. Thank you, Youth Digital!”
-A. Hauck
“My son loved the Youth Digital Mod Design course. He got up every morning and asked when he could work on his course! I highly recommend it!”
-M. Robinson
“This is a fabulous course!! The support team are wonderful, friendly and helpful. My 11 year old son loves it and is inspired to learn more about game design and programming after he finishes this course. We’re very pleased! :D”
-Sarah
“I can’t say enough good things about this product. It’s worth it’s weight at full price since I never had to make my child sit down and do this course daily, she simply loved it. The video instructions are rather interactive. The support staff is very helpful and speedy in their responses. Not only that but my daughter learned the basics about Java programming, painlessly while creating items in minecraft. I wish they had more products in other computer languages, and when they do, I’ll gladly sign my kids up.”
-Nita
“I purchased this product for my son although he was at the high end of the suggested ages. He loves computer games and favors mine craft, so this program really interested him. He has really enjoyed not only the course itself, but also having the support team available when things don’t go as planned. We plan to order several of the other courses offered by this company! An excellent buy for our family!”
-Kim B
“This is a great course - worth the money if you child is interested in coding or modifying mine craft. The video lessons are enough fun that my daughter calls us in to watch the funny parts and will play them multiple time. Their response to questions is 24 hrs max, they only take Sundays off. And my daughter is learning to code in java - she really has a grasp of how changes in one section affect the game and how to find and correct errors. It seems a bit expensive with so many “free options” out there - but the it is organized, progressive, and fun in a way no free program is.
It’s worth the price.”
-Ray D.
“Our son really enjoyed this class. Their instructional videos are fantastic and have the best geek humor. We highly recommend this class to anyone who has a kid interested in learning to mod Minecraft.”
-Heather H.
“Mod-Design-1 has been great for my daughter! It is engaging and entertaining while she is learning programming skills. Thank you for offering these courses!”
-A. Otto
“I originally bought this online course because Minecraft was dominating all of my son’s extra time and I thought that he could learn some valuable skills, such as a programming language, through this course. The best thing about this course is that they provide a skeleton of the program and allow the students to add to it slowly rather than starting from scratch. This helps in seeing immediate results. My son absolutely loves the videos and has gained quite a bit of knowledge about Java through this course. He looks forward to learning more about it every day. He has also learned a lot about troubleshooting and problem solving. I mentioned how much he enjoyed this course at our last curriculum-share night with our homeschool group.”
-Patricia M.
“LOVE IT!!! My older son started on the course first and my 7-year-old started watching and really wanted to do it also. We bought the course for him and, with my help with the reading, he has thrived! He loves the instructional videos -- Justin (the instructor) is great. Now that we are near the end of the course, my little guy can basically do everything himself and needs only a little of my help. It has also been great for me to refresh my own programming skills.”
-Debra H.
“We absolutely LOVE this class! We have recommended the Mod Design 1 class to people far and wide, including a family at Disney World who stopped to ask us a question. Justin, the teacher, is passionate, fun & engaging. What better way to learn. It is well worth the money!”
-Ann S.
“As a student user of a number of these Youth Digital courses I rate them 5 stars. The instructors are very clear and quite amusing. They teach you skills that can allow you to go beyond what they teach you after the course. The points system for each activity makes sure that students strive to do their best to unlock new content to add to their games. This specific course allows you to experiment and play with Minecraft. In conclusion this course is well done and fun, I would highly recommend getting it for any kid of ages 8+.”
-Joe P.
“This class (which offers access for an entire year!) has been incredible for my 10 year old son. He loves Minecraft, and now I have been able to redirect his creative efforts into learning a programming language!
The staff is excellent. They have a real talent for working with young kids, even through email. They are always encouraging and enthusiastic. I was initially concerned at running the help function through email for such young kids (they do have live chat available too, but I need not have worried. It’s been wonderful for my son’s typing and writing (learning to express what his problem is and ask for help) and the staff is exceedingly good at “deciphering” the “creative spelling” in some of the emails I don’t see beforehand.
Overall, I’m extremely pleased. So much so in fact, that I hope they come out with a Mod Design 2 soon. We’d easily pay full price for these classes in the future, if they aren’t offered at a discount. We plan to purchase App Design soon as well.”
-Lauren D
“Their addiction to Minecraft can be used for good! My 11 year old has been a Minecraft fanatic for several years. The opportunity to use his addiction as a learning tool was a no-brainer! He is learning computer skills while having fun playing?! Win win for this Mom!
Oh, and I am the hero for buying this for him :-)
Thank you for your product and for the savings!”
-Treva
“The teacher for this course is engaging and makes difficult problems easy to master. It allows you to learn Java and at the same time see your work as you go though the course. I highly suggest this course for anyone learning how to use Java.”
-Joel J.
“We’re not quite half way through yet, but my 10yo son is loving this course. His 8yo brother also enjoys watching the lessons. The videos are very entertaining and do a great job of walking a budding developer through the process of learning code and image editors. I’m hoping Youth Digital releases more Mac compatible products in the future.”
-Erik R.
“I bought the mod design 1 class for my 8 yr old son who had been using Minecraft for only 2 months. He had been curious about adding Mods but I had no clue about how to do that. The class is broken up into 12 modules that have several tutorial videos on how to do each step. There are review, troubleshooting challenges and quizzes in each mod. The user can accumulate points towards earning extra codes. My son earned a lightning sword, potion effects and default enchantments. He hopes to earn other odes. The creator, Justin, is hilarious in the videos. My son begged me to do more videos each day. He was mad when I didn’t have the time so he worked ahead. The class was very fun for him but he had times that were frustrating due to errors and also glitches due to our computer. No worries. The customer service was fabulous! The folks at Youth Digital sent detailed explanations on how to solve situations. They were always enthusiastic no matter how many emails we sent. Three times they were able to share our computer screen to solve our problems that were due to errors with JAVA software and the way our computer was set up. My son was able to learn many computer functions (and so was I), he learned about programming in JAVA, he became independent at sending emails asking for questions or providing suggestions to the company, his spelling improved, he learned it wasnt the end of the world if a mistake happened and he just finished his first mod!! What a great feeling for him! He now can redo the steps to make other mods or improve his first one. He loves this class and wants to do a gaming one at some time. This class was worth the price. I recommend it for any Minecraft lover.”
-Christine V.
“This is a GREAT learning home-school program for teens wanting to learn and take them to the next level in computer gaming with MineCraft. It is easy to download and to follow the module steps. When support is needed, the staff is quick to respond and solutions are often resolved quickly.”
-M. McCartney
“We purchased Mod-Design 1 for our 8th grade daughter. She has not completed the course, but has absolutely loved what she has finished. She likes how the videos explain things in a clear fashion, and that you have to practice each step. There is also daily review, with a quiz after each section. That all helps to make sure that she is truly understanding the material before moving on to the next section. Another huge plus is now entertaining and fun the videos are. She truly looks forward to watching them each day.”
-Leah B.
My 13 year old son completed Mod Design 1, and is currently taking Server Design 1. He is loving it! He has gone from the kind of student who has to be begged to finish his school work, to getting up by himself at 6 am, so he can complete his other school work and spend the rest of the day programming. I can't compare this to similar services, Youth Digital is our first Programming experience. But I have been impressed by how well supported it is, the online instructors are experts in their field, and have always been available to answer his questions. The material is presented in a way my son finds engaging and highly amusing. I definitely recommend this course if your student is interested in programming and likes Minecraft."
- E.T. Cable
“My 10 year old son, loves the Mod-Design-1 program. He used to spend a lot of time playing mine craft, which I thought was a waste of time, but now he has created many new tools and creatures for mine craft, while learning to program in Java. At times he gets frustrated with the programming, but has been able to work through the problems and learn more about Java. I highly recommend this program.”
-Ben E.
“My 14 year old son was very excited to add this to his school day. He is already asking for more and he currently has his eye on the app design. We have and will continue to recommend this to other students. Over all, this is a great instructional class, taking what the kids are interested in doing and making it a fun learning experience, that will benefit them in the years to come.”
-B. Beery
“Mod Design 1 has given my homeschooled 9th grader a chance to develop his computer skills through creating a Mod for Minecraft, his favorite computer game. Learning about and coding Java is a brand new set of skills that he is enjoying. Another advantage is that this program works on our iMac. I am so pleased with this purchase!”
-Melissa V.
“My 9 yr. old son enjoys Mod Design 1. When he encounters problems, he emails Customer Service and they respond right away. I’ve also been able to help him solve problems on his own which provides for more learning and problem solving skills. It has allowed him to be creative, understand the work that goes into his favorite game and given him an easily accessible glimpse into the world of Java.”
-D.C.
“I looked for a while to find a programming class for my 10 year old son that would not be so dry! This class certainly met our needs. It’s fun, packed full of information and the support team is quick to respond with any questions. I’ll be buying additional classes from you!”
-Keely A.
“My 10 yr old son and I have been working through MineCraft Modding together and we both love it. Entertaining and educational. I have learned a lot as well as my son. I am not a computer expert by any means it is easy to use and understand. Highly recommend.”
-Rhonda S.
“My 11 year-old son and I love the program! He has learned so much in a fun and engaging way. He would do 6 lessons a day if he could:) This is our stand out purchase of the curriculum year. Money well-spent for us.”
-Sue W.
“Mod Design 1 is the third Youth Digital course my 10-year-old son has taken over the past two years (after Game Design 1 and App Design). As always, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the course. Youth Digital courses are the best online classes we’ve encountered and teach great basic computer/keyboarding skills as well as the specific programming lessons. Courses have a nice progression and are easy for the kids to follow along with independently (a big bonus for homeschool moms!) Technical support is quick and helpful whenever kids run into a glitch, and the feedback they receive on their final product is very thoughtful. My son recently completed his mod and ask every day when he gets to start his next Youth Digital course!”
-Jessica L.
“We’ve been struggling with how to integrate more computer programming into our 12-year-old’s curriculum. There are many programs out there to use, but unfortunately most require my support and I just don’t know enough to be helpful to him. We tried Mod Design 1, expecting that with a year to use it if I had to learn it first so I could help him that would give us plenty of time. Thankfully, the support they have provided my son has been wonderful and the fact that he can use the product and ask for assistance on his own when he’s struggling has kept him moving forward quickly. So, we’ve had use of it for a month and he’s been through the entire program. Now he’s able to basically start over and improve upon what he’s already learned. He loves it! We’ve even invited other families who might be interested in purchasing to come sit with him to see how it works.”
-Beth P.
“Great class! I’m a computer scientist, and I mentor a robotics team at the local high school. Teaching a 10-year old Java seemed like a real challenge. This class does a great job of introducing troublesome concepts in a fun way. The focus on Minecraft keeps it playful. Each section ends with a challenge or quiz that gives points toward bonus codes. Our kid enjoys the lessons, remembers the importance of tricky syntax like commas and semi-colons, and is comfortable with terms like instantiation. I’ve recommended this to several co-workers who are looking for good classes to teach their kids programming.”
-Tim E.
“WOW! What a great course. This is one of those courses in which you do not have to tell your child to do, they beg to do it! My son, 13, finished the course in 4 months. It was engaging, well planned, and the instructors were available as promised. The feedback/help on the MOD was quick and friendly. The website was easy to navigate and visually appealing. I would say I highly recommend this, but if I left out my sons input I would be in trouble. We are already looking at doing the following 3D classes etc, but will have to be a birthday present (YES, he would love getting this, surprised? I was too!) as they are more than this course when you buy outside of the Co-op. Would love to see those other courses offered at the discount too. Not that we don’t think they are worth it, just more than I have in the budget. I did send to everyone I know in hopes of deep discount! Thanks for carrying this! We will look for others from Youth Digital.”
-P. Poole
“Mod-Design-1 couldn’t have been better. This is by far one of the most professionally done online courses I’ve ever seen. My 7 year old was engaged and even entertained by the lessons from day one. And since he is having fun, he is REALLY learning and enjoying coding. We are already planning which programming course he will take next. Very grateful for the discounted rate, without which, we probably wouldn’t have tried this.”
-Paul D.
“This has been the best present I gave to my son. My son love it, it is educational and fun at the same time. I will keep looking for more deals like this.”
-Maria B.
“My son loves Youth Digital. We started out taking Game Design 1 and he completed it in 4 months. Now he is taking Mod Design 1. He started the lessons last week. What I love is that he feels confident, he is proud of himself. He stayed up to midnight 4 nights in a row to program in java. He is very excited about learning and can’t wait to finish the class so that he can take 3d modeling class next. The staff is exceptional too. We had few setbacks on setting up the software they helped us get up and running before frustration set in. My son is 10 years old.”
-L Taylor
“This class has been wonderful for our family. I bought the program for my 10 and 14 year old children. They are really learning a lot and enjoying it! My older son who is taking JAVA in college is also learning from this program as he works with his siblings. It is an excellent course that is challenging for the younger kids but not overwhelming and reinforcing what my older son is doing in college. Also, the online technical support has been very good. Thank you”
-Kelly G.
“I have been extremely impressed with this course and the company that offers it from start to finish. The instruction has been engaging enough to hold my son’s attention, and the support they provide has been quick and top notch. Every time my son has come up against an issue with his programming he can’t work out on his own, they have responded with a day to our support requests and resolved the issues. I highly recommend Youth Digital to anyone with a child interested in any topic covered by the courses they offer.”
-Christian R.
“This has been a leaning blessing and reminder that learning can also be a gas! My grandson is addicted, studies/researches the videos, does his work, tests it and redoes it a number of times, and LOVES THIS COURSE!!! More Youth Digital is all he wants for the summer/fall. The instructors are fantastic and I’ve been sharing my thoughts with other homeschool parents. Youth Digital is expensive, but worth it. This course is much more than just Java. It’s math, critical/creative thinking, and art! Haven’t tried anything similar, but will do to the cost. However, if I can’t find anything comparable, we will complete all the Youth Digital courses.”
-Nana
“My 12 year old son loved this course. We gave it to him as a Christmas gift and he immediately wanted to “play” with it. We had to force him to take breaks - it was that much fun!”
-Jennifer T.
“This is one of those magical classes where the students are having so much fun, they don’t even realize how much they are learning.”
-Jane H.
“My son is addicted to Minecraft. It’s is a creative game that challenges him to build ever more complex designs from buildings to creatures. As a homeschooler, this program challenges him to create on a whole new level. He learns basic Java language programming to design totally new tools, armor, ores and other things. He then “imports” his new design into the minecraft game on his computer. This program has both engaging lessons and excellent tech support. I highly recommend this program.”
-V. Penny
“The Mod Design 1 program has been a hit at our house. The well-designed instructional videos give clear, step-by-step instructions, and our 12 year old quickly gained the programming skills to begin designing his own Minecraft elements. The technical support team is also excellent, and they responded promptly whenever our son ran into any problems. The video instructor, Justin, is hilarious, and we enjoyed watching the videos just to hear HIM! We highly recommend this program.”
-J. Lay
“My kids love,love,love the Mod Design 1 course. We didn’t know what to expect but both of our children love to play Minecraft. My kids took off with it the very first day. They were watching the videos and making things very quickly. They loved the humor of the video teachings. It was easy to follow and understand what to do because of the teaching videos they got to watch. They were able to e-mail the teachers when they had a problem. They got responses pretty quickly when they were stuck. We think Youth Digital is a very good company and have been impressed with what we have seen so far. It has had a very positive influence on both my son and daughter. They are able to see how computer programming works behind the game. It gave them a new perspective about how video games are created. It has made them think in different ways now when they play Minecraft. They look forward to moding and after finishing the first mod that got sent in for reviewing they continue to add more mods. They are really looking forward to doing more courses from Youth Digital. We have told others about the course and they have been interested. Thanks so much for offering such a great product for us to purchase.”
-Jill G.
“We are very glad we purchased this course. We felt that the price was high (even with the discount) as we weren’t certain whether we would get a good enough return on it. However, we have been extremely pleased and would purchase future products from this company. I have been sitting next to my son who is 11 as he works through it, so I’ve seen every bit of it so far. He is definitely learning some java (and already understood some basics of programming through SCRATCH before this). My thinking is that this is a first step for exposure to java to get him motivated to learn more. He gets to see results fairly quickly - it takes a few hours to work through a module on how to create a new sword, make it move in Minecraft, create its crafting recipe, and actually go try it out in the game for fun. For my particular kid, I don’t think he’d have the patience to try to learn java start to finish without some fairly quick Minecraft gratification like this, so for us, the fact that they are teaching the required steps specifically for this mod works fine. I do believe that it will teach him enough to be a jumping off point to then learn more java. He definitely gets to be creative but also has to stick to the requirements (which, with programming, can be many). The video instructor is incredibly engaging. I find myself laughing out loud at him sometimes, so my son and I are enjoying this together. They really take you through everything step by step and pause often enough for you to go carry out the steps before moving on. They also have troubleshooting modules so that you can practice troubleshooting mistakes in code, and there are short quizzes that allow you to earn points to purchase additional code for your mod (that presumably will make it cooler though we haven’t shopped in the point store yet). Definitely a big thumbs up from us.”
-Megan RK.
“The Mod Design has been such an awesome program for my son (13) to get his hand on. It has boosted his confidence knowing he is able to create these Mods all on his own. I literally handed him the information and he was off to the races with it. I have had zero involvement. This is something he has been able to do independently at his own will.
I would not consider my son a reader. It is something we have fought about for years. As a mom, I’m happy to find something my son can’t put down. We finally found the right material to motivate him!!!! I would highly recommend to any child that loves Minecraft.”
-Meaghan M.
“This is our second class we’ve bought for our son from Youth Digital. He is at the top of their age range for this class but it hasn’t made a bit of difference. He is really enjoying it, being somewhat of a Minecraft fanatic! We are thrilled with the class and say “Thank You” to Youth Digital! We’ve recommended these classes to several and have had some sign up because of it, as well.”
-The Pace Family
“We love this course! Teachers are funny and entertaining! We all want to watch. My 11yr old son is so enjoying it and whenever he has trouble, just emails in and always gets a cheerful, timely response! Planning on ordering 3-D animation soon!”
-Beth P.
“My daughter took this class recently. She absolutely LOVED it!! The instructor was funny and engaging. The lessons were not complicated. The tech support is awesome! Anytime she didn’t understand something, there is the support button, to guide. Each time they looked at her code they found exactly what she did wrong. She couldn’t wait to do the class every day. She feels so great having just posted her new mod for all to play. I HIGHLY recommend this class. We are going to try a few more of there offerings as well.”
-Teresa L.
“I highly recommend this product. My son is finally learning something while playing his favorite game, Minecraft.”
-J. Norton
“This class was wonderful and absolutely worth every penny we spent on it. My son has completed his first mod and received high marks on it from the Youth Digital staff, and is working on his second. The Youth Digital classes are well structured and easy for kids to use, and the staff was very responsive via email to any questions my son had along the way. We haven’t used any other online computer classes, but we would definitely do another class from Youth Digital in the future. I have made sure that all my friends know how wonderful I think Youth Digital classes (and the Mod Design class in particular) are.”
-F. Michel
“My son has really enjoyed the Mod Design class. It has sparked his interest in programming and he plans to take more classes. The customer support at Youth Digital is great! Any time my son has had a problem and contacted them, he has gotten a response very quickly. They are very helpful and encouraging. I high recommend this class for any kid who loves Minecraft and wants an intro to programming.”
-Kim C.
“We are so happy to have discovered Youth Digital through Homeschool Buyers Co-op! My son loves this class. He is learning so much. The instructors are very accessible if he runs into a problem or has a question. They are also very entertaining and teach at a good pace for my 11-year-old. It has been a wonderful experience! We will be taking more classes through Youth Digital.”
-Beth C.
“I highly recommend this and all other Youth Digital classes. My son has taken a few of them and he loves them! The training videos are humorous and easy for kids to understand. The kids learn a ton and end up with a great Mod at the end. Michelle Caskey”
-Michelle C.
“So far this class has been great. My son has really enjoyed the lessons he has thus far completed and is always eager to get to the next. It is by far one of the best modding/Minecraft courses he has attended. And, he has taken both online and in class courses.
“We purchased Mod design 1, and love it !! My son is 10 years old, he has an easy time doing the assignments on his own. He really enjoys the humor and simple instructions in the videos. He contacted tech support with a question, and got the issue resolved quickly. He is nearing the end, but doesn’t want it to be over !! I hope Mod-design 2 will be coming soon ! Also Justin is favorite !!”
-Brandy H.
“I purchases Mod-Design 1 for my 11 year old son and he has loved every moment. The instructor is very engaging and makes learn so much for for my son. The instructor is easy to understand for my son as well as for me. The few times that we ran into problems the help center was great. My son is looks forward to the program!”
-M. Quinones
“My son has enjoyed going through the lessons of this course. The video presenter is a little corny, but my son appreciates his humor. It amazes me each time I check in with him the new enhancements that he is working on that he learned through the course. My son is 10 and the pacing is just right.”
-April
“We like the structure of this self-paced program. I like that my son can’t jump ahead without achieving milestones in the program. He works on it daily for about an hour and likes it a lot. He likes being able to immediately interact with Minecraft; he can see the result of his script work. The point system helps him to achieve. We are especially pleased with the quick feedback on questions. However, I wish live chat was more active.”
-Annie P.
“My son loves the Mod Design class. It is his last assignment of the day, and it has been a big motivator for him to get the rest of his schoolwork done. I definitely anticipate that he will want to continue with these classes.”
-Ann S.
“My boys are 9 and 11. They are thoroughly enjoying the course. The instructor is hilarious and enthusiastic. If the kids have questions, the team responds promptly and helps them work through until they find the solution. We will most likely be doing more of these courses.”
-N. Frederick
“We purchased this program as a Christmas gift for our son, a ten year old. From the moment he opened the program, he was hooked! We literally could not get him off of the program for about two weeks. He plowed through and was fluent in java (remembering correctly?)code language almost immediately. As we are not programmers, he would just inquire with the online instructors if he had any questions and they were very helpful in a timely manner. I would HIGHLY recommend this product!”
-Mary S.
“This is the first program I’ve purchased where my son said week after week, “I’m so glad you bought this for me, Mom. Thanks!” It has been a great testament to this program to be so engaging, allow him to move at his own pace, and the feedback when you ask questions is amazing! We had 1 hour turn arounds on each of the questions he asked. I thought for sure it would be the next day before we got a response, but my son was able to finish up whatever vexed him that day. He’s so proud of what’s he’s created. My son is 14 and not easy to find an online computer program he looks forward to working on each week. It seems a lot of programs are too hard or too easy. Mod-Design 1 is perfect :)”
-Brandy B.
“My 11 year old son has absolutely LOVED this course! Matter of fact, my entire family gets swept away in the engaging videos. When the video lessons are on we are ALL entranced and laughing...from my 9 month old up! Justin’s teaching style speaks directly to this generation and is really effective and entertaining!
Best money I’ve spent on my child’s education in a LONG time! Looking forward to many more classes with Youth Digital!”
-Stephanie B.
“Well, my husband and I bought this for our son and it’s been love at first sight. We are now trying to figure out how to get him to do his school work. He spends almost all his free time learning and implementing his new skills. He is looking forward to the next level.”
-L. Murray
“My son has taken several camps and classes on game design, but none of them made programming and learning Java click as well as this Mod-Design course has. He thinks the tutors in the video clips are wonderful - funny, encouraging and interesting - and anytime he has a question or problem he e- mails the support staff himself and gets an almost immediate response. My son is so proud of what he’s created in the lessons so far, and can’t wait to finish the course and submit his own mod for publishing. My son loves what he’s learning through this course, and I love what it’s done for his self-esteem. He can’t wait to try out more courses in the future.”
-Casey B.
“My 8 year old son has enjoyed being able to add ‘stuff’ into Minecraft. This was very exciting for him. The anticipated frustration has never been a problem, as the code is already written for them, and they just have to alter small sections of it at a time. I would consider this a very gentle introduction to how Java works. For our family, it has been useful to assess whether we want to take programming education further.”
-Judy N.
“It’s fun! I highly recommend it. I’ve learned how to create armor, a sword, and a pick-ax. If you are using Macintosh, you’ll need to make sure you are using Mavericks.”
-Kaeden, 11 year old user
“My 11 year old son is about half way through Mod Design 1 and he really likes it. He is confident that he’ll be able to continue to make mods on his own after the course is over. The teacher is funny so he enjoys the videos, and the bonus code allows kids to add cool effects to their mods that are beyond their ability to code right now. (they get bonus code with points earned by answering review questions, it’s code written by YD developers that they can incorporate into their mods to make them even more awesome)
As a parent, I’ve been impressed by how easily my son can do this program without help from me. I know how to program and had been expecting to sit with him and help, but it hasn’t been necessary at all. The instruction is fun and engaging for kids - never boring at all. They have “troubleshooting” sections where they give the students sample code with errors to find and fix. I think this is a great way to introduce debugging and show how important every last semicolon is. Overall, I’ve been thrilled with this class and intend to continue with other courses offered by Youth Digital when my son finishes this one.
-Stephanie O.
“Although my son has a very logical mind, he has been reluctant to attempt any coding. Because he is MineCraft crazy, we decided to try this program. He is almost through the entire program and has programmed a few of his own mods (the programming is started and the student needs to finish it to complete the mod). He still has a ways to go to be proficient in the programming language, but this is a way to get him interested...to see how the programming language is and how it translates into a mod. He is almost at the end of the lessons and I am hoping that finish their Mod-design 2 ASAP so he can continue.”
-KS
“Mod Design 1 is an online class that teaches you how to design your own mod for Minecraft. I liked that I can put what I ve always wanted in Minecraft. I could also put what I feel is missing in Minecraft. I like the way they teach too, it s a I-do-you-follow . First Justin shows you the steps on how to do it. Then he tells you to pause the video and copy what he did. Plus the videos he are in are hilarious! Also if you ever get stuck and need help, you can send a message to one of the many teachers. I learned how to code and create images for my own items, blocks, foods, my own mobs and even made my own biomes. Youth Digital teaches you a lot of things, I love Minecraft and really love Mod Design 1. I would continue the program when Mod Design 2 comes out. Most of my friends use Mod Design 1. For people who are thinking about buying Mod Design 1, I say it s worth your money.
Thank you for reading :D”
- S.Kurniawanto
“My 10 year old son took the Mod Design 1 class and loved it. He had no prior programming experience at all. I took Basic and Pascal in Middle School, but that was it so nobody in our house knew Java or could help. It didn’t matter. It was totally on his level, and geared towards his age group. I used it as a reward after he did his regular homeschooling. He loved it. The Youth Digital folks were great at getting back to him regarding questions, etc. He is so proud of the Mod he created. We will take more Youth Digital classes.”
-Karla
“We purchased this as a Christmas present for our 11yo. He loves Minecraft and the education of Mod Design appealed to us. He worked on this almost every day for 3 months and was rewarded with great feedback from the teachers.
Questions were answered very quickly!
This was a great purchase. We hope to look into and purchase some of the other Youth Digital programs.”
-M. Bingham
“This is the second Youth Digital product we’ve purchased& my son loves them! He enjoys the subject matter, but Youth Digital’s support & engaging videos are an incredible added bonus. My son ran into an issue & worked on it with their support team via email until they escalated it to an WebEx. They really went the extra mile & I’ve told them so via social media on Twitter (& they were kind enough to reply!).
This purchase was so helpful that after completing it, my son (who had some previous Java experience) felt confident enough to apply to a Java summer camp assistant position with his former robotics coach!
Thanks, Youth Digital!”
-Marie S.
“I am the mother of a 12 year old boy and bought this class even though I was unsure, didn’t know much about the company and the interface, etc. Now that he has completed the course, I recommend the class 100% but also after our interactions with the company I am eager to have our family take more classes with them.
I was very impressed by the fast, clear and friendly replies to all of his many questions. The instructor was great at getting the kids to work on independent problem solving but they absolutely would step in to help when he got stuck.
I also really appreciated that they took Sundays off and we’d get a short autoreminder of that fact if we emailed them on a Sunday. I love that they have set a family day for their employees as well and it was a good example to my son of not letting even something you are passionate about, take over your life. I would not hesitate to recommend this purchase to anyone else.”
-KJ
“Very fun to use, - they have made an effort to try and engage kids.”
-Mona M.
“This is such a great program!! I was leary because I have no computer coding experience. They are very helpful! Every time my son has a question, they quickly reply. He loves it! I’m surprised by how nicely it is set up -- and simple to navigate. He’s really enjoying it! He’s already looking forward to their other programs, like creating apps, etc.
Thank You!!!”
-Emily S.
“I am so impressed with the Youth Digital company! My son has learned so much about Java and a lot about Minecraft that he didn’t previously know. Their customer service and tech support is amazing. Anytime my son has a question about something in the program or about something he is trying to accomplish, his emails receive a very prompt personal response, sometimes within a few minutes. The support staff are always extremely kind, patient, and encouraging. The program and instruction videos are fun, engaging, thorough, and easy to understand. Overall, the experience with Youth Digital has been outstanding, and we would definitely purchase from them again.”
-Amy M.
“This has been an excellent introduction to programming for my son. One of the keys to learning programming is finding a project that captures their interest. This does. He is having a great deal of fun building his new components for the game.”
-John H.
“This was a Christmas gift for our oldest son. He loved all things Minecraft, and as expected, he loved Mod-Design-1. Doesn’t seem like a class to him. In fact, I have to limit the time he can spend on it each day. Worth every penny!”
-Cheryl S.
“I was hesitant to sign up for an on-line computer programming class for elementary and middle school. Why was I hesitant? Simply due to the fact that I knew my 9 year old would need help at some point, and I am not gifted with computer programming. I have been extremely pleased with the customer service provided. The tech people do not talk down to the kids, but address the concerns on a professional level which is easily understood by students of all ages. We have been telling everyone about the class we are taking, as it truly is one the kids look forward to.”
-S. Gray
“We have told everyone we know how excellent Mod-Design 1 is. My son (8 yrs old) is about half way through and has loved it from the very first lesson. Justin, who presents the tutorials, is animated, engaging, knowledgeable and so very clear in his instructions. He is also so likeable and entertaining it’s a pleasure to sit with my son to help him with this course as necessary (my son is beginner reader and so requires a bit of help at times). Otherwise he would be fine on his own. We will definitely do more courses from this company in the coming years.”
-Susan
“My 11 year old loves this. He has learned he can make mistakes and go back and fix them. He has learned a lot more about computers and programming by playing. He loves the instructer and his sense of humor. We recieved fast answers to our questions. Can’t say enough good things about it.”
-Whitney A.
“We purchased this computer course for our 14 year old son. It has been a great tool for him as he creates his own mods and learns java programming. We are very pleased with the way this course is put together and the fun he had in going through it!
Here are his thoughts: This Mod-Design-1 course is exciting from the very first video! It teaches you how to make everything in Minecraft. It is a little bit difficult at the first step, but as you go deeper into the code, it makes more sense. I have told many of my friends about this course and my new “Mod of Fire” that I created. If you purchase this course, you will be able to put your thoughts into the program and make your own mod come to life!”
-Kim L.
“This is a fantastic product. It is the best produced online learning tool that I have used to date. It is funny and engaging to the kids and fully educational in terms of learning coding. The only issue I have is that I wish there was a family rate instead of having to purchase individually for each child.”
-M. Fernandez
“Aside from being an “Indie Schooler”, I am a tech educator for young kids and I have to say this is hands down one of the best programs I have come across. My son, 9 years old, wakes up and does push-ups to convince me to let him do a Mod Design lesson first in his schooling for the day. Kudos to YD for producing this jewel of a learning tool.”
-Melora L.
“The Mod-Design-1 is great. My plan is to have a career is computer programming and this has been a great start. It is what he looks forward to each school day. I have recommended it to several friends.”
-L. Bolick
“Perfect buy for the Minecraft enthusiast! Your child will design their own food, biomes, ore, mobs, armor, weapons and tools. Youth Digital’s customer service is very quick and thorough. Lessons are interesting and easy to follow. My 10 year old loves the program and is looking forward to sharing his very own mod with all of his friends.”
-Tami J.
“This is a great program for kids. The narrators that explain the step by step instructions are not only thorough but they make it fun and entertaining. The kids learn how to program but they also get to see and play with what they programmed in minecraft. That is very exciting for them.
The tech support has also been wonderful. When my son has entered things incorrectly (which is inevitable being a beginner) the support team has been quick to respond with the solution to the problem and sometimes have even emailed us that there was a problem before we knew it. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to try out programming especially if their children like minecraft. Well worth the money.”
-Jane
“My son has been hesitant about beginning a computer programming course. In fact, I’ve purchased 3 different courses already for him in the hopes of his gaining some programming skills, and he’s given up by lesson ten of each of them. He loves Minecraft and spends hours a day playing it, so when I saw this course, I thought it was my best hope of getting my son interested in programming. It worked! He spends time several days a week working on the programming aspect of the course, and he spends at least an hour a day customizing graphics for his mod. He finds it more engaging than the dry courses he’s attempted in the past, and so far he hasn’t run into any problems with understanding the coding and getting to the next section of the course. I’m so excited about how much he’s enjoying it, and I’m hoping he will want to continue on and learn more coding skills once he’s done with this program.”
-Susan G.
“My son loves this web class. He loves Minecraft and is learning so much about code. It is a great addition to our homeschool.”
-Cynthia H.
“From the student: It is awesome. I love the quick responses when I had a question. Classes were hard at times, but the teachers were very helpful. I would love to take another class like it.
From the parents: Our son thoroughly enjoyed this class. We’ve never tried anything like this before. For us it was a way to combine his love for video games with something that was educational and challenging. The staff was very helpful and professional along the way. We highly recommend the class.”
-Hayden A.
“My kids have really enjoyed this class, and have asked to do other online classes with Youth Digital. They’ve had lots of fun and have learned a lot. They’re always eager to do the next lesson. I’ve recommended it to friends. It’s very well put together and thorough. Well done!”
-Amy C.
“I bought the Mod-Design-1 for my son to do for homeschool, and he loves it. I find him working on the class even on days we are not doing school (Big compliment!), and I hear him laughing in other room at the videos. I love it when my son enjoys doing his school work.”
-Kim H.
My ten year old son is enjoying Mod-Design 1. He has been using it for about four months, and though I have to help him out once in while, the tutorials are user friendly and allow him to complete most tasks on his own. The one time we did have a technical question, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they responded (less than 24 hours). I don’t anticipate my son losing interest in this program anytime soon, and I’m happy I made the investment.”
-Jennifer
“This is, by far, the most successful homeschool product we’ve purchased. My 12-old son loves it, and it has inspired him to commit to hours of java coding practice without any prompting. In fact, he pleads to do this instead of other schoolwork, and constantly wishes that all of his courses were so well done, motivational and helpful. (He wishes Youth Digital did languages, math and science programs!) He is now able to impress his teachers and friends with his own Minecraft customizations, and feels like he has quickly learned a lot about Java in a fun and useful way, instead of just reading a textbook about Java.”
-Todd D.
“Got this for my son, an avid MineCraft fan but only lukewarm on the idea of programming ... until now! Great online learning facility with professionally produced material and quick email response! Makes learning something new and challenging fun for him.”
-Ryo T.
“My 12 year old son LOVES this online course. He asks to do it, excitedly shows me his progress, and is learning A LOT. We plan on taking another class after this one. He is already asking about it.”
-Rhonda T.
“My son age 10 loves this class. The first week he did several lessons. The help desk or support is awesome. On several occasions my son has needed help and he was helped very quickly before frustration set in.”
-L. Taylor
“My 12 year old who gripes over any new curriculum, sat down with a silly smile on his face when I introduced him to this Youth Design class. Any free time he has, he is doing this class. Thanks a lot for providing this class!”
-Ruth L.
“We bought Game Design 1 at the end of last year, and though we didn’t intend to start it until this fall, our son was so excited. Before our summer vacation, he had finished several levels. He found the program challenging (in a good and engaging way), but easy to use. He became very happy with what he created, and is looking forward to finishing the course this fall. We definitely recommend it! And will be purchasing more of their programming courses.”
-Michelle M.
“My 9 y/o started Game Design 1 four days ago and he absolutely loves the program! Aaron, the teacher, is entertaining and easy to understand. The pre-recorded lessons are well structured and easy to follow. I like that there are several questions during the lesson to make sure the child understands what is being taught. There is also a quiz at the end. All of the questions give the child an opportunity to earn points that can be used to “purchase” extra items to use in their game. My son is having fun creating a game, as well as learning how to troubleshoot - which is a huge part of software development in general. We’ll definitely be moving on to Game Design 2!”
-Michelle L.
“Game Design by Youth Digital is fantastic for a child who wants to learn Game Design. My daughter (nine years old) took the class and loved it. She enjoyed the videos and the humor of the instructor, who responded to all questions in a timely fashion. My daughter even uploaded her game to her website. She has signed up for app design one and has begun it. We have told many people about it and simply love YouthDigital.”
-Christine M.
“My 10 year old son absolutely loved Game Design 1. The instructor really gave immediate feedback and encouragement throughout the course. My younger son loves playing the new video game his brother created. We can’t wait to try Game Design 2 and App Design.”
-Gina
“I had been looking for a fun and not overly complicated game design program for my son and decided to try Game Design 1. It was a perfect fit. The program is very engaging and has a nice build up of skills.
My son is now on to App Design 1 and loves it too. We may end up doing all of their courses :)”
-Kate
“When my 10-year-old son asked me to purchase this product I was dubious at best. He is very active and nothing that requires him to stay in one place and focus holds his attention for more than a few minutes. However, to my delight, this program has been a huge blessing for us. My son absolutely loves it and sits at the computer for an hour or more at a time, carefully designing each step of his game. This program is engaging and interesting, as well as very educational. My son is excited to share each step of the game he is building with each one of us in the family and has never once complained of being bored with the program. We have to watch our money and are very careful about our purchases but we have already purchased the 3D Game Design from this company. I believe we will end up buying every one of these programs before my son is satisfied. This program would be a valuable addition to the curriculum of any young person who has expressed an interest in designing video games!”
-Kelly P.
“We purchased App Design 1. My daughter, 11, and son, 8, LOVE it! It is silly and educational at the same time. It’s great when your kids ask to do “school” on the weekend, and they have with this class. Also, the technical support has been Appmazing! ;)”
-Beth
“I purchased this program for my son, and he loves it. It is easy to use, easy to understand, yet challenging and has taught him a lot. He loves working on his game. He hasn’t completed his game yet, but works on it diligently and regularly. It has been a good learning experience for him. We hope to purchase Game Design 2.”
-K Cheney
“I liked Game Design 1 from the start. The instructional videos are very fun and easy to follow, and whenever you encounter a problem in your game, there’s a handy ‘talk to a teacher’ button. There, you can either talk to a teacher if there’s one online, or leave a message describing your problem. The game that you make is really fun to play and the process is pretty easy too. "
Kate, Student
“Hands down our best homeschool purchase! My 11 year old son enjoyed this course so much. Usually he balks at anything with the word ‘class’ or ‘lesson’ in it. I never had a problem getting him to do his game design class, in fact he would often do extra chapters during his free time. The videos are funny and engaging and very informative. We packaged up copies of my son’s game and gave it as gifts. The pride on his face when he handed out his game was priceless. Looking forward to trying more game design classes.”
-Michelle
“My 10 year old son saw this program at a homeschool convention, and months later was still talking about it. When we got it for him through the Homeschool Buyers Co-op, we weren’t disappointed! He learned about programming while having a LOT of fun. The video instruction modules were a great guide to building his game. When he had questions, their customer support was prompt and helpful. My son was thrilled with the personalized evaluation provided when he sent in his finished game for review. Our biggest challenge has been limiting his time at the computer. He becomes so engrossed in programming that he totally loses track of time. He has continued to develop his programming skills with Youth Digital’s 3D Game Design. Their products have been a “win” for our family.”
-Trish W.
“My daughter loves Game Design 1. We have tried other basic programming courses, which where all dry and difficult for her to follow, but Game Design 1 is different. The interactive videos are entertaining and make it easy to understand. She wants to do all of their programming courses when she finishes this one. We would certainly recommend this product to any family who’s looking for an intro to programming course.”
-Jessica M.
“Excellent! Aaron is the teacher and very fun to listen to and learn from. Plan on an hour per module if taking notes (recommended). My 5th grader needs help to take notes but he is able to do the video on his own. I just found that it was better to do with him because if he got to the end and couldn’t do what the lesson said I had no way to help him. I would say that the adult needs to be a little computer savvy to get everything downloaded and working. Highly, recommend! My child thinks he is going to be a game designer so I wanted to start tapping into that so he had a better understanding what he would be getting into. 100% worth the expense.”
-Susan T.
“It’s a great buy because (a) You get everything you need to design and create your own game, (b) The course is fun to do and isn’t extremely difficult to follow. And you can a lot more with the software you get. So it’s a great buy!”
-Clay O. 11 year old user
“Game Design 1 is absolutely wonderful! The modules are very well taught...not too fast, not too slow, and they don’t assume prior knowledge. The teacher, Aaron, is hilarious and explains things in a way that is perfect for the targeted age group. My son would like to meet him one day, he thinks Aaron is so great! My son has a greater appreciation for the games he now plays, and is excited and proud to be creating his own video game. I’m pleased that he is learning valuable skills in a way that he finds interesting. Customer service is excellent - we’ve had questions 2 times that were answered quickly and completely. We have already suggested it to others. I just can’t say enough good about it.”
-D.Kennedy
“I got Game Design 1 for my 13 year old son. He is having a great time with it and learning a lot. The videos are engaging and fun while still teaching what is needed. They are designing their game from the very beginning. My son is so excited that they have come out with Game Design 2. He can’t wait to finish the first class so he can start the second one.”
-Susie G.
“My 10 year old son hopes to become a video game designer when he is older, and this was a great way to get him started. We had some books on programming at home but he didn’t get very far through them because the material was too dry. I think it also helps to use a visual programming language rather than text-based, so he doesn’t get stuck with syntax and spelling too early on. My son loves the videos on the course and the humor appeals to him - I can often hear him chuckling as he works through each unit. I like the way the course is very well planned out and presented to the children. My son can do the work without any hand-holding from me, because it is all explained very clearly. The support is great too. My son has e-mailed the team several times because he thought his program wasn’t working properly, and each time they have sent back a helpful message asking him to review a particular part of the course and then try again. So far, he has fixed all of the bugs without having to e-mail his game to them and ask them to sort it out for him. I feel my son is not only learning how to design games, but also how to persist and to overcome difficulties. He and his brother are now pestering me to get Game Design 2!”
-Sam
“Absolutely LOVE the Game Design program! It allows the computer ‘geek’ in my teens to play. The interactive screens and simple directions allow them to create their own computer games. The opportunity to test their additions and deletions provides immediate feedback as to what works and what doesn’t. A great way to have fun & learn at the same time!!”
-Beth F.
“My 9 year old son began Game Design 1 about three months ago. I have been very impressed with the entire experience. He was able to do the online recorded class sessions completely independently, and only required occasional help with his activities. The presenter/teacher is great - enthusiastic, funny, and very specific in all of his instruction. When we did require help, I emailed our questions and received VERY prompt help (often within the hour) from owners Justin and Molly - unbeatable customer service. He has now almost finished Game Design 1 and we are looking forward to Game Design 2 which we will start next week.
I would highly recommend this class ( and have already) based on our experience, and feel it is a much better value than our previous similar experiences. We look forward to doing business with this company again.”
-Jennifer S.
“My son, Noah says, Game Design 1 is really cool. His dad and he play on it all the time. Dad and I are learning a lot together. We cannot wait for Game Design 2.”
-Kathryn C.
“My 10 year old son absolutely loved Game Design 1. The instructor really gave immediate feedback and encouragement throughout the course. My younger son loves playing the new video game his brother created. We can’t wait to try Game Design 2 and App Design.”
-Gina
“We purchased App Design 1. My daughter, 11, and son, 8, LOVE it! It is silly and educational at the same time. It’s great when your kids ask to do “school” on the weekend, and they have with this class. Also, the technical support has been Appmazing! ;)”
-Beth
“Just wanted to say that we absolutely love this course. My husband works for EA and we wanted to introduce game design/programming to our girls who want to do what Daddy does, but we had no idea where to get them started. This is great, and my 7 yo is doing this independently. Can’t wait to get my 5 yo started, and finish the rest of the courses as well.”
-Andrea
“When my 10-year-old son asked me to purchase this product I was dubious at best. He is very active and nothing that requires him to stay in one place and focus holds his attention for more than a few minutes. However, to my delight, this program has been a huge blessing for us. My son absolutely loves it and sits at the computer for an hour or more at a time, carefully designing each step of his game. This program is engaging and interesting, as well as very educational. My son is excited to share each step of the game he is building with each one of us in the family and has never once complained of being bored with the program. We have to watch our money and are very careful about our purchases but we have already purchased the 3D Game Design from this company. I believe we will end up buying every one of these programs before my son is satisfied. This program would be a valuable addition to the curriculum of any young person who has expressed an interest in designing videogames!”
-Kelly
“I had been looking for a fun and not overly complicated game design program for my son and decided to try Game Design 1. It was a perfect fit. The program is very engaging and has a nice build up of skills.My son is now on to App Design 1 and loves it too. We may end up doing all of their courses :)”
-Kate
“My son, Noah says, ‘Game Design 1 is really cool. His dad and he play on it all the time. Dad and I are learning a lot together. We cannot wait for Game Design 2.’” - Kathryn C. “I’d like to let you know how much both of my kids enjoy the Game Design I Online Class. They’ve also had a great sense of ownership on the quality of their work. Needless to say, I’d consider this a great success.” -TK “My child is really enjoying this project - I was so pleased to see how well-designed it is, and how engaging. It’s a great product!” -DK “Cameron loves game design 1. He’s really having fun and he’s definitely found something he really enjoys. Thank you so much for putting this together!”
-TW
“Absolutely LOVE the Game Design program! It allows the computer geek in my teens to play. The interactive screens and simple directions allow them to create their own computer games. The opportunity to test their additions and deletions provides immediate feedback as to what works and what doesn’t. A great way to have fun & learn at the same time!!”
- Beth F.
“I got Game Design 1 for my 13 year old son. He is having a great time with it and learning a lot. The videos are engaging and fun while still teaching what is needed. They are designing their game from the very beginning. My son is so excited that they have come out with Game Design 2. He can’t wait to finish the first class so he can start the second one.”
- Susie G
“My daughter loves Game Design 1. We have tried other basic programming courses, which where all dry and difficult for her to follow, but Game Design 1 is different. The interactive videos are entertaining and make it easy to understand. She wants to do all of their programming courses when she finishes this one. We would certainly recommend this product to any family who’s looking for an intro to programming course.”
- Jessica M.
"The video instruction modules were a great guide to building his game. When he had questions, their customer support was prompt and helpful. My son was thrilled with the personalized evaluation provided when he sent in his finished game for review. Our biggest challenge has been limiting his time at the computer. He becomes so engrossed in programming that he totally loses track of time. He has continued to develop his programming skills with Youth Digitals 3D Game Design. Their products have been a “win” for our family.”
- Trish W.
“I purchased this program for my son, and he loves it. It is easy to use, easy to understand, yet challenging and has taught him a lot. He loves working on his game. He hasn’t completed his game yet, but works on it diligently and regularly. It has been a good learning experience for him. We hope to purchase Game Design 2.”
- K Cheney
“Thanks so much. The boys are just so motivated to keep going with it. This is the shot in the arm that our home school program needed.”
-JN
“Hands down our best homeschool purchase! My 11 year old son enjoyed this course so much. Usually he balks at anything with the word class or lesson in it. I never had a problem getting him to do his game design class, in fact he would often do extra chapters during his free time. The videos are funny and engaging and very informative. We packaged up copies of my sons game and gave it as gifts. The pride on his face when he handed out his game was priceless. Looking forward to trying more game design classes.”
-Michelle
