Summer Springboard
Middle School Game Design
ON THE CAMPUS OF UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

CREATE, PLAY AND BUILD YOUR WORLD
THIS IS A ONE-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Middle School Game Design
- Collaborate in teams to brainstorm, design and develop an original game concept.
- Prepare a professional game design presentation including the title, story, characters, level/world design and sound samples.
- Explore game design careers and learn how it connects to fields like animation, digital art, storytelling, and software development.
- Discover how games shape entertainment, education and culture while gaining insight into interactive media careers.
- Experiment with software to create visuals, design levels and enhance gameplay, seeing how professionals bring games to life.
- Showcase your final concept in a professional-style pitch and presentation event.
Summer Springboard
Middle School Game Design
About This Course
This program gives students an inside look at the exciting world of game design and digital creativity on the University of Washington campus.
Students collaborate in teams to brainstorm, design, and present an original game concept. They’ll create a professional game design pitch deck that includes a title, story, characters, level or world design and sound samples, focusing on what makes the game fun and engaging for players. Using digital tools, students will experiment with creating visuals, designing levels, and enhancing gameplay as they bring their creative ideas to life.
Throughout the program, participants explore how game design connects to careers in animation, digital art, storytelling and software development. By blending creativity with technology, they’ll gain firsthand insight into how professionals build immersive, interactive experiences that entertain and inspire players around the world. The program concludes with a professional-style pitch and showcase event where teams present their final game concepts.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students work in teams to brainstorm, design, and present an original game idea. They’ll prepare a game design pitch deck featuring a title, story, characters, level or world design, and sound samples, all focused on what makes the game fun for players.
During the program, students explore how game design connects to careers in animation, digital art, storytelling, and software development. They’ll see firsthand how creative professionals build immersive, interactive experiences that entertain and inspire players worldwide.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“It was great here. Almost everything was perfect and I genuinely feel that I gained something from this. I finally know what I want to do in life and want to work hard for it. “
– Malcolm C. | SSB Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Middle School Game Design
Meet Your Instructor
Courses are taught by accomplished and passionate faculty recruited from many area colleges, universities and professional forums. Each faculty member is selected for their subject area expertise and proven ability to both challenge and captivate students.
Instructor - TBA
Summer Springboard
Middle School Game Design
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $2,698 |
| Commuter Tuition: $1,298 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: Seattle |
| State: Washington |
| Campus: University of Washington |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly, UW Foster and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.








