2026 GMG-
UNCW Parents Guide
Welcome!
I am delighted to welcome you to the 13th summer of Girls Make Games!
Thirteen years ago, I launched an educational games studio with my husband and co-founder, Ish. He loved video games with a passion, and had successfully convinced me to leave my think tank job in Washington DC to create games that would educate and empower kids. We were young, and our minds were bursting with ideas. But when I started building my team, I noticed our jobs ads were flooded with resumes from young men. When I went out to games conventions and showcased our game demo, kids lined up to playtest – nearly all boys.
“Where are the girls?” I couldn’t shake this question off.
Girls Make Games came into existence almost by chance. I envisioned it as a space where I could meet girls and understand their perspectives on video games. I wanted to learn how we could develop a company and products that would genuinely appeal to all kids, including girls.
That first camp in 2014 changed everything. I watched girls come out of their shell - they were no longer “the only girl in their friend group who likes games”. They didn’t have to hide, or pretend to be someone they were not. Amidst tears, and hugs, and “see-you-next-years”, I realized we just couldn’t close the door on these kids. Girls Make Games had become their summer home.
So, I went back to my team of 6 young men and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to do this. Can we put a pause on our game for a year or two?”
Fast forward to a decade later, my first game is still half finished, but every year at camp I remind our incoming class they’re going to eventually help me finish it when they grow up!
Thirteen years sounds like a lot, but it has gone by in the blink of an eye. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend these memorable summers with you all and for the trust you place in Girls Make Games. I am incredibly proud of all the talented game developers who have graduated from our summer camps, as well as those who will be joining us this year!
A big Thank You for being a part of GMG’s summer and community; I hope your child has the most amazing summer, full of adventure, friendships and creativity. I look forward to hearing how it goes!
Here’s to another #GirlPower summer of game making!
Laila Shabir
Founder and CEO, Girls Make Games
//Camp Overview
Live, guided instruction.
All camp participants will learn fundamentals of game development through group instruction led by a mentor (Camp Counselor)
Small groups of 4-5 participants per Counselor
Each participant will collaborate on a team game with their group to be entered to Demo Day, a chance to present their game and win prizes!
Community building (i.e. make new friends!) via online games, community contests and more!
Meet industry role models: Speaker sessions and special modules led by industry experts. A chance to learn about careers and pathways in the video games industry
//Guide Contents
//Camp Logistics, Dates & Hours
//Camp DELIVERY:
All camp instruction and interaction will be delivered at:
DC Virgo Preparatory Academy
Address: 813 Nixon St. Wilmington, NC 28401
//CAMP Dates:
July 13-31, 2026 (Monday - Friday)
//CAMP Hours & Schedule:
10AM - 4:00PM (Parents can start dropping off from 8:30am)
See full breakdown in “Daily Agenda” below.
//CAMP Parking and Entry Instructions:
Parking:
Parking is available on-site in the school’s parking lot.
Venue Entry Directions:
When entering the building, parents/guardians will need to bring their ID to scan and have a badge printed for them.
Checking In:
First Day - GMG Staff will wait near the entrance and escort campers and families to the classroom.
After the first day, campers may check themselves in with or without a guardian.
Checking out:
Guardian assisted checkout:
Please come to the classroom to pick up your child. GMG staff will be waiting and can inform your camper.Camper self checkout:
If you would like your camper to check themselves out at the end of the day, please email written authorization to your coordinator at bierleint@dcvirgo.com and copy support@girlsmakegames.com.
The camper can then walk out to the entrance where their guardian will pick them up. We only allow self-checkout if it's authorized by the parent/guardian.
//Daily Agenda
8:30 - 10:00 AM
// Camp Drop off
10:00 - 10:30 AM
// Games & Research Time 🎮🕹️
10:30 - 11:30 AM
// Lab + Instruction Time 💻
11:30 AM - 12 PM
// Industry Speaker Session 🎤
12:00 - 1 PM
// Lunch and Activities (Get some relaxation in! :D)
1:00 - 3:00PM
// Lab + Instruction Time
Learn new concepts + work on your game
Spend the last 10-15 mins play testing + QAing!
3:00 - 3:30PM
// Break
Stretch + move or Let’s get some snacks! 🍊
3:30 - 4:00 PM
// Play games! 🎮🕹️
4:00 -5:00 PM
*The schedule does not apply to: Final Presentations Day [Last day of camp]
// Back to Contents
//Three Week Overview
Our camp curriculum is designed to encourage exploration of game making tools in a safe, collaborative setting. Campers will experience community building through team games as well as participate in fun games + activities and contests!
//Week 1
Introduction to fundamentals of Game Design and camp game engine: Construct 3. Each participant will receive group instruction led by a Camp Counselor. Later in the week, campers will form a team within their age cohort (Jrs. 8-12 or Teens 13-18) and brainstorm ideas for a game together that they will work on for the rest of camp. GMG will facilitate team formations.
For advanced Teens and repeat GMG Teen Participants, there will also be an option to choose Unity. GMG will assess if a Teen student is eligible to be in the Unity Track.
//Week 2
Campers continue to experiment and expand their knowledge of game engines, building their games and creating art. The goal of the second week is to have a playable demo demonstrating core game mechanics and game world.
//Week 3
Campers spend 2-3 days polishing their games to be complete and playable, then learn to ‘pitch’ their games to their group. Campers selected to present at Demo Day will be notified soon after camp ends!
// Back to Contents
//Curriculum Topics
In a span of 3 weeks, participants cover topics including:
1. Game Design
2. FUNDAMENTALS OF Game Programming
—Game logic, building in Construct 3 or Unity (for Advanced Teens only)
3. Game Art –
—Creating, animating and importing art assets
4. Music and Audio Engineering –
—Creating, editing, and importing game audio
5. Pitching and Presentation Skills
6. Other Highlights:
Industry Guest Speakers
Games and Contests
Enter Demo Day for a chance to win Prizes sponsored by GMG’s Partners - Humble Bundle, PlayStation, and Nintendo of America!
// Back to Contents
//Demo Day & National Competition
Our favorite day of the year! This year, top 3 games from each category – Teen and Jr. — from around the country will present their game and vision to a panel of judges and live online audience.
Demo Day winners will receive exciting prizes sponsored by GMG’s Partners: Humble Bundle, PlayStation, and Nintendo of America!
Demo Day 2026 DATES TBA
Watch the 2025 Virtual Demo Day
2015 Demo Day held at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Meet the 2025 Winners here, and check out the
published games for Winners from 2014-2019!
//Before care
We offer early drop off for our Wilmington location.
• EARLY DROP OFF HOURS: 8:30 – 10:00am
//Camp Lunch
DAILY MENU *
Sammich Monday: Variety of Deli Sandwiches, Subs (ex: Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Quiznos, Chick-fil-a)
Taco Tuesday: Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Fajitas (ex: Chipotle, Qdoba)
Burger Wednesday: Cheeseburgers, Reg Burgers, Veggie Burgers! :) (ex: Shake Shack, Five Guys)
Chow-Mein Thursday: Variety of Asian dishes (ex: Panda Express)
Pizza Friday: Variety of Pizza (ex: Dominos, Papa Johns)
*Menu may vary based on location.
We’ll place special orders for any food allergies. Please note your child’s allergies and dietary restrictions (gluten free, lactose free, vegetarian etc) in the registration form or email support@girlsmakegames.com.
If your child has an allergy to any of the menu items above, please let us know or let the Coordinator know at camp.
//Who’s Teaching?
Our staff comprises of independent game developers as well as students from some of the top Computer Science and Game Dev programs in the country like USC, MIT, DigiPen, and UT Austin.
Industry Guest Speakers share their expertise and journey to inspire young game devs. Past speakers include industry veterans such as Tim Schafer (creator of Psychonauts), Kellee Santiago (Journey, Flow), Pavni Diwanji (VP Engineering, Google)
Each camp is headed by a Camp Coordinator – your main point of contact for the duration of the summer camp, and 3-4 Camp Counselors. Camp Coordinators communicate with GMG HQ and handle day-to-day logistics, while Counselors lead instruction and mentorship at camp.
>> You will hear directly from your Camp Coordinator the week before camp starts.
//Prep for Camp
Can’t wait for camp? We totally get it! :D
Here are a few things you can get started on before joining us:
• Brainstorm ideas and game genres:
One of the best parts about making games is researching and brainstorming what your game is going to be about. Make sure to take notes, draw sketches and bring them in at camp!
• Review Game Engines
Take a look at the game engine we’ll be working in: Construct 3. This is not a requirement and we’ll cover pretty much everything from scratch, so no worries if you don’t get to it!
• Play the 2025 Demo day Finalists games!
2025 Demo Day Finalists Games: https://www.girlsmakegames.com/2025-demo-day. This helps give an idea of what you can do in just 2-3 weeks! :)
// Back to Contents
//Summer Camp FAQs
What’s the best way to reach GMG?
Email support@girlsmakegames.com or call our HQ (833) 464-7877 or (833) GMG-SUPP :). Please note this number is only active for the duration of the camp, Mon-Fri, 9:30am-7pm Eastern Time (EDT), July 6-24, 2026.
MY Camper HAS NEVER PROGRAMMED BEFORE, IS THIS CAMP RIGHT FOR them?
That’s A-OK! Our curriculum is designed to be flexible for all age groups and coding levels. Campers work in teams of 3-5, supported by a dedicated team counselor. Nearly 2/3rds of our summer camp attendees have limited coding experience, so your camper will have plenty company :)
MY Camper HAS EXTENSIVE PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE AND HAS MADE SEVERAL APPS, IS THIS CAMP RIGHT FOR them?
Fantastic! Making a team game is a great way for your camper to flex their coding muscles, and help bring her team’s vision to life. There’s so much more to game development than programming alone - game design, art, animation, teamwork, even marketing and entrepreneurship!
CAN MY Camper BE ON THE SAME TEAM AS their FRIEND?
Yes, of course! Camp staff conduct a survey before sorting teams so the campers have a chance to share who they’d like to be with.
Where can we see more pictures of what camp looks like?
Our Facebook page is a treasure trove :) https://www.facebook.com/girlsmakegames/photos_stream
Can we miss a day(s)?
Generally that’s OK. Since the campers are working on a team project, it would come down to how they want to share the workload. Team Counselors may assign homework to make up for the lost time.
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SICK?
GMG is committed to ensuring our participants have a safe and enjoyable summer camp with us. Please review our Camp Sickness Policy for more details on our policy and guidance for parents.
Please note, participants that experience longer absences due to illness (COVID or otherwise) are welcome to return to camp pending proof of recovery.
What coding languages will my Camper learn?
We teach game design and development using powerful game engines like Construct 3, Unreal, and Unity. This year students will learn Construct 3.
Do kids spend all day in front of a computer, coding?
Not at all. It’s summer! We take frequent breaks and make sure we get some play time away from the computers :)
Can camp guardians attend any activities or camp sessions?
In order to create a fun and safe space for our campers, we do not allow any guardians to attend sessions. However, most of our in person camps will feature Orientation on day 1, and Final Presentations on the last day of camp. Guardians are welcome to join us then! We will share more information closer to dates.
Who are the camp counselors/teachers/speakers?
Our staff comprises of independent game developers as well as students from some of the top Computer Science and Game Design programs in the country like USC, MIT, DigiPen, and UT Austin.
Industry Guest Speakers share their expertise and journey to inspire young game devs. Past speakers include industry veterans such as Tim Schafer (creator of Psychonauts), Kellee Santiago (Journey, Flow), and Phil Spencer (President, Xbox).
HOW BIG IS YOUR CLASS SIZE?
We cap our classes at 24, but our ideal class size is between 16-20.
Do you provide overnight accommodations?
Unfortunately not :(. We’re a day camp, but who knows, maybe one day? :)
How do we keep the spirit of GMG going after camp?
GMG’s Portal has a ton of awesome resources for anyone who wishes to continue growing their game dev skills. We also encourage our campers to return at other year-round GMG events! Please sign up on GMG’s mailing list on our home page to receive more GMG news.
// Back to Contents
//Contact GMG
Email: support@girlsmakegames.com or fill out the contact form on the website.
Tel: (833) GMG-SUPP [(833) 464-7877]
Please note this number is only active for the duration of the camp, 9:30am-7pm Eastern Time EDT, July 6-31, 2026
Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlsmakegames
#GirlsMakeGames #GMG2026
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlsmakegames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsmakegames/