The Child of the Forest
LumiScore?Our 0–100 score for how developmentally beneficial and low-risk this game is for children. Higher is better.
Growth
33/100
Growth Value
- Problem Solving
- Spatial Awareness
- Critical Thinking
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
Play a level or two alongside your child and ask them to explain how they solved each puzzle — 'What did you try first? What did you do differently when that didn't work?'
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— N/A — no named characters
The game features a female protagonist on a solo quest and lacks named secondary characters with meaningful dialogue, making a full Bechdel assessment inapplicable.
Parent Pro-Tip
Verbalising problem-solving steps out loud (a technique called 'think-aloud') strengthens metacognitive skills and critical thinking, turning a fun gaming moment into a powerful learning conversation.
What your child develops
The Child of the Forest is a heartfelt student-made puzzle-platformer that exercises genuine problem-solving and spatial reasoning as players navigate forest obstacles using a young witch's ghostly powers. The level-based structure encourages learning transfer — skills mastered in one area are applied in new ways as the game progresses. The emotionally resonant premise (reuniting with a lost pet) provides a gentle narrative hook that fosters empathy and emotional engagement without any harmful manipulation. Its clean, imaginative design makes it a calm, low-pressure cognitive workout appropriate for younger players.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
The Child of the Forest is the product of a month's work for a 2020 Game Production class at the University of Central Florida made in Unreal Engine 4. The development team consisted of nine students: three artists, four programmers, and two level designers.