Saturday Kids Courts: Teaching Life Skills in the Metaverse
From Piano Lessons to Pixels
Once upon a time, kids spent their afternoons glued to keyboards and drones of music teachers. Today, John Tan, a technopreneur and proud father of five, swapped the piano bench for a virtual classroom that feels more like a video game than a lecture hall.
The Birth of Doyobi
In 2020, Tan launched Doyobi as the digital sibling to his Saturday Kids coding school. The idea was simple: give children a platform to play, solve problems, and learn at the pace that suits them—without the hassle of in‑person distractions.
Metaverse Magic Meets 21st‑Century Skills
When the pandemic forced schools to rethink after‑school programs, Tan turned Doyobi into a metaverse playground where kids tackle the Six Cs of the 21st century:
- Critical Thinking – Questioning what they see.
- Communication – Sharing ideas clearly.
- Collaboration – Teaming up to solve puzzles.
- Creativity – Making something brand new.
- Citizenship – Acting responsibly online and offline.
- Confidence – Believing they can tackle challenges.
Why the Zombies, Earthquakes, and Cholera Are Involved
Picture this: a zombie apocalypse appears on the screen. Kids have to sift through fake vs. real news, pick a safe hotspot for a community, and negotiate peace with rival clans. Or they might face an earthquake, learn to rescue survivors, or trace the spread of a cholera outbreak. Each scenario forces them to juggle multiple problems at once—because, as Tan puts it, “life won’t wait for a single crisis.”
One 11‑year‑old even asked if the game could slow down a bit. Tan laughed: “That’s the point! The real world is fast‑paced; these simulations train kids to stay calm and arrange solutions under pressure.”
Kids Love It (and Parents, Too)
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Hence, the course length has doubled from three 90‑minute sessions to six. Parents say the platform is “hands‑on” and “student‑agency driven.” One notable testimonial: Tan’s own daughter, a kinaesthetic learner, reported enjoying the ability to make decisions with peers rather than just listening to a teacher.
Alongside the fun, parents see measurable growth: critical or creative thinking showcased in real-life like scenarios. Tan reminds them that the education system’s blindspot is knowledge over capability. “In the real world, employers care about what you can do, not what you know,” he says.
MTVIN Awards and Beyond
Doyobi’s metaverse courses were selected as one of the ten winners of the Octava Social Innovation Challenge, a collaboration between MIT Solve and the UBS Optimus Foundation. Tan envisions a future where Singapore isn’t just a hub of bankers, lawyers, and accountants but a cradle for “mavericks” who reimagine possibilities.
Takeaway
- Kids can learn through play and real‑time problem solving.
- Teachers can offer agency and interactive experiences beyond the textbook.
- Parents can see real skill development in action.
And all this without a single older piano lesson in sight.
