The IGDA Devs with Kids Special Interest Group (SIG) is an inclusive community for professionals in the game industry who are balancing careers and caregiving responsibilities. This SIG offers a safe space to share challenges, strategies, support, and even a bit of parenting humor along the way.

Our mission is to foster mutual learning and connection through our presence at conferences and events like the annual Game Developers Conference Devs with Kids roundtable, and year-round in our Discord community.

On Discord, we discuss topics such as time management, workplace policies, mental wellness, and ways to honor both professional goals and family needs. We also share the video games we’re playing with our children and maintain channels organized by age range, recognizing that conversations evolve as our kids grow.

We understand the extra capacity it takes to participate in yet another online community. The Devs with Kids Discord is a place to visit when you need encouragement and support from folks who truly get it. We are a group driven by lived experience and grounded in empathy.

Community support is key to thriving as a game developer and a caregiver. You’re not alone. Celebrate your small and big wins in game development and in parenting with us. Together we can make the game industry a better, more sustainable place for everyone raising the next generation of players and creators.

IGDA Devs with Kids SIG Header image adapted from Marcel Antonisse’s “Computerfestival in Amsterdam; computer-crèche: jonge kinderen achter computer”, May 28, 1984. Licensed under CC0.