Coding activity
Game Design Lab
Design a simple board game! Create rules, a game board, and game pieces. Learn that games have rules just like computer programs.
Materials and setup
- paper
- cardboard
- markers
- dice
- game pieces
- index cards
- scissors
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Design a simple board game! Create rules, a game board, and game pieces. Learn that games have rules just like computer programs.
Steps
- Draw a simple path on paper with a start and finish (like a board game).
- Add special spaces: 'jump ahead 2,' 'go back 1,' 'take another turn.'
- Make game pieces from small toys or paper cutouts.
- Take turns rolling a die and moving your piece. Follow the rules on each space.
- Talk about it: games have rules. If you change a rule, the game changes!
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Create a simple game with rules and a goal
- Understand that rules determine how a game works
- Experience that changing rules changes the outcome
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Design a more complex board game with choices, challenges, and different paths. Test it with family and improve it based on feedback.
Steps
- Plan your game: What's the theme? How do you win? What challenges do players face?
- Create a game board with at least 2 paths and special spaces (challenges, bonuses, shortcuts).
- Write clear rules: how to start, how to take a turn, how to win.
- Create game cards: challenge cards (answer a question, do a silly action) and reward cards.
- Play your game with family. Ask: 'Was it fun? Was it too easy or too hard? What should I change?'
- Improve your game based on feedback. That's iteration!
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Design games with rules, goals, challenges, and rewards
- Write clear instructions that others can follow
- Iterate on designs based on user feedback
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Study game design principles: game mechanics, balancing, player experience, and prototyping. Design, test, and refine a complete game.
Steps
- Study game mechanics: what makes a game fun? Challenge, choice, competition, cooperation, or discovery?
- Analyze 3 games you play: what's the core mechanic? What keeps players engaged?
- Design a new game from scratch: write a Game Design Document with theme, rules, mechanics, and win condition.
- Prototype your game using paper, cards, and simple materials. Keep it minimal.
- Playtest with 3 different groups. Record feedback: what was confusing, frustrating, or fun?
- Revise your game based on data. Write a 'patch notes' explaining what you changed and why.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Analyze game mechanics that create engagement
- Create a Game Design Document with complete specifications
- Apply iterative design through playtesting and revision
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Master game design thinking: level design, economy systems, narrative design, and user experience. Create a complete game with documentation.
Steps
- Study advanced game design: progression systems, risk/reward balance, and feedback loops (positive and negative).
- Design a game economy: how do players earn resources? What can they spend them on? Is the economy balanced?
- Create a level design: how does difficulty progress? Design 3 levels that teach skills incrementally.
- Study narrative design: how do games tell stories? Through cutscenes, environmental storytelling, character dialogue, or player choice?
- Design a complete game with: 3-5 levels, an economy, a story, and clear documentation.
- Present your game design to family or a small trusted audience as a kid game studio pitch. Explain why it would be fun and how it stands out from other games.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Design balanced game economies and progression systems
- Apply level design principles for incremental difficulty
- Create comprehensive game design documents with narrative integration
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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