Be Playful

The Playful Academy of Game Design transforms game design into a story-driven engineering challenge. Using low-cost materials, this inclusive curriculum empowers students to create their own games while developing STEM identities and socioemotional skills.

1.

What is a Game?

Students build community, define games as problem-solving activities, and analyze the five core elements of game design.

2.

Game Design is STEM

This lesson connects design to STEM, presents the engineering design process ,and identifies the specific criteria and constraints for a board game or escape room game.

3.

Games Tell Stories

Students explore narrative arcs and conflict, creating storyboards to visualize their games while practicing giving and receiving constructive feedback.

4.

Games Have Resources and Mechanics

Students align story conflicts with game mechanics and resources by defining the rules and procedures for their games.

5.

Games Counter Narratives

This optional lesson for “Games for Good” empowers students to challenge dominant stereotypes by creating authentic counternarratives that reflect their unique experiences.

6.

Games Have Puzzles

For the escape room strand, students explore puzzle types and create their own physical challenges tied to their game’s story.

7.

Games are Fun, Challenging, and Balanced

Students build prototypes, exploring different types of fun and skill while using chance and strategy to ensure balanced gameplay.

8.

Games are Playtested

Students test their prototypes with peers to gather feedback and refine their game’s mechanics and story.

9.

Games Have Objectives

After optimizing their designs, students identify their spheres of influence and develop plans to present their finished games to the wider community.