How to make an educational game that doesn’t suck
By: Katerina Schenke
Tags: Tech, Design, Games, UX, Kids

1. Less is more: Teach one thing and do it well

Game developers tend to be wildly creative, ambitious, and well-intentioned. So, naturally, they think about all the possible concepts that their game can teach. Why throw away a good learning opportunity? they ask themselves. Let’s do it all!

But learning is complex. To really master something, learners need opportunities to build foundational skills and to practice, practice, practice. If game designs embrace this necessary depth, as well as take on considerable breadth, then before you know it, that game’s a hot mess. Picture a giant web of GoogleDocs mapping learning standards and rubrics… Complicated user experience… Dismal learning outcomes.

My recommendation: Start small. Choose one or at most two learning goals you want the game to deliver. Explicit instruction is better than implicitly trying to teach things, so state the goal clearly in a way kids will understand. Take, for example, a game that my collaborators and I developed, called Down With Food, in one minigame we wanted kids to come away with knowing that different enzymes break down different types of food. Don’t get bogged down in all the details of the content. Ask yourself: “If there was one thing I want a kid to come away with, what would it be?” Design to teach that one thing.

2. Meet them where they’re at: Use game genres kids already play

The tricky thing about game design is teaching people how to play a game. Draw inspiration from IKEA. They innovated the instruction manual by distilling “how to” into a few simple, visual steps. Learning how to play games should be like learning how to put together a Kallax shelving unit. Don’t overwhelm the player with unnecessary instructions. Do keep it visual — ideally, experiential.

Games that are designed for learning often endeavor to teach players through the instructions instead of through the gameplay. This is a mistake. They “tell” instead of “show.” As the traditional Vietnamese saying goes, “A thousand hearings aren’t worth one seeing, a thousand seeings aren’t worth one doing.” Let kids learn “on their feet” by playing the game. It not only works better — it’s more fun!

But consider that a last resort. What I truly recommend is sidestepping instructions entirely by leveraging a way of playing that kids already know. Then educational game designers don’t need to teach players how to play the game — they “just” have to teach players the content.

Recall, in tip 1 (Less is more), the goal of our minigame was to teach players that different kinds of enzymes break down different types of food. This core learning goal lends itself very nicely to the “Tower of Defense” game mechanic in which players must stop an oncoming enemy by strategically placing towers. In our case, the oncoming enemy was recently gobbled lunch. Since our players were acquainted with games like Kingdom Rush, they instantly knew what to do. They began blocking bits of apple and sandwich, and smiled as they did so, because it’s fun to step into a new challenge and dominate.

3. Follow their lead: Design for kids by letting them do what they want to do and letting them learn what they want to learn

Too often we design without kids in mind. We’re focused solely on the goal and thinking only as adults. Consequently, we come up with game mechanics that force kids to play OUR game the way that WE want them to. As you may have guessed, this is not a secret to success.

What if a kid wants to tap the character just because? Let them!

What if a kid wants to click on the loopy pull-down? Let them pull it down!

All work and no play make games a dull experience. Let whimsical, highly distractible, unique and awesome kids be your guide.

Along with letting them do what they want to do, find out what kids want to learn. What are they really interested in?

For this you have to do your homework. One of my favorite research methods to figure out what kids want to know is a card sorting task. It’s simple, fun, and effective. First, you ask kids to sort various cards based on different topics. Then, you use those cards as a way to anchor conversations. Use the data you collect to make a game that kids will like.

4. Communicate early, and often: Carefully design feedback

Research has shown that one of the most valuable tools for learning is giving feedback.

In the classroom, feedback is a win-win for both teachers and students. It allows teachers to check their students’ understanding and make adjustments to their curriculum, and it gives students the opportunity to revise their thinking. In games, feedback allows players to know their standing in the game and make adjustments to their strategy.

To optimize the learning potential of your game, give feedback that is specific. Don’t just rely on vague points or star systems (What does getting 4 out 5 stars actually mean? What does a silver medal actually get you?). Use feedback that specifically relates to what players should be learning for that game/level. This applies to both positive (what the kids did correctly) and negative (what the kid can improve).

In Down With Food, we gave feedback according to the player’s performance. In our large intestine game where players must understand that the purpose of the large intestine is to absorb water from the poop, we gave the following feedback: “You absorbed water from the food to make good poop! Hit fewer bacteria to earn the silver badge.” Be explicit with your feedback, and don’t just tell the kid to try the level again.