Play, Create, Innovate: The Art of Game Design
Grade 5-8

From checkers and chess to mazes and mahjong, the games we love didn’t just appear—they were carefully designed through creativity, strategy, and experimentation! In "Designing the Games We Play," students will take a behind-the-scenes look at how games are structured, exploring the rules, mechanics, and principles that make them fun and engaging.

Throughout this hands-on, three-week class, students will revisit classic and mordern games, analyze their designs, engage in discussion of what made the game work and what they feel can be improved on, and then put their creativity to the test. Working individually and in small groups, they’ll develop unique variations of familiar favorites and even invent entirely new games! From setting the rules to building prototypes and testing them with classmates, students will dive into the full game design process. Get ready to think like a game designer, challenge your creativity, and play your way to innovation! Screen time will be limited to the design portion of the class when students look up pictures for inspiration for their game designs.