This hands-on workshop is designed for aspiring game designers, educators, activists, and anyone interested in using games as a tool for social change. Using low-fidelity materials, participants will learn how to design cards and/or board games that raise awareness and educate players on social and environmental issues such as climate change, public health, and social justice.  These games are often called “Serious Games” or Games for Change.

Through case studies of successful games, participants will explore how game mechanics like resource management, cooperation, and competition can engage players while conveying educational content.

Participants will identify specific social or environmental issues they are passionate about. They will define player outcomes for their games, focusing on how players will interact with the issue and what messages they want to communicate; then, participants will sketch out game concepts, working with core mechanics that align with their learning objectives and create simple game prototypes.

Finally, participants will have the opportunity to test their game prototypes with others, observing how well their mechanics communicate the intended message. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a basic game prototype and a deeper understanding of how serious games can address and promote awareness of social and environmental challenges.