Design a video game on paper: a creative coding activity

Game designers plan before they code. This activity turns a child's game idea into a clear design, and shows them that a game is really just a set of rules a computer follows.

• Ages: 8–14
• Time: 45 minutes
• Skill: Game design and planning

What you need

• Paper
• Pencils and coloured pens
• Optional: graph paper for level maps

Step by step

1. Invent the hero. Who does the player control? Draw them.
2. Set the goal. What does the player have to do to win?
3. Write the rules. How do you move? What happens if you touch an enemy? How do you score?
4. Draw level one. Sketch the first level, with obstacles and rewards.
5. Write it as if-then rules. For example: IF the hero touches a coin, THEN add 1 point.
6. Playtest on paper. Move a token through the level with a family member and check the rules work.

What your child learns

Planning, rules and conditions, and breaking a big idea into parts: the exact skills used in our Fun with Coding course, where children build a simple game themselves. For more ideas, see 15 coding project ideas for kids.

Enjoyed it? Book a free coding demo class, or see Fun with Coding for year-round coding.