Choose one player action
Ask your child to pick one thing a player will do: jump over a gap, find a hidden object, match a pair, or choose an answer. Write it at the top of a page. Keep the first game to that single action so there is room to finish, play, and improve it.
Draw a start, a challenge, and a finish. A board with six spaces is enough. Use a paper token as the player. Your child decides the story and the look; your role is to ask how another person will know what to do.
Write rules a friend could follow
Make three rules: how to start, what a turn looks like, and how the game ends. Read them aloud and try to follow them literally. If two players interpret a rule differently, ask the designer to clarify it.
This is a simple introduction to giving precise instructions. Instead of saying ‘the computer will know,’ write the missing condition: ‘If the player chooses the red door, move back one space.’ Different choices should have understandable consequences.
Play before you decorate
Test the game with someone who has not helped design it. Let them try before explaining every detail. Watch for a confusing instruction, a challenge that cannot be completed, or an ending that arrives too quickly. Pick one issue to improve.
Change one rule and play again. Ask whether the change helped the player. Making the paper version readable and enjoyable gives the child a clearer plan for a digital version later.
Choose the next small build
If your child wants to code it, start by building one scene or one interaction in a suitable tool. A beginner might make a character respond to a key or ask one quiz question. Use original drawings or assets with permission, and keep the project private until an adult reviews sharing settings.
The paper prototype is already a real project. Moving to software is optional. End with a photo of the board without personal details, or keep the paper in a folder. Ask the maker what they would change for the next player.
