Play More

Blocks Playing with blocks is not a game. It’s play, but it’s not gamified yet. Younger children love the open ended creation of blocks, building whatever comes to mind. There is not clear content, but incidentally perhaps geometry, maybe physics if the towers get taller. Now as a parent, I want to amplify blocks a bit without colonizing them. I’m not sure what kind of game I want to design yet. My first step is to simply observe: I’m noticing that for my child it is mostly solo play, but occasional breaks to get some affirmation from parents. It seems the primary goal is to stack the blocks as high as possible. Conventions of the standardized size of the block aren’t essential to play but have some purpose for the orderly child. No mechanics or rules are obvious, this is ‘sandbox’ play. As of now there is minimal competitive nature to it, other than PVE, (or Player v. Gravity - PVG), trying to balance blocks. I’m seeing the satisfaction of solving the stacking problem as the outcome. Over time, the child wants to stack higher, but it always falls over at some point leading to frustration, not delight. Over time, I can see that blocks are about to be shelved by the child due to the frustration, but I see a lot of positive things going on. I can verbally celebrate these things, but it’s not internal for the child. It's time to apply game design elements to extend the ‘block party’! Engaging with new kinds of blocks seems obvious enough. Buying a 2x4 and quickly making some different kinds of blocks would open up new options for stacking (wide thin boards, pillars), or letting them design their own blocks. I can challenge them with new ‘win’ states: “What is the highest tower they can build? Widest? Most blocks? Loudest crash? How many toys can they ‘house’? Can they build the house from a book we’re reading? Can they take commissioned requests?” Looking at skyscrapers and how they are designed may allow them more replayability too. This provides new strategies to try out. Any new ideas expand replayability, materials used, and foundations to build on. In this case solo play with blocks won’t have a lot of fairness issues, however we can add some! What happens when the environment isn’t fair? Can they design on an incline? Can they stack in a pool? Earthquakes? Wind? Each invitation or suggestion, invites them to play more or shift the success mechanic making it more game-like. Asking to play with them would add a social dimension to the play. Invite friends. Know that your job isn’t done then, instead of watching their persistence in a task, you're tuned into how they play - sharing, respecting the other’s work, giving and receiving praise. They are frustrated competing with gravity, but already have strategies that are replayable with others. They can teach others what they have learned, attempt new challenges, and learn tricks for veteran block masters. Perhaps a “Block Stacking for Dummies” video is in order? Finally, calling is to add relevance to the game. This isn’t just about stacking. Adding a life journey perspective to the play shows your appreciation for the play itself. Object lessons around falling down and getting up will help to align the real goals of the game. Reading about where our ‘foundation’ is found (Matthew 7:24-29). Field trips to construction sites, interviews with architects, and helping make repairs to the church building… all connect the play to possible callings. And you thought they were ‘just’ playing with blocks!