Design Your Game

Overview

This 60-minute lesson invites Year 1 & 2 students (ages 4–8) to collaboratively design a simple and exciting game featuring a main character and a point-earning system. The lesson integrates creativity, storytelling, basic game design, and fine motor skills while supporting learners with ADHD and autism through sensory play, movement breaks, and group collaboration. The lesson aligns closely with the National Curriculum for England, particularly within the areas of Speaking and Listening, Writing, Physical Development, and Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, pupils will be able to:

• Creativity and Storytelling:

  • Use imagination to create a main character with simple attributes (NC: English – Spoken Language, Years 1 & 2: Pupils should contribute to discussions and use well-structured sentences).
  • Develop a basic narrative or scenario for their game (NC: English – Writing, Years 1 & 2: Pupils to write simple sentences to convey ideas).

• Basic Game Design Concepts:

  • Understand the concept of a goal and point-earning in games (NC: Computing – Year 1: “Understand that programs execute by following precise instructions” simplified as basic game rules).
  • Collaborate with peers to plan and communicate game rules (NC: PSHE – Self-confidence and self-awareness, Years 1 & 2).

• Fine Motor Skills and Sensory Engagement:

  • Use drawing, cutting, and crafting tools to create game elements (NC: Physical Development – Fine Motor Skills).
  • Participate in sensory-based activities/movement breaks to support engagement and concentration (NC: Physical Development – Pupils develop the foundations of a healthy lifestyle).

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Curriculum Links

Area	Specific Reference	Notes
English – Spoken Language	Pupils should articulate ideas clearly and use well-formed sentences	Storytelling & group discussions
English – Writing	Writing simple narratives and sentences	Creating game story, character descriptions
Computing – Year 1	Understand simple instructions and sequencing	Relating to game rules and point systems
Physical Development	Develop fine motor skills and movement coordination	Drawing, cutting, movement breaks
PSHE	Develop self-confidence and ability to work with others	Group collaboration and peer communication

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Resources and Materials

• Large sheets of paper and card stock for drawing
• Colouring pencils, crayons, markers
• Safety scissors and glue sticks
• Pre-cut shapes for those who need fine motor support
• Stickers or stamps (to represent points)
• Simple timer or bell for movement breaks
• Sensory materials: playdough, textured mats, fidget toys
• Whiteboard or flip chart for teacher-led modelling
• Visual aids: character templates, story-mapping frames

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Warm-up (10 minutes)

• Greet the class and introduce the project: “Today, we are going to create our very own game with a hero and a special task to earn points!”
• Show a simple example on the board: a superhero who collects stars for points.
• Engage pupils in a short group discussion using sentence prompts, e.g., “What kind of character would you like in your game?” (NC Spoken Language)
• Use a quick sensory movement break (e.g., “pretend to fly like your character”) to activate focus.

2. Character Creation (15 minutes)

• Pupils draw their main character on card stock or paper using colouring pencils/crayons.
• Encourage them to think about what makes their character special – superpower, favourite thing, or costume.
• Provide shapes and templates for pupils who need support with drawing or cutting.
• Scaffold language by modelling sentence stems: “My character is called ____.”, “They like to ____.” (NC Writing & Spoken Language)

3. Designing the Game Scenario & Point System (15 minutes)

• In small groups (3-4 pupils), children share their characters and agree on a simple game objective (e.g., collect gems, jump over puddles).
• Together, design a scoring system using stickers or stamps — “Each gem is worth 1 point”. Use whiteboard or flipchart to note key ideas.
• For pupils with autism or ADHD, reinforce instructions with visual prompts and allow movement breaks between discussions.

4. Hands-On Game Creation (15 minutes)

• Pupils create the game board or playing area using drawing and craft materials.
• They add character pieces and points markers, practising fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and placing stickers.
• Sensory bins or textured mats can be available for calming sensory input during activity transitions.

5. Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

• A few groups present their games to the class, describing their character and point system.
• Teacher provides positive feedback focusing on creativity and teamwork.
• Brief reflection prompt for all pupils: “What did you enjoy most about making your game?”

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Differentiation and Support

• For pupils with ADHD/autism:

  • Provide clear, simple instructions visually and verbally.
  • Incorporate regular movement and sensory breaks to aid concentration.
  • Use fidget toys/sensory mats at workstations.
  • Allow use of pre-cut templates to reduce fine motor demands.

• For lower-attaining pupils:

  • Offer sentence starters or word banks for storytelling.
  • One-to-one support during drawing and game planning.

• For higher-attaining pupils:

  • Encourage addition of simple rules or challenges in their games.
  • Promote use of full sentences for describing characters and game objectives.

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Assessment Criteria

Learning Objective	Success Measure	Evidence / Method
Create a main character and describe it	Character drawn and described with simple sentences	Pupil drawings and verbal/written descriptions
Develop a basic point-earning game rule	Identifies goal and point system in group game	Observation & visual documentation
Collaborate effectively in a group	Participates in group discussions and decision making	Teacher observations and peer feedback
Use fine motor skills to create game elements	Successfully uses scissors, glue, and markers	Finished game components
Maintain attention and engage in sensory breaks	Actively participates in movement/sensory activities	Observation notes and pupil engagement

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Reflection and Next Steps

• Consider extending this project over multiple lessons by inviting pupils to play their games and refine rules.
• Link to ICT by introducing simple coding apps or programmable toys later as a digital extension.
• Incorporate story writing of the character's adventure as a follow-up English lesson.

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This lesson plan balances rich creative expression with structured support, perfectly suited to engage young learners across diverse needs, while meeting core requirements of the National Curriculum for England.