After the success of our Fairtrade Snakes & Ladders project, we were approached once again by Central England Co-op to create an original board game all about finances. The clients had a few ideas themselves, but needed some help in piecing it all together. Luckily, we have a few board game enthusiasts on board with us.
The game needed to convey the risks and rewards of sensible financial planning in a fun and engaging way that children aged 11-16 could understand.
We started by going back to basics, and it quickly became evident that a game with variable gameplay was required to be effective in a range of educational settings. Younger children would have a more surface-level understanding of finance and shorter attention spans so required gameplay that was short and sweet. Whereas older children could handle more complex variables, like offsetting and mitigating risks. We ideated 3 versions of the game – quickfire flashcards, basic board gameplay, and an advanced mode featuring player profiles that offered pros and cons based on specific life paths.
For advanced gameplay, the player would make their way around the board, collecting salary or student loans depending on what their chosen card displayed. Alongside paying for everyday bills, food and the odd unexpected fine, the player would encounter discussion spots where questions were posed for group discussion. Accompanying printed items were included with the game for the players to reference and discuss, such as a list of itemised expenditures for the average family in the UK and a breakdown of a typical payslip.
The game was printed on FSC materials and put together by the team at CEC for distribution in schools.
If you’d like to work with us on your next bright idea, drop us a line…
