Children’s games
An action map for children’s digital, board, active and mixed games. An instructional goal is optional: children can invent stories, explore toys, compete or enjoy play itself. Select age suitability, reading demands, controls and pace separately; different implementations can suit different ages. Learning tasks and instructional support have their own reference.
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Toys, imagination and everyday scenes
1Open-ended toy interactionOverview and example ↗Players try actions and observe reactions without a required correct answer.8
Variants
- Open, close and press parts of a toy
- Pick up an object and try it on different targets
- Combine objects and observe a new reaction
- Repeat an enjoyable action without a penalty
- Undo an action and restore the initial state
- Change the action order for a different result
- Try an unusual use for an object
- Choose when to finish playing
Design example. Hypothetical toy kitchen: combine ingredients and see how a character responds to the meal.
2Symbolic objects and pretend rulesOverview and example ↗Players agree that an object or action stands for something else and sustain that convention.8
Variants
- Give an everyday object an imaginary function
- Declare a place to be another location
- Invent a rule for a fantasy world
- Represent an invisible object with a gesture
- Agree on object meanings with a partner
- Change roles during play
- Continue a story proposed by another player
- Change a pretend rule by mutual agreement
Design example. Hypothetical expedition: a sofa becomes a ship and cards stand for islands.
3Character care and everyday routinesOverview and example ↗Players notice a character’s state, choose a care action and observe its result.8
Variants
- Feed a character with chosen food
- Bathe and dry a character
- Settle a character to sleep and change the lighting
- Choose an object for an expressed need
- Take a pet along a chosen walking route
- Tidy up after shared play
- Switch the character providing care
- Resume an everyday scene from its saved state
Design example. Hypothetical pet home: choose food, play together and prepare a sleeping space.
4Dress-up and space decorationOverview and example ↗Players combine appearance and surroundings to suit their own idea, without a single required model.8
Variants
- Combine clothes and accessories
- Change a character’s hairstyle and details
- Arrange furniture in a room
- Choose object colors and patterns
- Decorate a space for an invented scene
- Create several looks for one role
- Move a character between self-designed rooms
- Save and revisit self-created arrangements
Design example. Hypothetical dollhouse: furnish a room for an invented character and act out a housewarming.
5Sensory material playOverview and example ↗Players explore changes in shape, surface, sound and mixing through physical or digital toys.8
Variants
- Pour a material into containers of different shapes
- Knead and stretch a pliable material
- Make impressions with different tools
- Mix colors and observe the resulting shade
- Send water through self-made channels
- Change a surface texture
- Compare sounds made by touching different materials
- Break down and rebuild a temporary shape
Design example. Hypothetical sandbox: fill molds and observe how water changes the structures.
6Surprises, transformations and comic reactionsOverview and example ↗An unusual action combination produces an expressive result to repeat or vary.8
Variants
- Open an object to reveal an unexpected item
- Get different reactions to the same treat
- Change a toy’s size or shape
- Assemble a silly look from compatible parts
- Trigger a chain of amusing reactions
- Discover a hidden interaction between two objects
- Repeat a joke with another character
- Undo a transformation and try another one
Design example. Hypothetical hat workshop: try on an enormous hat and watch a character comically balance it.
Perception, attention and information
7Matching and correspondenceOverview and example ↗Match identical objects12
Core actions
Variants
- Match identical objects
- Match an object to its silhouette
- Match a part to a whole
- Match words to pictures
- Match sounds to sources
- Match numbers to quantities
- Match symbols to actions
- Match objects to functions
- Match causes to effects
- Match representations of one concept
- Establish one-to-many correspondence
- Establish many-to-many correspondence
Design example. Connect an animal, its tracks and its habitat.
8Search and discoveryOverview and example ↗Find an object in a scene10
Core actions
Variants
- Find an object in a scene
- Find all objects of a specified type
- Find differences
- Find a hidden or partly obscured object
- Find an object from a verbal description
- Locate a sound source
- Search by several properties
- Find an anomaly
- Find a missing element
- Search with a magnifier, flashlight or scanner
Design example. Find room objects whose names begin with a specified sound.
9Distinguishing properties and signalsOverview and example ↗Distinguish colors and shades10
Core actions
Variants
- Distinguish colors and shades
- Distinguish shapes and contours
- Distinguish size and proportions
- Distinguish position and direction
- Distinguish similar symbols
- Distinguish pitch and timbre
- Distinguish rhythms
- Distinguish textures by touch
- Recognize silhouettes or fragments
- Recognize an object from another angle
Design example. Identify an instrument by sound and select its picture.
10Sorting and classificationOverview and example ↗Sort by one property10
Core actions
Variants
- Sort by one property
- Sort by several properties
- Find an outlier
- Find a shared category
- Place objects at category intersections
- Build nested categories
- Change sorting rules
- Invent a rule
- Accept several justified classifications
- Resort after a property changes
Design example. Sort shapes by color, shape and then both properties.
11Comparison and orderingOverview and example ↗Find similarities and differences10
Core actions
Variants
- Find similarities and differences
- Choose larger or smaller
- Compare quantities without counting
- Compare length, mass and volume
- Sort in ascending order
- Sort in descending order
- Find a minimum or maximum
- Find the nearest value
- Compare several criteria
- Select an object satisfying a threshold
Design example. Arrange containers from smallest to largest.
12Memory and reconstructionOverview and example ↗Turn over matching cards10
Core actions
Variants
- Turn over matching cards
- Repeat a sequence
- Restore object positions
- Recall a vanished object
- Recall a changed object
- Repeat a route
- Retain multistep instructions
- Recall after a distracting task
- Reproduce without a model
- Reconstruct observations in another form
Design example. Remember an order and assemble it after the list disappears.
13Attention, switching and inhibitionOverview and example ↗Respond only to a target cue10
Core actions
Variants
- Respond only to a target cue
- Ignore forbidden cues
- Stop an action on cue
- Play with reversed rules
- Track a moving object
- Notice rare events
- Switch between rules
- Ignore distracting properties
- Divide attention across channels
- Pause before choosing
Design example. Select green fish while ignoring green fish with stripes.
Structures, logic and space
14Order, sequences and proceduresOverview and example ↗Order events by time10
Core actions
Variants
- Order events by time
- Restore instructions
- Assemble a recipe
- Order life-cycle stages
- Find a missing step
- Find incorrect order
- Add a beginning or ending
- Respect step dependencies
- Build a schedule
- Distinguish required and optional steps
Design example. Order pictures showing how bread is made.
15Patterns, analogies and rulesOverview and example ↗Continue a repeating pattern10
Core actions
Variants
- Continue a repeating pattern
- Continue a number sequence
- Continue alternating actions
- Infer a transformation rule
- Fill a pattern gap
- Find a pattern violation
- Solve an analogy
- Complete a two-property matrix
- Infer rules from examples
- Create a pattern
Design example. Infer a magic machine's rule from several transformations.
16Wholes and partsOverview and example ↗Assemble fragments into a whole10
Core actions
Variants
- Assemble fragments into a whole
- Divide into equal parts
- Divide unequally under a condition
- Find a missing part
- Assemble in several ways
- Decompose complex objects
- Rearrange while preserving quantity
- Relate parts to system levels
- Find part boundaries
- Check whether enough pieces exist
Design example. Build one area using different sets of geometric pieces.
17Spatial orientation and transformationsOverview and example ↗Distinguish left and right12
Core actions
Variants
- Distinguish left and right
- Distinguish above, below, between and behind
- Rotate shapes
- Reflect shapes
- Change scale
- Complete symmetry
- Relate top and side views
- Read coordinates
- Match nets to solids
- Mentally fold and unfold
- Use another character's viewpoint
- Translate between plans and spaces
Design example. Choose how a tower looks from the other side.
18Rearrangement and spatial puzzlesOverview and example ↗Assemble jigsaws10
Core actions
Variants
- Assemble jigsaws
- Solve tangrams
- Slide tiles into an empty space
- Push boxes
- Unblock a path
- Swap elements
- Pack shapes into limited space
- Escape a maze
- Untangle lines
- Reproduce a three-dimensional arrangement
Design example. Move blocks to clear a vehicle's path.
Action, construction and control
19Navigation and spatial explorationOverview and example ↗Follow signs to a goal12
Core actions
Variants
- Follow signs to a goal
- Follow a map
- Map while moving
- Explore unknown areas
- Choose junctions
- Use landmarks
- Find short or safe routes
- Retrace one's own route
- Open passages with tools
- Use a compass
- Locate objects outdoors
- Operate vehicles under rules
Design example. Find a museum using a city plan and street-crossing rules.
20Construction and engineering designOverview and example ↗Build from a model12
Core actions
Variants
- Build from a model
- Build from a plan
- Build to functional requirements
- Choose materials
- Reinforce structures
- Connect modules
- Test under load
- Improve prototypes
- Build with limited parts
- Compare designs
- Disassemble and reuse parts
- Design for a specified user
Design example. Build a bridge with limited parts and load-test it.
21Physical and mechanical puzzlesOverview and example ↗Direct water flows12
Core actions
Variants
- Direct water flows
- Route light through mirrors
- Connect electrical circuits
- Use levers and pulleys
- Balance structures
- Control gears
- Change friction or slope
- Trigger chain reactions
- Adjust trajectories
- Use magnetic interactions
- Open mechanisms through action combinations
- Switch device modes
Design example. Adjust mirrors to direct a beam onto a receiver.
22Precise control and small movementsOverview and example ↗Touch a target accurately12
Core actions
Variants
- Touch a target accurately
- Drag into a target area
- Fit parts into slots
- Guide objects along paths
- Trace contours
- Rotate into position
- Control press force or duration
- Catch moving objects
- Coordinate two actions
- Follow stroke order
- Thread, fasten and fold
- Cut or fold along lines
Design example. Guide a pencil along a path without crossing its boundaries.
23Whole-body movementOverview and example ↗Repeat a pose12
Core actions
Variants
- Repeat a pose
- Repeat a movement
- Perform movement sequences
- Move to a marked zone
- Maintain balance
- Stop on cue
- Express concepts through movement
- Coordinate with a partner
- Follow rules through an obstacle course
- Throw at targets
- Represent shape or magnitude with the body
- Switch movement when rules change
Design example. Represent an angle from a picture with the body.
24Physical and mixed interactionsOverview and example ↗Play with physical cards12
Core actions
Variants
- Play with physical cards
- Build with real blocks
- Count tokens and pieces
- Use tactile materials
- Control physical robots
- Link object tags to digital scenes
- Complete off-screen tasks
- Photograph found objects
- Use augmented reality
- Combine boards and apps
- Use real measuring tools
- Change physical objects and observe digital results
Design example. Build a real tower and compare it with an app plan.
25Rhythm, tempo and musical actionsOverview and example ↗Repeat a rhythm12
Core actions
Variants
- Repeat a rhythm
- Act on a beat
- Complete a rhythmic pattern
- Distinguish durations
- Change tempo
- Synchronize movements
- Repeat a melody
- Distinguish pitches
- Match notation to sound
- Assemble accompaniment
- Create rhythmic compositions
- Coordinate ensemble parts
Design example. Clap a character's rhythm and invent a response.
26Hide-and-seek, tag and chaseOverview and example ↗Players change position, visibility and seeker or runner roles.8
Variants
- Hide before a countdown ends
- Search using sounds or tracks
- Freeze to remain unnoticed
- Catch a player and pass on the chaser role
- Free a captured teammate
- Reach an agreed safe zone
- Switch roles after a short round
- Shrink the play area using a visible rule
Design example. Hypothetical courtyard: one player searches for others, and a tagged player becomes the next seeker.
27Jumping, obstacles and safe returnOverview and example ↗Players time movement through a short course with a clear retry after a mistake.8
Variants
- Jump a gap along a visible trajectory
- Wait for a moving platform to reach a useful position
- Pass beneath an obstacle or go around it
- Alternate walking, jumping and sliding
- Activate a bridge from an adjacent platform
- Choose an easier alternative route
- Return to a checkpoint after a mistake
- Cross the same section as a pair with mutual help
Design example. Hypothetical cloud trail: jump between platforms and return to the nearest flag after falling.
28Trips, races and vehicle controlOverview and example ↗Players control toy vehicles for a journey, delivery or short race.8
Variants
- Choose stops along a route
- Change speed before a turn
- Steer around obstacles on a track
- Carry passengers or cargo
- Choose a vehicle for a section of the route
- Rebuild a toy road during play
- Complete a short lap for a personal best
- Finish as a group while waiting for slower players
Design example. Hypothetical train: choose stops and pick up characters who want to travel together.
Quantity, investigation and systems
29Causes, consequences and predictionOverview and example ↗Predict an action's result10
Core actions
Variants
- Predict an action's result
- Choose an action for an outcome
- Infer causes from effects
- Build causal chains
- Identify multiple causes
- Account for delayed effects
- Test alternative scenarios
- Distinguish coincidence from causation
- Find side effects
- Find feedback in a system
Design example. Predict which garden area loses water after a valve closes.
30Resources, exchange and economicsOverview and example ↗Collect resources12
Core actions
Variants
- Collect resources
- Transport and deliver items
- Allocate limited stock
- Buy and sell
- Calculate prices and change
- Exchange items
- Build a budget
- Save toward a goal
- Craft from recipes
- Account for opportunity cost
- Plan supplies
- Allocate resources fairly
Design example. Buy meal ingredients within a budget.
Goals, constraints and progression
31Goals, tasks and success conditionsOverview and example ↗Reach a point16
Game structure
Variants
- Reach a point
- Deliver items
- Collect sets
- Restore objects
- Help characters
- Maintain working systems
- Complete orders
- Unlock areas
- Solve mysteries
- Build working objects
- Reach target quantities
- Finish without a specified error
- Find all solutions
- Improve personal results
- Complete shared projects
- Reach outcomes through several valid methods
Design example. Restore a bridge so residents can reach school again.
32Progression, mastery and new capabilitiesOverview and example ↗Unlock levels12
Game structure
Variants
- Unlock levels
- Unlock tools
- Unlock rules
- Develop the world
- Develop characters
- Map mastered skills
- Add composite tasks
- Offer next-branch choices
- Revisit areas with new skills
- Unlock creative modes
- Expand independence gradually
- Complete thematic chapters
Design example. After mastering turns, give the robot new routes.
33Constraints, pace and informationOverview and example ↗Limit turns14
Game structure
Variants
- Limit turns
- Limit resources
- Limit tools
- Limit time
- Use turn-based play
- Use real-time events
- Allow pauses
- Hide information
- Reveal information through actions
- Change conditions during tasks
- Add random events
- Add linked goals
- Prohibit actions
- Delay consequences
Design example. Build with six parts while allowing several solutions.
34Rewards, collections and game consequencesOverview and example ↗Award points12
Game structure
Variants
- Award points
- Award stars or badges
- Reward tasks with items
- Expand collections
- Reveal story fragments
- Change world appearance
- Grant abilities
- Show personal improvement
- Provide meaningful action results
- Show contributions to shared goals
- Allow reward choice
- Collect creations in albums
Design example. Successfully grown plants remain in the child's garden.
35Autonomy, identity and persistent worldsOverview and example ↗Choose characters12
Game structure
Variants
- Choose characters
- Customize appearance
- Choose themes or routes
- Choose task order
- Choose tools
- Choose solution methods
- Preserve constructions
- Care for characters
- Return to long projects
- Change the world through decisions
- Create personal goals
- Choose difficulty or support
Design example. Choose a city area to restore and decide how to do it.
36Turns, random tools and action-set managementOverview and example ↗Take turns12
Game structure
Variants
- Take turns
- Roll dice and move
- Draw task cards
- Choose from an open set
- Collect card sets
- Build decks
- Use card combinations
- Place pieces to select actions
- Wager tokens on predictions
- Change available actions
- Exchange turns for information
- Make hidden simultaneous choices
Design example. Select tool cards to solve a problem with limited turns.
37Formats and mechanic combinationsOverview and example ↗Quizzes20
Game structure
Variants
- Quizzes
- Lotto or bingo
- Dominoes
- Memory matching
- Movement board games
- Card games
- Puzzles
- Quests or escape rooms
- Exploration adventures
- Platformers with learning actions
- Object-selection runners
- Rhythm games
- Simulations
- Strategy games
- Sandboxes or construction tools
- Interactive books
- Roleplaying games
- Team games
- Active movement games
- Physical-object and app games
Design example. A quest combines notes, object search, inference and maps.
Using the children’s reference
Audience and learning purpose are different classification axes. Shared actions can appear in both references.
Open-ended play
A game does not always need a correct answer, score or level completion. A toy can support exploration and a child’s own stories.
Age suitability and access
Check reading demands, target size, input precision, round length, pace and rule comprehension separately. Bright visuals alone do not establish suitability.
Adult participation
An adult can read text aloud, agree on rules and play alongside the child. Select adult responsibilities and support separately from the child’s task.
Retry and stopping
Make consequences clear; allow short retries, saved creations and stopping without losing creative work.
Classification limits
Genre, input method, mechanic and reward system describe different layers. This is a map of useful combinations, not proof of learning benefits or an exhaustive list.
Illustrative combinations
These are hypothetical designs, not descriptions of released products.
Doll town
Create a character → decorate a home → invite guests → act out a self-directed story
Big trip
Build a road → choose a vehicle → pick up passengers → invent a stop → change the route
Courtyard adventures
Agree on boundaries → choose a seeker → hide → find friends → switch roles
Funny toy theater
Combine parts → invent a voice → act out a scene → add a partner’s idea → save the characters
Sources and examples
Sources support particular techniques or methodology, not every family variant. Design examples and mechanic combinations are illustrative.
- Toca Boca World: characters, homes and self-directed stories
The developer describes character creation, home design and self-directed stories, providing specific examples of open-ended pretend play.
- Sago Mini World: toys and play situations
The developer shows character care, trips, toy construction and hat making. These examples illustrate play forms; claims about learning effects are not reproduced here.
CC BY 4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors
Story, communication and creativity
38Cooperation and distributed tasksOverview and example ↗Solve shared tasks12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. One player has the plan and another the parts, requiring explanation to build.
39Story, roles and character decisionsOverview and example ↗Choose dialogue12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. Act as a park ranger investigating the animals' water shortage.
40Emotions, relationships and social perspectiveOverview and example ↗Recognize emotions through several cues12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. Help two characters agree on sharing a toy.
41Creative expressionOverview and example ↗Draw freely12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. Invent and draw a creature adapted to a specified environment.
42Open projects and creating gamesOverview and example ↗Choose personal goals12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. Create a maze solvable in exactly ten commands.
43Competition, negotiation and mutual choiceOverview and example ↗Compete in solving12
Core actions
Variants
Design example. Trade cards so everyone completes a required set.
44Guessing through questions and partial informationOverview and example ↗One player knows an answer while another narrows the options through questions, acting or guesses.8
Variants
Design example. Hypothetical visitor game: ask questions to identify the character hidden behind a door.