Mantenha Distância

Keep Distance

A Playful Game for Early Childhood Pandemic Education

During the Covid-19 pandemic, children were directly affected by sudden changes (like online classes and social isolation), but often lacked clear and simplified information about the virus and its preventive measures. Complex terms and a lack of suitable educational materials led to confusion and fear, making it harder for children to understand and adapt to the new reality.

The proposed solution is the Keep Your Distance board game, set in the imaginary city of "Gelópolis," where players learn about the pandemic and prevention strategies interactively. The game box includes:

1 Game Board: With 60 colored squares (green, yellow, red) containing dictionary terms or color indicators.
1 Instruction Manual: Also incorporating the Pandemic Dictionary.
30 Chance or Challenge Cards.
2 Dice and 4 Pawns.

The game encourages children to research unfamiliar words using reliable sources, promoting memorization and understanding of the coronavirus and the importance of maintaining distance for safe coexistence.

Listen (Research and Understanding)
- Created a mind map to identify key questions and define the target age group (8–10 years).
- Conducted research with educators and interviews with children to understand their needs and perspectives.
- Benchmarked educational toys and games (e.g., 4M kits, Uno, Chess), analyzing their mechanics and cognitive/social benefits (logical reasoning, strategy, focus).
Create (Concept and Prototyping)
- Discussed several game ideas based on familiar mechanics.
- Chose the Keep Your Distance board game for its well-suited challenges for the target age group.
- Developed prototypes for usability testing, including a 59-square board (printed on 240g/m² coated paper, size A3), and 30 chance/challenge cards. A 9-page booklet included both the rulebook and dictionary.
Implement (Refinement and Production)
- Focused on using recyclable materials for the final prototype, considering minimal environmental impact and user safety (following ABNT standards).
- The final board was made with 240g/m² coated paper mounted on 1.7mm chipboard.
- A box (297x210x60mm) was created using 350g/m² coated paper.

Results and Next Steps

The Keep Distance prototype proved to be fully functional and effective in teaching children about Covid-19 prevention through play. While the implementation phase revealed some areas for improvement, these were seen as part of the continuous learning process in product development.
The project represents a promising product that, with feedback from a broader audience, can evolve into improved versions, ensuring that learning about health remains fun and effective for children.