Author: Richard

Yes, there is some overlap here with the previous grouping and the following one.  That said, there are a few key differences in game play that makes this age group appropriate to discuss on its own.  Part of this comes not from the biological changes this audience undergoes or faces, but rather in the core competencies of game play development that occur in this transitory period.  What is different here is the level of sophistication in the style of play and the enjoyment of established concepts matures to incorporate deeper levels of meaning.  What is often embraced at this time are more immersive experiences and a greater awareness of resource management.

What kids can create at this age range starts to include games with storylines of increasing complexity, the use of multiple resources, and more integrated systems.  Rather than being a new skill or tool, this coincides with the greater understanding that comes along with information the child learns.  This is also a continuation of the growing modularity of game systems and the recognition of analogous structures.  Thus, while much of the material is derivative and linear, the games at this age begin to incorporate nonlinear elements as well as a greater level of choice in game play (which coincides with greater awareness of other viewpoints).  The two game tools that fit this intermediary phase are:

• Introductory resource management systems
• Development of storylines, predominantly linear, interspersed between game play

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Interactions and Play for Ages 9-12

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Tools and Games for Ages 13+

The developmental milestones for kids in this age group sees a lot of rapid change from year-to-year that makes condensing it into a brief overview difficult.  Kids start out growing used not only to employing tools with increasing skill, but also a greater body awareness that, by the latter half of this age range grows into greater awareness of gender differences.  As such, the mastery over self and tools and working until exhausted are some of the key identifiers of this age group.  Sports also become more important as they help with the exploration of physicality and eventually being in a constant state of motion while awake by the end of this age range.  The types of games tend to take these developments into account.

In terms of information and intellectual development, the younger end of this age range is still in the information gathering phase as they continue to commit facts to memory.  It is not until the latter half of this age range that they begin to use logic, categorization, and deep thought to better understand and use that knowledge.  The child also starts to internalize physical lessons into mental ones as analogous structures.  Conceptual frames, like time, are elusive for the 9-10-year-old crowd, but become easier to manage and use and can be applied to the worldviews of others.  This growing awareness helps with the social developments of the child discussed below.

Kids begin this age range unwilling to do anything they find unpleasant, which includes chores and often being around the opposite sex.  They can be responsible and carry out chores.  Emotions have more sway over the first half of this age, but mellow out as reason develops.  Friendships grow in importance, but it is not until the second half of this stage that relationships with parents begins to change.  Group activities continue to become more important to the child and by the end of this age range, the desire to conform to peer pressure begins to develop as the drive to feel connected to a social fabric of shared interests grows.  Interests grow more important and sharing is communicated as much by enthusiasm as it is dislikes, which may be more prominent than the former.

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Tools and Games for Ages 9-12

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Tools and Games for Ages 11-13

When children reach this age, they no longer can be tracked as a group with all the same milestones.  The individual child has learned not only how to maneuver and manipulate the environment he or she has grown up in, but also developed skill sets that sow the seeds of future specialization.  This accounts for the greater variety of products and activities available to them.  Some will gravitate towards physical pursuits while others find pleasure in more mental disciplines.  Game play for this age reflects this diversification with myriad forms of physical and mental games children enjoy.

One of the things that games for this age group take advantage of is the growing level of abstraction children engage in.  This can be seen in other media children consume as well: books, television, music, etc.  The increasing abstraction allows for more immersive storylines as well as longer ones, which hold the child’s engagement for longer periods of time.  Thus, while there will be some straightforward linear elements in a game, the emphasis as the child ages shifts towards ones involving more strategy and planning.  The players move from straight victory conditions where everyone can see what their opponents are doing to one where multiple avenues are available, even if they become increasingly improbable roads to winning.

Designers in this age range should have enough experience with a good selection of game mechanics that include simplified multidimensional rules (where routes to victory lay in differing strategies), multiple playing pieces, and variable game play.  This is a good assortment of tools to create a large variety of game types where the designer can manipulate the math and information used in one game to create an entirely different one where both theme and rules feel unique.  The sources of inspiration will likely be easy to spot, but this is a good yardstick to measure success as you can help the designer avoid any pitfalls by seeing where they might take their idea.  The exploration kids enjoy at this age allows for designers to grasp and isolate the concepts embedded in a game system, which is why the yardstick technique works so well.  Game tools for this age include:

• Simple card mechanics
• Modularity in boards and pieces
• Higher level of abstraction in gameplay using real-world equivalents (e.g. skill-focused design)

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Interactions and Play for Ages 6-8

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Interactions and Play for Ages 9-12

Children in this age range begin to exhibit creativity and deviate from the constraints of mimicry to explore the world, though they still enjoy copying patterns and shapes.  They also prefer to play with children similar to themselves and want to spend increasing amounts of time with friends.  As their physical skills develop, these children want to test their skills and get better with them.  And this is where differentiation between children begins in earnest.  Their likes and dislikes become more pronounced as a child gravitates towards their particular interests.

The games a child often plays during this time take into account the increased desire to problem-solve, plan, and build.  Games like Monopoly, Aggravation, and Battleship, play into these strengths and foster further development of these skills.  Physical games like tag; hide and seek; and duck, duck, goose (a game about risk assessment) also help this age range learn to navigate the world through snap decisions while also acclimating the child to the growth changes they undergo with the lengthening of their limbs.  These games also help combat the ungainliness children may feel during this phase of their lives.  The awkwardness they experience includes growing awareness of not just the world, but the distinctness of gender identification.  It is partially from this and cultural norms that gendered board games exist and garner the children’s attention.

Some of the areas where individualization comes in is the concept of personal collections.  Kids begin to create collections of their belongings.  This coincides with their growing sense of order and structure.  At the same time, this age group sees the dawning of empathy as the child goes from being self-centered to viewing things from the perspective of others.  While these kids may or may not be selfless, they are more likely to share and prefer communal activities.  Kids of this age are also starting to internalize information and rely on conceptual frameworks as much as literal and external references.

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Tools and Games for Ages 6-8

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Tools and Games for Ages 9-12