Encouraging organized active game play in primary school children

Abstract

A mobile video game designed to encourage physical activity in children in an organized outdoor setting is presented. Game elements of narrative based treasure hunt game: Pirate Adventure are designed by a team of IT and Health professionals to encourage primary school aged children to engage in physical activity. The mobile phone platform uses several sensor technologies; accelerometers, camera and Wi-Fi to integrate gameplay with the physical environment. Key game locations in the real world environment are tracked using 2-dimensional codes (QR codes) and activity is tracked using accelerometers. The design is evaluated during several organized play session. Telemetry collected demonstrates that the treasure hunt mechanic encourages players to be physically active during each game, and validates that player actions are consistent with the game design elements. QR code scanning is effective as a location tracking mechanism. Additional insight is provided into the issue of sensor suitability and mobile device reliability when used in games for this age group. The results of this study can inform other mobile active games for children.