In today's world, digital screens are omnipresent, and children are
increasingly exposed to them from a young age. Inspired by
The Social Dilemma
and its exploration of screen addiction, we wanted to create an
educational tool that would teach essential
STEM concepts
in an engaging way—without relying on a screen. This led us to our
guiding question:
How can we make STEM learning fun and interactive while keeping it
screen-free?
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Our answer: a board game. More specifically, a game
that introduces children to algorithmic thinking through hands-on
interaction. We chose to focus on algorithms because they are at the
core of computational logic and problem-solving, two fundamental
skills in STEM education. Traditional teaching methods often rely on
abstract concepts, which can make it difficult for young learners to
grasp fundamental principles of graph theory and algorithms.
That's why we created Duck Quest.
Algorithmic thinking
The aim of Duck Quest is to teach young people algorithmic thinking.
It encourages logical reasoning and helps them explore different
possibilities using Dijkstra’s algorithm, which calculates the
shortest path in a graph.
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This project was developed as part of a European Section Engineering
Sciences class. Our goal was to introduce children to STEM subjects
through a screen-free game. To tackle this challenge, we used
addressable LED strips and push buttons to emulate a graph, where LEDs
represent the edges and buttons serve as the nodes.
(European section engineering sciences is an optional class in French
schools which allows us to learn engineering sciences and project
management while speaking English.)
However, we knew that an abstract mathematical concept alone wouldn’t
be enough to capture children’s attention. Learning is most effective
when it’s engaging, intuitive, and fun. That’s why we decided to
incorporate a storyline—one that would turn a logical puzzle into an
immersive adventure.
The story behind the game
In Duck Quest, players help a small duck navigate across a pond,
finding the safest and most efficient path. This simple yet relatable
narrative transforms an abstract algorithm into a tangible challenge:
rather than just calculating shortest paths in a graph, children
instinctively understand that their goal is to help the duck reach its
destination.
The story also serves a visual and emotional purpose:
It brings color and life to the board—a yellow duck, a blue pond,
and green grass—making the game more inviting and engaging.
It makes the learning process more natural: instead of focusing on
numbers and edges, children focus on guiding their duck, developing
algorithmic thinking without even realizing it.
By blending education with storytelling, Duck Quest turns a
theoretical concept into an interactive and meaningful learning
experience.
Skills Developed
Category
Skills Developed
Explanation
Algorithmic Thinking
Understanding algorithms
The child learns about Dijkstra's algorithm and optimal paths.
Problem-solving
Finding the best path requires testing different solutions.
Logical and structured reasoning
The child organizes their thoughts to solve the puzzle.
Mathematics & STEM
Graph theory and networks
The child manipulates a graph (buttons = nodes, LEDs = edges).
Distance concepts and optimization
They must choose the shortest and safest route.
Motor Skills & Interaction
Hand-eye coordination
They physically interact with the board, buttons, and LEDs.
Tactile experience and manipulation
Learning happens through hands-on interaction instead of
screens.
Curiosity & Autonomy
Exploration and experimentation
They test multiple strategies to find what works best.
Independent learning
The game encourages self-thinking and discovery.
Development
After quite considerable development costs, we are now at the
prototyping phase. We have a nearly finished product constructed of
cardboard and hot glue.
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This prototype runs off of a Raspberry Pi 3B, which explains a large
part of the development costs, but it also necessitated a 1 meter
strip of addressable LEDs, which, surprisingly costly, made up the
other main constituent of the price tag. The game is currently fully
programmed and playable on a computer screen.
Who are we?
We are two friends from a French lycée in Alsace, near the German and
Swiss borders. Passionate about engineering and design, we teamed up
to create DuckQuest, combining our skills to develop an engaging and
educational board game.
One of us focused on hardware and software programming, designing the
logic behind the game, implementing Dijkstra’s algorithm, and ensuring
smooth interaction between the Raspberry Pi, LEDs, and buttons.
The other took charge of design and 3D representation, crafting
the board's visuals, developing the game’s aesthetic, and making the
learning experience as immersive as possible.
