On April 10, 2025, Nová Cvernovka in Bratislava was filled with excited educators and enthusiastic students as the Play to Learn educational event took place, which is a unique encounter between learning and play. Organized by Impact Games, the event aimed to show that even serious topics can be explored in an interactive, engaging, and even fun way.
Throughout the morning, participants took part in exciting workshops where they discovered and experienced various educational games. The goal? To inspire teachers with tools they can actually use in the classroom and give students the chance to learn through play.
Program Highlights
09:00 – 10:00 | Workshop with the game “Who is Helena?”
Participants explored the themes of socialism, totalitarian regimes, and emigration from Czechoslovakia through a historical board game. Built around a family mystery, the game offered not only historical knowledge but also created emotional engagement.
09:00 – 10:00 | Chicken Intelligence Agency – Hungarian-language workshop
This satirical yet thought-provoking strategy game tackled the world of online disinformation. Participants took on the role of chicken intelligence agents trying to save mankind from media manipulation. The session addressed cognitive biases, media literacy, and critical thinking in a fun and relatable format.
10:15 – 11:15 | Chicken Intelligence Agency – Slovak-language workshop
The Slovak version of the game was also presented, with great success. Participants played the game together and then discussed its potential for use in educational settings.
10:30 – 12:00 | Introduction to Game Design
In this hands-on workshop, participants became game designers: they learned the basic concepts of game design, then created their own paper-based prototypes. The creative atmosphere inspired many to consider using game design as a pedagogical tool in the classroom.
“Follow Me” Tournament
Students competed in a card game tournament where they played as influencers, aiming to gain followers on a fictional social platform. Along the way, they faced the dangers of social media, such as fake news and disinformation.
Side Programs Throughout the Day
-
Game Room (Hernička): Participants could try out educational and entertainment games developed in Slovakia.
-
Interschool Championship: Teams from different schools competed in subject-based quizzes and logic challenges, all aiming to win the prestigious title of “Game Master.”
Play to Learn Night
The event didn’t end at noon, the afternoon and evening continued with live music, professional discussions, and the prestigious BiT Awards ceremony for video games.
Play to Learn was more than just an event, it was an experience that will hopefully leave a lasting impression on how teachers and students think about learning. Because play isn’t just allowed, it’s worth it, especially when it helps us grow.
This material was created with the financial support of the European Union within the project of “The Critical Gamer: Enhancing Critical Thinking through Play”, which is implemented as part of the Erasmus+ program. This publication expresses only opinion of the author and the European Commission is not responsible for any use of the information contained in this publication.
