2nd Grade Idea Lab Update: Future Game Designers in the Making!

Our 2nd grade Idea Lab students had a blast diving into the world of game design during our Cardboard Arcade Challenge, inspired by Caine’s Arcade! Students followed a full design process — starting with brainstorming, ideating, sketching, and presenting their ideas. Once their plans were in place, they built, tested, revised, and tested again before reflecting on their final designs.


One of the highlights of this project was inviting younger students to test out the cardboard arcade games. Our designers loved seeing others enjoy their creations and getting real feedback to help them improve their designs. This unit was a huge hit! 

Click HERE to see a video of our Cardboard Arcade in action! If you were not able to visit in person, please take a peek! 

After finishing their cardboard arcade games, students shifted gears and created new prototypes using LEGO bricks with smart hubs, motors, and sensors — allowing students to bring their ideas to life through movement and coding. It was exciting to see concepts evolve from cardboard to robotics!

  

          

Click HERE to view an Instagram Reel of our LEGO Arcade Games! 

To wrap up the unit, students explored Snap Circuits, a hands-on way to learn about electrical circuits. Using simple, snap-together parts, they created the “inside” of an arcade game, adding real motion, lights, and sounds to their designs. It was the perfect way to connect creativity with engineering and technology. 

Click HERE to view the Instagram Reel of the inside of a arcade game with Snap Circuits. 

Our 2nd graders showed amazing imagination, teamwork, and problem-solving skills throughout this unit — we can’t wait to see where their ideas take them next!