How can we do good for nature?

Topic
- Nature & ecology
Learning skills
- Logical thinking
- Problem solving & decision making
- Fine motor skills
Activity type
- Group discussion
- Crafting & constructing
Materials
- Basic
- Self-made
Age
- 6 - 11 years
- 12 - 14 years
- 15 - 17 years
5 - 15 minutes
2 - 4 players
Easy
Calm
Small (office, pavement)

Contributors

Mobile School

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Everything you need to play this game

Large piece of cardboard (at least A2 size)
Rope or strong string
2 small plastic buckets or containers
Curtain paper or tissue paper to cover the hand hole
Markers
Scissors
Glue
Paper and images to make the flowchart (printed or drawn)
Tape

Make it yourself

Step 1

Prepare the cardboard base

Take a sturdy piece of cardboard and place it horizontally

Step 2

Cut the hand hole

In the center, cut a round hole about 12–15 cm in diameter—big enough for a child’s hand to reach through.

Step 3

Add the curtain

Cover the hole with paper strips or tissue paper cut vertically, so a hand can go through but the contents remain hidden.

Step 4

Attach the rope and buckets

Thread a rope through the hole so it loops underneath.
Attach one small bucket to each end of the rope so that they hang beneath the hole and can be accessed from either side.
Secure the buckets so they don’t fall off or tip easily.

Step 5

Create the flowchart

On one side of the board, draw or glue a flowchart that starts with:

“Does your item come from nature?” and leads to decision paths.
Use arrows, questions, and example illustrations to guide the path.
Add keywords like Recycle, Re-use, Upcycle.

Step 6

Add visuals & instructions

Add icons or images near each question or answer (e.g. banana peel = natural; bottle cap = non-natural).
Write simple instructions next to each step for the older kids to follow on their own.

Step 7

Decorate creatively

Use green tones, leaves, or playful eco-icons to make it visually engaging.
Label clearly which version of the game is which, or mark zones for young/older players.

Good job!

A step-by-step guide to play the game

Version 1 – For younger children (team play & tactile guessing game)

Divide the group into two teams.

Each team gathers a few (clean/safe) items from nature or found objects nearby (e.g. bottle caps, leaves, sticks, wrappers).

Each team places their collected items into their team bucket.

One child from Team A reaches through the curtain-covered hole and grabs one item from Team B’s bucket.

Without looking, the child tries to guess what the item is by touch.

If the guess is correct, Team A earns a point.

Now it’s Team B’s turn. Repeat until all items are guessed.

Conclude with a group reflection: which items were natural? Which were trash? What could be done with them?

Version 2 – For older children (flowchart decision game)

Each child or pair chooses one item found in nature or brought by the facilitator (real or illustrated).

Using the flowchart on the game board, they answer:

“Does this item come from nature?”
If yes: “Can you return it to nature or re-use it?”
If no: “Can it be recycled or upcycled (epicycled)?”

At each step, children look at the visual examples to inspire solutions (e.g. reusing a jar, turning wrappers into art).

Optional: Use Mobile School posters nearby and apply the same flowchart to items shown on those posters.

Let them present one item and how they would reuse, recycle, or upcycle it to the group.

Extra game information

This game concept was developed during an Open StreetwiZe leadership expedition in a refugee center in Pelt, Belgium.

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