Echo Games CIC was commissioned by Cardiff University to bring history to life through a co-design workshop with Year 5 and Year 6 pupils at Ysgol Bro Sannan.
Ysgol Bro Sannan is a Welsh medium primary school in Aberbargoed, just north of Cardiff, Wales. As a coal-mining town with a fascinating history, teachers at Ysgol Bro Sannan and researchers at Cardiff University were keen to find innovative ways for younger children to connect with the events that formed their town. That’s where Echo Games comes in. And let me tell you – the workshop was a resounding success!
Using Timeline to Learn History
We built the workshop around the card game Timeline – a brilliant starting point for engaging children with history. This is a competitive game where players take turns to place historical events in the correct chronological order. The core mechanics, which include matching dates and understanding cause-and-effect relationships, are fundamental to learning about history. It’s a simple, accessible game that immediately provided a solid foundation for our workshop.
Our aim was to build on the classic Timeline card game and introduce a dynamic element using NFC technology. We focused on the history of Aberbargoed, mapping historical milestones such as the introduction of the town’s first hospital. The children augmented their cards by attaching NFC tag stickers to them. This way, when the card was tapped against the phone, their custom images and sounds were presented.
To demonstrate the NFC technology, we used an analogy that really resonated with the children: “Think of NFC like contactless payment. You don’t need to swipe a card. You simply tap and it works! It’s about making technology incredibly easy and intuitive.” We showed them how a simple tap triggered an audio clip – a train whistle, a sound effect – immediately capturing their attention and demonstrating the effortless nature of the connection.
Connecting with Local History
But the best part? The children weren’t just playing a game – they were actively engaging with their local history! They researched facts about Aberbargoed and its surrounding area, using the augmented elements to bring the information to life. Suddenly, the Timeline card game wasn’t just about matching dates. It was a journey through the town’s past, brought to life by the kids themselves. The children designed the cards for the game, complete with illustrations and media content that spoke of facts like Aberbargoed’s record-breaking coal extraction in 1909 (some 4,020 tons of coal in a single day) and more recent highlights such as Aberbargoed’s Grasslands being declared a National Nature Reserve in 2012.
The Tap Factor
The children were absolutely drawn to this ease of use. It wasn’t about complicated coding or technical jargon. It was about a simple, engaging interaction. This sparked incredible creativity. They quickly grasped the concept of triggering sounds and information with a tap, and they began brainstorming all sorts of additions – recording answers to historical questions, hints to help players, and even funny sounds to add a playful element to the gameplay. They cleverly used NFC tags to trigger these recordings when a player needed a little support, or when they wanted to highlight a specific historical detail. Suddenly, the Timeline card game wasn’t just about matching dates – it was a journey through Aberbargoed’s past, brought to life by the kids themselves!
A Huge Success
The energy in the room was fantastic. Everyone – from the students to the Echo Games CIC team – thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative process and the exciting outcome.
Cardiff University researchers Dr Stephanie Ward and Professor Lloyd Bowen said:
“It was such a positive experience to work with Echo Games CIC. They listened very carefully to our brief, and we particularly liked how Dan and Lee were keen that history remain at the heart of the workshops and that the technology assisted learning rather than becoming a distraction. Echo Games exceeded our expectations in what was developed. The NFC technology was simple to use (following a demonstration) and incredibly engaging. Crucially, it allowed the children to have ownership over what they created. There was much excitement in the room throughout the day from all of us! We now have a template to roll out in other primary schools as part of our project to support the teaching of local history under the New Curriculum for Wales. It has opened up a world of possibilities for meeting learning requirements across the curriculum.”
Teacher, Mr Huw Darch said:
“Today’s session truly brought local history alive for our pupils. They were able to build on all their prior learning about Aberbargoed in order to create a Timeline-style game and all within a couple of hours. The session was delivered in such a simple and engaging way and the team encouraged the pupils every step of the way. Pupils were engrossed using their knowledge but in a way which truly ignited their digital interests and skill set! A huge thank you to the team and for providing myself with valuable professional development in this field!”
This project demonstrated the power of combining traditional gameplay with computing technologies to make learning both engaging and memorable. We're incredibly proud of the creativity and enthusiasm shown by the Year 5 and Year 6 pupils of Ysgol Bro Sannan.
Want to learn more about how we can help bring playful educational experiences to your school or group? Contact us today!
