The Action Zone!™ Idea

The initial idea to develop a game about epilepsy came from Marion Clignet (a world famous cyclist who has epilepsy) and from talking with people with epilepsy and their experiences as children. It was quickly realised that children know very little about epilepsy and that this may sometimes lead to problems and misunderstanding at school and at home.

Could a game be developed to educate children their friends, brothers/sisters, carers, teachers and parents, all about epilepsy? The challenge was to make it educational, exciting and in a format that children would want to play.

The game would show that children with epilepsy are really not different to other children and that they can do many things that other children can do. The game would also provide guidance on what to do if a child has an epilepsy seizure.

Action Zone!™ Advisory Committee

To develop the game, a number of people were brought together who all had interests in epilepsy. They included:

Marion Clignet, Olympic cyclist with epilepsy

Dr Helen Cross, Consultant in Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK

Peter Dahlqvist, International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE)

Janet Guy, UK Secondary School Teacher (11-16 yr)

Julie Baker, UK Primary School Teacher (6-11 yr)

Siobhan Hannan, Epilepsy Nurse, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK

Duncan Marshall, Game Designer

Dr Richard Woolfson, Child Psychologist

Action Zone! Development

The group discussed the main issues faced by children with epilepsy and what a game could do to help support the children and their families/carers. Many discussions and experiences were shared in the group for what the game should do, what the children could learn, and how the game would be played. The key goals for the game were to:

•  Educate on important and practical aspects of epilepsy

•  Be played in schools, at home with family and friends, and in epilepsy clinics or wards

•  The game should be:

• Inclusive, inspire confidence

• Fun and factual

• Appealing to children

• Last about 15-20 minutes maximum

After playing the game, children should feel more confident in talking about their epilepsy and that other children should have a better awareness and knowledge about epilepsy.

Action Zone!™ - Tried and Tested

•  A game board designer developed the initial concepts for games which were then “tried and tested” with the group.

•  A clear favourite was selected that could be developed into what you have played. A test version was playedby children in classrooms, at home with families across Europe and at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, England .

Action Zone!™ was taken to the IBE congress in Copenhagen and played amongst the attending members of IBE from across the world

•  All the feedback was really positive and with some small changes, the game was finalised.

Action Zone!™ Production & Distribution

Action Zone!™ will be delivered to all IBE members from around the world who have requested the game for their country. They will be distributing the game to families, schools and colleges and through the sponsoring company to hospitals and clinics.

The response to the game has been outstanding – Action Zone!™ has now been translated into 15 languages and is played across the world.

We hope you enjoyed playing Action Zone!, but please let us know what you think of it and how we could make it even better? Click here to leave us some feedback!