From April 13–18, the first training activity of the DivE(d): Diversifying Education project brought together educators and youth workers from Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Italy for an immersive exploration of LEGO® and puzzle-based learning. Hosted in Tallinn, the four-day programme combined hands-on experimentation, reflection, and game design to rethink how we approach inclusive education.
The journey started with connection. Through playful icebreakers, creative self-expression exercises, and a “Walk & Talk” through the city, participants built a sense of trust and curiosity. This set the tone for the days ahead: learning by doing, sharing, and reflecting.
At its core, DivE(d) is driven by a clear mission: to create simple, accessible educational games that align with school curricula and work effectively with mixed-ability groups of learners. During the project’s kickoff phase last year, the team conducted research with teachers to identify the most challenging topics to teach. The message was clear, and the project responded directly.
As a result, the first stage delivered a set of 16 ready-to-use educational games: 9 LEGO®-based and 8 puzzle-based. These games cover a range of subjects, including cardinal points and coordinate reading, tax calculation, Roman numerals, areas and perimeters, species endangerment, European geography, and more, turning difficult concepts into engaging, hands-on experiences.
As the programme unfolded, participants were introduced to the foundations of game-based learning. We didn’t just discuss theory: we played, analyzed, and adapted games, diving into topics like mixed-ability group facilitation and inclusive design. Puzzle-based and LEGO®-based learning sessions allowed them to explore how different methods can engage diverse learners, highlighting both the strengths and the need for thoughtful adaptation.
In the Design Labs, participants worked in small teams to develop their own educational game concepts. Using structured tools like Bloom’s Taxonomy and game design canvases, they transformed ideas into tangible prototypes, testing, refining, and presenting their games to others on the last day.
Participants also connected their experiences to ETS competencies, identified personal learning moments, and shared insights through interactive reflection methods. By the end of the training, what emerged was more than just a set of new tools. Participants left with practical experience, fresh perspectives on inclusive learning, and a deeper understanding of how games (whether built with bricks or puzzles) can open up meaningful educational spaces for everyone.
All developed games will be available on Playversity.co by the end of April in English, with additional project languages being added throughout the summer period, making these resources accessible to educators and youth workers across different contexts.
“𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘌(𝘥): 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯” 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰-𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺.