An Interactive Game Design for Children’s Bird Watching Based on Flow Experience Theory

With the acceleration of urbanization, the natural environment of cities is becoming increasingly depleted. At the same time, rapid advances in science and technology, as well as increasing pressure to learn, have left children in urban areas with limited opportunities to connect with nature. This results in a significant gap between urban children and the natural environment. Therefore, this study designed a multi-sensory interactive bird watching game based on flow experience theory and developed an experience model for children’s bird watching activities. By simulating a real birding environment, children are encouraged to participate in birding activities through multi-sensory interaction of sight, hearing and touch. This approach develops intrinsic motivation, allowing children to independently learn the activity of birding, appreciate the beauty of birding, and ultimately connect with nature. This study invited 20 children aged 6–12 to participate in an experiment to evaluate their gaming experience using the System Usability Scale (SUS). After testing, we also conducted user interviews to obtain further recommendations. The results of SUS scores and interviews showed that most participants had a high level of acceptance of the game and expressed willingness to continue playing this training game.