An Interactive, Unplugged Activity to Engage Children in Designing Solutions for Smart Villages

Smart villages require the involvement of residents. However, past experiences have revealed that goals were often not achieved because the community was treated as a single entity. In particular, the literature highlights the importance of improving smart services and outcomes to meet the needs of children, who are often excluded from participatory initiatives and rarely recognized as stakeholders. Non-conventional learning environments, like science festivals, provide an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and engage children as stakeholders in smart villages. However, organizing these events can be challenging due to the diverse backgrounds and varying needs of participants. Moreover, organizers often lack familiarity with individuals' learning styles and requirements. This study presents an interactive, unplugged activity aimed at children aged 6 to 10, where they can devise solutions for smart villages while learning fundamental programming concepts. To illustrate the potential of this activity, we present the results of its initial implementation with approximately 100 participants during a science festival. The first results show that the proposed activity is effective, engaging, and inclusive, making it an effective method for managing large and diverse groups of participants at science festivals. Copyright © 2025 by SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, Lda.