Activities

Enable Games - (Cannot be linked due to privacy agreement over rights to share and agreement to only allow local hosting)

Enable Games started from something deeply personal. Growing up around special education—especially through my mother’s work as a special educator—and watching my own brother navigate dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, I saw how the right support can change a child’s confidence and sense of possibility. That experience shaped the way I approached this project: not as “making games,” but as building something that could feel like play while quietly strengthening the skills children work hard to develop every day. In my early conversations with the client, we aligned on a central goal: create a web-based platform that helps children engage without it feeling like “work,” while still supporting developmental needs. 

From the start, we designed Enable Games around the realities of a special education environment. The client described how physical games create friction—kids may need to purchase and carry materials, sessions can be delayed if a game isn’t available, and progress documentation can be inefficient or even lost. That’s where the idea became a system: an online platform with up to six games, chosen together based on skills commonly affected in ADHD—motor planning, spatial awareness, memory, and visual discrimination—so the child is practicing core cognitive functions through repetition and reinforcement, not lectures. 

The build followed a clear design process. After researching ADHD-friendly game mechanics (and mapping what each game should train), I drafted wireframes and flow diagrams to plan how a child would move through the experience—login, game selection, playing, and returning—without confusion or overload. The first version focused on a structured, safe environment: authentication, role-based access, and a clear interface so students could focus attention on the activity rather than the site. 

After the initial build, feedback shaped the second version. In the final interview, the client confirmed the games were aligned with the centre’s categories and that the experience kept children engaged—then pushed for something even more meaningful: the ability for admins to view scores to monitor progress, and to add customization (like difficulty/levels) so activities could match each child’s needs. That shift matters psychologically: it turns the platform into a tool for scaffolding and self-regulation, where challenge can be adjusted to keep children in a healthy “stretch zone,” supporting attention, working memory, and motivation without overwhelming them.

What I’m proudest of is that Enable Games isn’t just a “website with games.” It is a step toward making therapy more accessible, less dependent on physical materials, and more consistent for both teachers and students. The evaluation confirmed core success criteria like secure login, protected access, smooth API integration, and admin management were met, while also highlighting meaningful next steps like progress tracking improvements. More than anything, this project taught me that impact isn’t always loud—it can look like reducing friction, increasing engagement, and creating a space where a child can practice skills through play, and slowly build self-efficacy.

Below is a PDF with flowcharts with the logic and initial mockups/wireframes paired with the actual product.