PATHBREAK - Biodiversity JENGA®

PATHBREAK - Biodiversity JENGA® is designed to raise awareness of biodiversity loss and ecosystem fragility. It adapts the familiar JENGA® block tower to represent ecological systems, with each coloured brick symbolising a group of species such as plants, insects, mammals, or birds. Players move around a printed gameboard, responding to prompts that reflect real-world environmental pressures or restoration actions. These prompts instruct players to either remove or replace blocks, linking everyday choices or systemic issues to species gain or loss. The game ends when the tower falls over. Following the end there can be a discussion about human impacts upon biodiversity. It is also possible to have a following round with options for players to suggest rules for the board.

In this module Lindy Binder  how Biodiversity JENGA® was used within PLANET4B, in this video she introduces Biodiversity JENGA®:

Key Features

• Group size: Designed for 2 to 6 players. For larger groups, multiple games can be run in parallel.
• Duration: Each game typically lasts 5 to 15 minutes. The discussion can extend the session, and you may wish to play multiple rounds with different rules

Materials Required

• JENGA®
  Standard or oversized version, with 54 wooden bricks. Each block should be coloured at both ends to represent one of six species categories:
  • Green = Plants
  • Blue = Fish
  • Red = Mammals
  • Purple = Birds
  • Pink = Insects
  • Orange = Amphibians
• Colouring materials for the blocks
  Paint, permanent markers, coloured stickers, crayons, or nail varnish can be used. Only the ends should be coloured to preserve the sliding function.
• Printable gameboard
  A PDF gameboard printed in colour. Laminating is optional, especially for repeat or outdoor use. A3 size or larger is recommended for giant versions.
• Six-sided die
  Can be physical or digital (e.g. using a phone app).
• Player tokens
  One per participant. These can be coins, buttons, or any small object to move around the board, or you can cut out the printed tokens that come with the gameboard.
• Optional: species prompt cards
  For educational settings, pre-researched species cards can accompany the blocks.
• Optional: recording equipment
  For research use, audio recorders or notebooks can support documentation during or after gameplay (with participant consent).

Skills Required

• Basic facilitation skills
  Ability to explain game instructions clearly, manage time, and guide group interaction.
• Adaptability
  Confidence to tailor the activity for different contexts, age groups, or learning levels. This may include adjusting the difficulty or emphasis depending on the audience.
• Ecological framing (optional but beneficial)
  While not essential, having some knowledge of biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, or environmental pressures helps frame the game and guide discussion.
• Awareness of group dynamics
  Sensitivity to how participants interact, ensuring inclusive participation and managing any dominant voices during group discussion.
• Ethical awareness
  If data is collected, familiarity with informed consent processes and ethical considerations, particularly when working with children or vulnerable groups.