Beyond the Touchscreen: Player Experience in a Tangible Programming Game for Children

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to evaluate player experience among children aged 6–8 years in a tangible programming game across the miniPXI dimensions of functional, psychosocial, and enjoyment, and to explore differences in these dimensions by children’s tablet use frequency, categorized as often, rarely, or very rarely. Background: Understanding the player experience is important because the quality of interaction may shape children’s immediate engagement and perceived accessibility during early programming activities. While prior research on Tangible User Interface (TUI)-based programming games for children has largely focused on learning outcomes and performance, relatively little empirical work has examined how children experience these games from a player-experience perspective. This gap highlights the need for empirical evaluation of player experience to better inform the design of engaging and inclusive programming games for children. Methodology: This study employed a playtesting-based empirical evaluation with 78 children aged 6–8 years. Participants interacted with a tangible programming game using a physical game controller. Player experience was measured using the Mini Player Experience Inventory (miniPXI), a psychometric instrument previously validated in game research and adapted in this study through teacher-supported administration for children aged 6–8 years. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric group comparisons were used to analyze overall player experience and differences across tablet-use frequency groups. Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence on how children experience a tangible programming game using a player experience instrument previously validated in game research. It extends existing research on tangible programming by foregrounding player experience as a multidimensional evaluative lens and by offering preliminary insights into accessibility-related design considerations. Findings: The results indicate that the tangible programming game supported generally positive player experiences across functional, psychosocial, and enjoyment dimensions. Strong responses were observed for audiovisual appeal, progress feedback, curiosity, immersion, and enjoyment. Notably, children with less frequent tablet use reported high levels of enjoyment, suggesting that tangible interaction may provide a more accessible and engaging entry point into early programming activities for children with limited prior digital exposure, although this observation requires further investigation. Recommendations for Practitioners: Designers and educators may consider tangible programming games as a promising approach for supporting engagement among children with varying levels of digital familiarity. Clear visual feedback and intuitive physical interaction can sustain engagement, while additional scaffolding may be needed to improve ease of control and the communication of educational meaning. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to incorporate validated player experience instruments when evaluating tangible programming games for children. Player experience measures can complement learning outcomes by providing insight into usability, engagement, and inclusivity in early programming contexts. Impact on Society: By documenting positive immediate player experiences among children aged 6–8 years, this study suggests that tangible programming games may offer promising entry points into early programming activities, particularly for learners with limited prior digital exposure. Future Research: Future research may examine the relationship between player experience and learning outcomes, compare tangible programming games with graphical programming games, test such systems in more diverse educational settings, and further validate player experience instruments such as miniPXI for use with very young learners.