Adding Gamification to Toys for Tots

Gamification Level 2 Certification Project

By Lori Serradas

Disclaimer The following slides are entirely the work of the author

for the purposes of obtaining the Engagement

Alliance Level 2 Certification.

This does not constitute or represent any official policy

of Toys for Tots, planned or otherwise.

About Toys for Tots • Run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve

• Distributes toys to children in need for Christmas.

• Mission Statement: o “The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots

Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October,

November and December each year, and distribute those toys

as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in

which the campaign is conducted."

• Goal: o “The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy

at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that

will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic

citizens.”

Source: http://www.toysfortots.org/about_toys_for_tots/toys_for_tots_program/default.aspx, accessed on 11/25/2013.

Current Donation Options • Directly

o In-person via toy drop-offs

o Online by completing form and submitting

o Mail

• Indirectly o Vehicle donation

o Donate a portion of your eBay sales

o Volunteer or host a collection site

• On behalf of others o As a gift (in the form of a donation plus an ornament, card or email in

recognition of donation)

o In memory of in honor of an individual

Source: http://www.toysfortots.org/donate/Default.aspx, accessed on 11/25/2013.

Gamification and Toys for Tots Two main purposes of adding game mechanics to

Toys for Tots:

• Bring the fun of donating toys in person to the online

experience

• Create virality to encourage others to visit the

website and spread the word about the Toys for

Tots mission

Santa needs you! Gamification Idea 1

Pick out present

Place it under Tree

Complete your

donation

Achieve Status

Thanks!

• Filter by age range, price range and category of toy

• Show “most popular” and “most wanted” to help make

decisions easier

• Allow parents to set it up so that their children have

allowances they can use to pick out presents

• Have “gift cards” that people can place under tree if they do

not have time to pick out presents

Pick out present

Place it under Tree

Complete your

donation

Achieve Status

Thanks!

Create an interface in

which the user can virtually

help Santa deliver the toy

they have selected.

Pick out present

Place it under Tree

Complete your

donation

Achieve Status

Thanks!

Level 1: Nutcracker (up to $10)

Level 2: Elf

($10 to $24)

Level 3: Reindeer ($25

to $49)

Level 4: Santa

($50 and over)

Pick out present

Place it under Tree

Complete your

donation

Achieve Status

Thanks!

Pick out present

Place it under Tree

Complete your

donation

Achieve Status

Thanks!

• The thank you should be fun; reward donors with

surprise and delight

• Based on the status achieved o Example of Elf Status: You receive a Thank You letter from a Elf

Bubbles at the North Pole. He tells you a funny story about life at

the North Pole. He designates you an Honoree Elf for a day. You

receive a special Honoree Elf badge which you can proudly

share on social media!

Allow master

and expert users

to create their

own tree where

friends and

family can place

gifts.

The Smith Family Tree

Adding a

social layer

The “Nice” List Gamification Idea 2

What is Santa’s Nice List?

Santa’s Nice List is a scrolling list of user names of individuals

that were caught doing something nice in our virtual world.

I want my name on it. What do I have to do?

Be nice!

Ideas for kids: • Play quick, easy games that teach lessons in generosity

• Decorate a virtual Christmas Ornament for the Toys for Tots online

tree

• Parents can nominate their kids to be on the nice list to reward real

world acts of kindness - like sharing a toy with their sibling

Ideas for adults: • Like Toys for Tots on Facebook or follow them on Twitter

• Purchase a virtual Christmas Ornament from the Toys for Tots Tree

• Nominate your nicest Facebook friends to be on the Nice List.

Why not just ask people to donate money or toys to make the list?

Several reasons: (1) Everyone deserves a chance to be on the Nice List, regardless of

financial means

(2) You may not have the means to donate this year, but hopefully you’ll

remember Toys for Tots next year

(3) Nice List will increase overall traffic to Toys for Tots

(4) Games are designed to help people identify themselves as giving

personality types which should in turn result in an increased likelihood

of giving

How often can I be on the Nice List?

Everyday!

Gamification Mechanics Concepts utilized in this project

Bartle Player Types • Achievers

• Socializers

Game Mechanics • Be the Hero!

• Status

• Gifting

• Recognition

• Levels/Badges