GEOlino, the German science magazine for children, invented a melting board game in order to bring to life the effects of climate change. The game has been presented at schools as part of an educational series of lectures, and GEOlino has also made samples of the board game for parents to play with their children at home.

GEOlino's brand promise is that 'knowledge is fun' and that is certainly brought to life with this effort. The magazine doesn't pretend that its game will end global warming, but it does help players learn about the issue in a fun way. The brand has made global warming something that children can do more than just read about, as the game helps them imagine the real plight of the polar bears and their shrinking ice floes.

The MELTDOWN game, developed with agency Kolle Rebbe, Hamburg, requires players to lead a polar bear family to safety before the ice melts. To play the game users must fill the special sponge ice cube tray with water and then freeze it. The ice cubes formed then represent the Arctic's ice floes in the game. Children have to follow the instructions on the die and save the polar bears before the ice melts. Players are encouraged to play the game with, rather than against, each other, because 'climate change can only be stopped if everyone takes part'.

GEOlino has received such positive reactions to the game that the magazine and Kolle Rebbe are in the midst of negotiations with an industrial producer to make MELTDOWN commercially available. The magazine is also looking into creating an English version, to fulfil requests from people in countries from across the world eager to play it.

GEOlino writes about science and nature, so it in the magazine's best interest to help its readership feel passionately about these topics, and translating them into an educational game (particularly such an innovative one) could well do that.