Context:
Recognizing the significance of a father’s role in parenting goes beyond traditional gender norms, fostering a more enriched and balanced family dynamic. However, historically, male engagement in parenting has been limited in India due to cultural norms and gender roles. To address this, it is crucial to identify the specific challenges and motivations that men encounter and develop interventions that resonate with them.

Purpose:
The ‘Male Engagement Game’ is an interactive and engaging digital tool designed to encourage fathers to actively participate in parenting. Played between two teams of approximately 8-10 fathers each, the game is a digitized version of Ludo-cum-Monopoly, where players start with equal virtual money. Scenarios linked to key parenting behaviours are encountered across the board, with some leading to a gain or loss of money based on whether the behaviour is followed or not. The game aims to foster mental accounting, highlighting the importance of adopting key parenting behaviours for a healthy and successful child. Through this immersive experience, fathers learn about essential practices like timely immunization and handwashing with soap, empowering them to positively contribute to their child’s growth and development.

Target Groups:
Fathers of 0-2-year-old children, other male members of the family

Key Messages:
A father’s role extends beyond financial support; it should include active caregiving and spending quality time with their children. Through such engagement, fathers can leave a lasting impact on their well-being and contribute significantly to their future success.

Duration: 
40-45 mins

Required Resources:
Tablet with Male Engagement Game, physical game currency (optional), reward for winner (optional)

How to Use:
Step 1: Choose a pawn to represent your aspirations for your child’s success.

Step 2: Select 2 Veto Cards from 5 options (Immunization, Soap, Nutrition, Interspousal Communication, Enrichment) to avoid losing money on specific scenarios. Players can use each card only once to save themselves from a loss scenario.

Step 3: Roll the dice to start the game. Encounter gain and loss scenarios spread across the board that are linked to key parenting behaviours, accompanied by informative collaterals and films to learn about successful parenting.

Step 4: The player with the most money at the end wins, reflecting their commitment to essential parenting practices.