Fowler, AllanRuka, TanyaBai, MiaDodd, MichaelaHarvey, Mark2026-05-142026-05-142025-08-29Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2025: 24th IFIP TC 14 International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, August 27–30, 2025, Proceedings Pages 575 - 578http://hdl.handle.net/10292/21068Inspiring children to appreciate and safeguard endemic species is crucial. Embodied learning experiences enhance their connection with nature, increasing empathy and environmental awareness. However, urban sprawl has reduced opportunities for meaningful engagement with natural environments. Kaimanaki o te Ngahere: Guardians of the Forest is a narrative-driven educational game designed to reconnect children aged five-to-eight with Aotearoa’s native ecosystems. The game introduces Mori concepts of kaitiakitanga, mramatanga, and whanaungatanga to encourage reciprocal care between players and the forest. It aims to raise awareness of Myrtle Rust affecting native trees like phutukawa, mnuka, knuka, rt, and ramarama. Recognising that traditional environmental education may not resonate with young learners, we use prkau (storytelling) to frame the gameplay experience. Prakau fosters deep relational learning, shaping the player’s journey as they navigate environmental challenges through interactive storytelling. Future development will introduce Augmented Reality (AR) to connect digital storytelling with real-world conservation efforts, deepening ecological learning.This is the Author's Accepted Manuscript of a conference paper presented at the International Conference on Entertainment Computing in Tokyo, August 27-30, 2025. The published version can be found at doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-02555-5_4746 Information and Computing SciencesPediatric15 Life on LandArtificial Intelligence & Image Processing46 Information and computing sciencesConference ContributionOpenAccess10.1007/978-3-032-02555-5_47