The Sort, Build, Play, Model

How It Works

Our MagiKids program is designed to provide kids with an accessible and easy way to engage with the game. We ship unsorted cards, getting started resources, and magic accessories like sleeves and deckboxes to teachers and mentors across the US. They can then use those cards and resources to teach kids Magic, and allow them to play the game.

In our local programs, we use our model of Sort, Build, Play, to help them get familiarized with and learn about the cards as they’re getting started. We highly recommend that recipients of our MagiKids kits use this curriculum and adapt it to their setting.

Check out the sections below for more information on how each part of Sort, Build, Play works. We include information showing how we implement it in our local groups, which are generally middle-school aged kids, sometimes slightly younger.

Sort Build Play

SORT

The Big Idea: The first step in turning a MagiKit into decks is sorting. We’ve since found that the process of sorting into colors gives the kids a good first exposure to the cards before diving into playing. It’s also a great chance to talk about some of the concepts behind the game. What are the different colors? What themes and qualities do you see in each one? What are some of the common creature types you see in each color? For older and more advanced groups, you can talk about what the different abilities and strategies each color has as you get sorting.

Sorting gives a chance to read the cards, and start to make connections with them in many different ways. Whether it’s appreciating the card art, laughing at a card’s funny flavor text, or reading a card’s abilities, there is a lot that can be gained during the color sorting process.

How We Do It: We start each session by asking about the qualities of the various color. It allows the returning MagiKids to show off and strengthen their knowledge, and newer players can start to get a feel for what each color represents. Then we break out the box of bulk, and let get them get started sorting!

Most of the time, this leads to a lot of discussion. “Oh, look at this awesome card!” “This art is so cool!” “Oh, this would be so good in my deck!” Like any other Magic players, they talk about the cards, and start to build connections. It’s social, it’s creative, and each person connects via their area of interest.

What You Can Do: Starting with a quick conversation about the 5 colors of cards is a great way to set the tone, and get their imaginations running. Tailor it to your group- if you’re teaching younger kids or very new players, asking them “what qualities does black have” may be the limit of their knowledge. With older or more experienced kids, you might consider talking more about abilities and types of decks that are good for each color. Regardless, the goal is to give them a place to start engaging with the cards as they sort through them. You might also take this chance to explain deckbuilding (see Build section). Then, you have them grab a stack of cards, and start color sorting.

The conversations between kids during the sorting phase are a great sign of engagement. Work to build up leaders among your group, if possible. Some of the kids might have prior experience, so encouraging them to share their knowledge can be a huge boon to the group (this is especially true if you are not very skilled at Magic yourself). Supporting the different ways that kids engage with cards is important, as well. Whether they’re more impressed with the abilities of a card or the artwork, share in their excitement. It all builds your group and their interest in Magic!

Now that you’ve sorted, you’re ready to build.

BUILD

The Big Idea: The next logical step is building. For first time deckbuilders, we provide the kids with the minimum needed instruction (X lands, X creatures per deck, etc) and let them get started building. They should start with only one or two colors for their first deck. Their first deck will probably consist of cards that were picked pretty randomly, but that’s ok. Most of the learning takes place after they build their first, as they make improvements, and build additional decks.

Building their decks, as opposed to starting with pre-build decks, also gives them a sense of ownership and control. That’s why we suggest allowing kids to keep the decks they build. Especially for kids in under-served communities, the actual ownership of cards can mean a lot- and it means that they’ll continue to play and learn through the game outside of your MagiKids group.

How We Do It: Either while talking about the sort process, or once the kids start to finish sorting, we ask kids questions about the build process. “How many cards for a deck?”, “How many lands?”, etc. The experienced kids respond and reinforce their knowledge, while the newer kids are given the basic knowledge. Mentors and experienced kids help out first-time deckbuilders, and we also give them some reference sheets, to help them build their deck.

More experienced deckbuilders start to ask more questions about strategy, good card combinations, and really get enthusiastic about their latest idea. We try to encourage these kids, both in their own interest, and in helping their peers learn.

What You Can Do: Begin by explaining the basic guidelines of deckbuilding. Again, be careful about going into too much detail- if they want more guidance, they’ll ask! Otherwise, just encouraging them to get the deck built is the most important thing at this point. Give them the deckbuilding resources we’ll provide you for an easy reference. Then, just answer questions and make sure they’re doing alright as they assemble their deck!

After they’ve built their first deck or two and played with them a few times, you’ll start to field more questions and they’ll begin to get an idea for what they want in a deck. At this point, talking a bit about better deckbuilding strategy might be appropriate for your group. Encourage your players to ask questions as needed, and try and help them along in their journey. Not every person will want to build the very best deck- work with them as individuals to meet their goals with Magic.

Now that you’ve sorted, you’re ready to play.

PLAY

The Big Idea: As far as the kids are concerned, play is the end goal of the process. Of course, we know they’re benefiting from the sort and build stages, but without play at the end, we’d have a rough time convincing any kids to take part.

That doesn’t mean that the play stage isn’t a great place for learning and growth, however. Playing Magic gives kids hands on learning, requiring them to use critical thinking to decide on the best course of play, and math and logic skills to determine how combat will end. It provides them with instant feedback on the decisions they made as they built their deck. It also gives them a good opportunity for face to face social interaction with their peers, increasingly valuable in this digital age.

How We Do It: We allow kids to form into pods as they finish building their decks (or right away if they already have a deck for that day). Often, some of the kids will want one of the the teachers to play with them- if we feel comfortable managing the group of kids while playing a game, we may join in, but this is usually dependent on the size of the group, and how much support we have (other MagiKids teachers, as well as parents, non-MagiKids staff, etc).

We generally offer advice freely as the kids are playing, but otherwise just let them play. After their games finish, we tend to chat with individual kids about how their game went- it lets us touch base with them on what went well and what didn’t, and talk about what they can work on to improve next time.

What You Can Do: As kids start playing, keep an eye on the room. If any rules disputes come up, you want to be able to deal with them quickly, before they have any opportunity to escalate. Your presence can also lead to more questions from the kids, rather than them remaining quiet and uncertain about how it all works.

You want to give advice freely, but you also want to avoid coddling a player to the point that they always rely on you. As the personalities and skill levels of kids vary widely, we can’t give a blanket advice that will work for all, or even most of your MagiKids group. Use your best judgement, and err on the side of giving too much help when asked for it.

Whether individually or as a group, make sure to try and debrief the kids after their games. They know what went well and what didn’t- it’s your job to frame that so that they focus on improvement. Note that improvement doesn’t necessarily mean playing better- it can, but it can also mean handling loss more gracefully, or finding a play style that’s more enjoyable for them.

Ready to run your own MagiKids group? Fill out a MagiKids Program Application to get started!

The Sort, Build, Play, Model

How It Works

SORT

BUILD

PLAY

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