Misión Korex: A Gamified System to Promote Physical Activity in Childhood Contexts

Abstract

Childhood obesity and physical inactivity represent critical public health challenges in Chile. More than half of primary school students present excess weight, with a significant proportion classified as obese, while only 16.5% of children aged 5–17 are considered physically active and 48.4% are classified as inactive. Despite policy frameworks that mandate increased daily physical activity in schools, most institutions lack practical tools to implement these requirements within existing routines, generating a persistent gap between formal expectations and everyday practice. This paper presents Misión Korex, a gamified system that promotes physical activity among early primary school students (ages 6–8) by integrating wearable technology, immersive narrative, and collaborative game dynamics into everyday contexts. The system operates through three interdependent components: a movement-tracking wearable, a school-based data station, and a collective narrative in which students generate energy through physical activity to achieve shared goals. By embedding movement into existing daily moments—such as transitions, break times, and commuting—the system reduces implementation barriers without requiring substantial infrastructure investments or curriculum modifications, enabling scalable adoption in diverse school contexts. Developed through a design-led research approach, Misión Korex has evolved through iterative prototyping, co-design with interdisciplinary experts, and preparation for a real-world validation pilot in a public school setting. The system is designed to foster intrinsic motivation, collective engagement, and sustained participation, while generating objective data on physical activity patterns that can inform decision-making at both school and system levels. This study contributes to the field of Game-Based Learning by extending its application beyond academic learning into the domain of health and wellbeing. It presents a scalable and context-sensitive approach to embedding physical activity into children’s everyday environments, while supporting the development of evidence-based strategies for long-term behaviour change.