Shortlisted as ‘Young Ideas’

What if you could raise a planet like a pet? Galactic Garage is a playful planet simulator designed to help children aged 7–10 explore the effects of their actions on the environment. When a tiny planet crashes into their garage, children are invited to take care of it as it grows from baby to full-grown adult, responding to every choice they make.

Built through co-creation with students at the International School of Billund, the design combines curiosity and care in a hands-on learning experience. Children clean oil spills with a bar of soap, cool down rising temperatures, or simply spin the planet for fun – though too much spinning might make it dizzy. With every interaction, they discover the balance between intervention and harmony.

Galactic Garage uses tangible metaphors and familiar tools to translate complex climate concepts into intuitive, embodied learning. The result is a digital-physical space where play becomes a way to foster empathy, agency, and long-term environmental responsibility.