The proliferation of Smartphone’s and tablets has provided an exposure of the new technology to our current generation of Kids. Therefore, these devices have become a great source of learning for them. As a result, apps that target kids are being developed, uploaded and downloaded at a great number. However, developing such apps is a complex process and it consists of a number of stages, planning and execution.
The reason being, as a developer you have to take care of a number of factors including the reaction of children, their learning possibility during building an app for kids.
The following in-depth study provides mobile app developers with some easy tips to imbibe for building the best apps for kids. </ br>
Know Your Audience
This is of the vital aspects which should have been taken care of before building an app for kids. This is a fact that over 50 percent of the kids that have access to a mobile phone are acquainted with downloading these apps and their functionality. What attracts the attention of the kids as well the concerned heads of their parents are games, stories, funny videos and the stuff which entertains them.
As far as the parents are concerned, more usually they show their preference in downloading problem-solving, educational and creative apps as such apps are centralized on the development of a peculiar skill-set. Those parents who understand the value of teaching through technology, especially apps know pretty well that their children will develop a constructive thought-process through such exercises.
To build apps that allure the kids, it is advisable to develop mobile apps as per the wishes of their parents. By adopting such a method, you can reach a much wider audience. However, in this case you need to think of developing engaging and entertaining apps, which have some educative significance in some way.
Create Your App UI
For designing a fascinating app UI, you must take care of the following points:
- Splash Screen is something where you need to pay a great deal of attention as this is the most vital part of any design because it makes a huge impression to the targeted audience as soon as they come across. To have the initial impact, you must keep the splash screen eye-catching, bright and colorful. Most significantly, you have to ensure that this screen does not last more than 10 seconds. Else your targeted audience, kids, will lose interest in it. If the loading time is a compulsion then you must try to engage your audience using some other tactics which can include some kind of music, animation, etc to keep them interested.
- This is a fact that an elaborated home screen does not really make an impact on kids lower than the age of 4 years. As we all know that children below this age group are not usually acquainted with reading and writing. Also, they have little interest in distinct menu alternatives provided to the home screen. In this case, you have to make your home screen much elementary. Therefore, children who use your app only have to tap on it once to run it. Definitely, some home screen options can be used if the age of your targeted audience goes slightly up. However, you have to ensure that the alternatives you are placing here should be easy to comprehend and follow.
- Next follows the setting option, which is of equal significance. Clogging the view with a number of setting and its features can distract the attention of kids and this may eventually lead to losing your targeted audience. In case you have a wide range of various settings, fix them all such a way if a kid accidentally touches it, it will not hugely impact the general feel of your app. It is worth taking note that kids usually go clumsy when it comes to handling mobile devices. A sizable device like tablets has more threat from children. Apart from this, settings are usually used by parents; therefore, you can probably design a different app settings panel for this, thus, it does not affect kids at all.
Try to Communicate with Kids
Interaction with the targeted audience is of vital importance too; therefore, you should make your app interact with Kids. About children, it will not be exaggerating if said that they get attracted towards an object that looks larger than life. This is the reason; you must design your app in a way that everything looks different than the screen.
Along with impactful audio-visual elements placed correctly in the app, you can introduce a secret element of surprise, so that kids are intrigued by it and will get thrilled when he or she comes across this small secret.
Run a Reward Feature
Kids love it when they are appreciated. They respond to praise positively and it is extremely good for their self-esteem too. Therefore, you must build an app that is challenging as well as rewarding so that the child is kept happy while using the app and return to the app to explore more.
Simply clapping with a smiley face for their efforts can do wonders as it encourages kids and keeps them happy. What checks them from losing interest and straying away to another app is a good challenge.
This is a fact that children of various age groups love challenges. On the other hand, children under the age of 4 years give up after trying a little against the tasks that are beyond their reach. Children that fall between the age of 4 and 6 usually enjoy something challenging, but those who are older than the age of 6 will take part in the game only to get their goal before their competitors-the competing factor will be displayed in such a scenario.
Conclusion
Remember, children are gifted with an innate sense of wonder and curiosity. You must look for ways by which these characteristics are further nurtured. Considering the aforementioned steps, it is no more difficult to build an app for kids. Make a note that the design part should be built in a way that it should prove to be educative as well as entertaining.
