Introduction
For the UBC MDIA 290: Collaborative Methods course, we were given 12 weeks to collaboratively ideate, design, and build a media object that addressed a real-world problem. The project followed a structured timeline that guided us through stages of research, prototyping, testing, and final presentation.
At the beginning of the project, our group members shared a collective interest in storytelling, 3D modelling, and UI/UX design. We were curious about how to blend traditional storybooks with modern media tools and design something that combined entertainment with cultural and educational value:
Designing an educational toy and app for children that connects physical toys with interactive storybooks, encouraging cultural learning and imaginative play.
2. Problem & Key Question
Children today are spending more time on screens than ever, yet much of the digital content they consume lacks meaningful cultural representation, educational value, or interactive depth. Parents, especially those from diverse backgrounds, struggle to find media that supports their child’s identity, curiosity, and learning—without relying on overstimulating or passive entertainment.
How might we create an engaging, culturally inclusive storytelling experience for children that encourages playful learning, supports identity development, and offers peace of mind for parents?
Research Summary
By 2 years old, 4 in 10 children have their own tablet (40%), and by 4 years old, more than half of children (58%) do (Common Sense Media).
There is a phenomenon currently known as “iPad kids,” which refers specifically to children in Generation Alpha who are heavily reliant on technological stimulation (Nelson).
Foster Cultural Awareness
Introduce children to underrepresented global folktales, traditions, and values through inclusive storytelling and design.
Promote Healthy Media Habits
Create an engaging digital experience that adapt technology-dependent generations to traditional play through interactive, story-based learning over passive screen consumption.
Flex
Leverage each team member’s strengths in design, illustration, writing, and prototyping to develop age-appropriate, accessible content that resonates with children from diverse backgrounds and supports early identity development.
User Insights
Interactive Play
Combining tactile interaction and traditional play + storytime with digital engagement that is trustworthy and can hold attention without overstimulation.
Cultural Exposure
Media that reflect diverse cultural backgrounds, especially underrepresented ones, to support identity, inclusion, and learning.
Ease and Peace of Mind
A platform that’s safe, fun, and easy to manage, so care givers can feel confident about their children's playtime experience.
Solution
Folktale Friends is a hybrid toy-and-app experience that combines tactile play with interactive digital storytelling. Each animal figurine includes a scannable QR code linking to an illustrated folktale, complete with narration, cultural elements (foods, clothing, language), and mini-games like memory challenges and quizzes. By blending global stories with playful learning, the app fosters cultural awareness and active engagement in young children.
Process
I first conducted a competitor analysis to understand the pros and cons of current significant educational games, toys, and tools, focusing on how they facilitate both learning and gamification, and how the incorporate culture.
I noticed that many children’s products swing between overstimulation and shallow learning. Apps like Little Stories and Duolingo often lack meaningful cultural depth, and few tools are thoughtfully designed for both children and caregivers. With these insights, we set out to create a calm, story-driven experience rooted in underrepresented folktales.
Folktale Friends is designed to feel warm, playful, and intuitive for young users. Our visual direction blends modern UI with nostalgic, storybook-inspired illustrations, using:
Soft, vibrant colours to engage without overstimulating
Rounded shapes and friendly icons for approachability
Icon + text navigation to support early readers
High contrast and clear layouts for accessibility
We identified key features for Folktale Friend which were then categorized into three groups like Must have, Nice to have, Extras based on their priorities in order to deliver our product by 3 months.
After prioritizing core features with my team, I created a screen flow chart to visualize how users would navigate the app and complete key tasks. I focused on keeping the experience simple and intuitive. Once onboarding is complete, children can jump straight into stories and games without unnecessary steps or distractions that may cause confusion or sensory overload.
Wizard of Oz (WoZ) prototyping is a user testing method where core features of a product are simulated manually behind the scenes—often by a person acting as the "system." This approach allows teams to test and validate user experiences early in the design process, without requiring fully developed functionality or production-ready assets.
At this stage of the project, our team had not yet finalized visual illustrations or interactive features in Figma. To simulate the experience for our test users in the classroom:
We roleplayed the app experience with our users, guiding them through interactions as if the product were fully functional.
We used AI-generated images to act as placeholders for our final storybook illustrations.
The folktale narratives were fully written but not yet illustrated, so we paired them with the generated visuals.
We used a rough interactive prototype to mimic key moments such as scanning a toy, unlocking a story, and engaging with the app. This allowed us to gather feedback on usability, story clarity, and engagement before development.
Carabao and the Shell story early Wizard of Oz prototype containing AI-generated illustrations.
After defining the key features of the app, I moved on to the design phase, where I created low-fi wireframes with a focus on simple, straight-forward design. These wireframes allowed me to visualize how each page would incorporate essential information such as Folktale Friend and game selections and descriptions.
Once I received the finalized illustrations from our illustrators and 3D artist, I began transitioning our low-fidelity wireframes into high-fidelity screens. I also copied and pasted the fully written stories provided by our story writer, inserting them into the appropriate layouts alongside the visual assets.
Although we were only able to test with classmates weekly during class, we conducted a range of methods to gather meaningful feedback: think-aloud tests, where users verbalized their thoughts as they interacted with the app and observational testing where we watched how users navigated the interface without instruction. Our most pivotal test was our A/B test and survey, where we asked users to interact then compare and choose between different storybook formats and font styles.
Next, we asked asked classmates if they preferred the story to be told using a subtitle rectangle or for the text to be integrated into the illustration, or no preference.
User Survey Results
After this user test, we ultimately approached our storytelling with a conventional method seen in physical storybooks, as this method garnered the most appeal in engagement and cohesion. Moreover, this design decision also met the project goal of adapting traditional play such as storybooks in a more modern way. We did note that 33.3% voted for Folktale Friends’ default font, Rubik, so we kept the Rubik font for screen-pop-ups within the stories that explain mini-games and further context for the story:
We integrated low-stimulation games like memory match, counting challenges, and racing games that could align with each story’s theme and reinforce the narrative in a fun way. Each game was tested by students in-class for simplicity, clarity, and accessibility.
Encourages reflexes and aligns with fast-paced story moments (e.g., animal chases)
Supports visual recognition and short-term memory, featuring cultural elements from the story
Visuals and Branding
App Icon
Title
Primary Colours
Secondary Colours
Interactive Features
Navigation Bar
Icons include descriptive labels; high-contrast outlines for visibility.
Sign-Up Form
Young Explorer Profile Creation
Progress Badges
Rounded, bold, and minimalistic for easy recognition on iPad screens.
Selection Buttons
Typography
Stylized Font: Fredoka One
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Default Font: Rubik
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Storybook Font: Times New Roman
Storybook Font: Times New Roman
3D printed and painted Mouse Folktale Friend
Future Implementations
Create and add more stories to introduce global cultures, traditions, values, and cultural elements to inspire curiosity, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity among children
Offer stories and app language in multiple languages (e.g., Chichewa, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, Vietnamese, French, Arabic, etc.)
What I Learned
Designing for Dual Audiences 🎯
I learned the importance of balancing two user groups: children and their parents or educators. The interface needed to be playful and intuitive for kids, while also being safe, trustworthy, and easy to navigate for adults.
Letting User Testing Guide Details 🔍
User feedback shaped several design choices, especially around typography. One surprising insight was the strong preference for Times New Roman over Rubik, as users associated it with nostalgic, storybook-like reading.
Prioritizing Under Pressure ⏱️
With only three months to design and prototype, we focused on delivering core features: storytelling, accessibility, and onboarding. Stretch features were documented for future development.
Validating Through Peer Testing ✅
Although we couldn’t test with our target audience, we built and tested a high-fidelity prototype using feedback from classmates. This feedback emphasized the product’s cultural depth, tactile-digital interaction, and engaging experience.
Limited Access to Target Users 👶
We weren’t able to test with our core audience: young children and their caregivers. Due to time and ethical constraints, we tested with classmates, which limited insights into how children would engage with the app’s stories, characters, and toy interactions
Testing Environment Constraints 🧪
Without the real-world context of at-home play or co-use with a parent, we couldn’t fully evaluate how the app fits into everyday routines or learning environments.
Tight Timeline = Feature Trade-Offs ⏳
With only 12 weeks to design and build, we had to prioritize essential features and defer advanced ideas like personalization, multi-language support, or audio narration enhancements for future iterations.
Test with Real Families 👨👩👧
I would conduct usability testing directly with children aged 3–8 and their caregivers. Parent-child paired sessions would help reveal how families engage with the app together and whether it supports shared interaction as intended.
Include Children in the Design Process 🎨
I’d run participatory design activities such as allowing kids to choose characters, react to story moments, or draw their own folktale ideas—to better understand what excites them emotionally and visually.
Gather Caregiver Perspectives 📝
I’d interview caregivers and use diary studies to learn how they perceive the app’s educational value, ease of use, and appropriateness. Their feedback could offer insights into long-term use and integration into daily routines.
Deepen Insights with Contextual Research 🔍
With more time, I would move beyond preference-based surveys to explore emotional response, learning impact, and story comprehension, ensuring the product is both beautifully designed and effective for its audience.
10. Acknowledgements
A big thank you to my incredible teammates. I’m so grateful for the creativity, collaboration, and positive brought to this project. Thank you for making this process not only seamless but genuinely fun. :)
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