My design studio project in third year.  Close ups of backgrounds here, product mockups here.

context // Moving house can be hard, especially for kids. Moving to a new city or town is even harder – they have to leave their old friends, school, and home behind, and start a new life somewhere they may be completely unfamiliar with. Parents will often be too busy organising the move to be fully aware of the effect it has on their kids. Leaving behind a home they’ve lived in all their life is a massive change, and it can heighten feelings of loss, helplessess, and fear of the unknown, which create stresses in key developmental stages of a child’s life. This has been shown to affect their wellbeing even well into adulthood (Lin 469). Therefore, it’s extremely important to make the moving experience a positive one!
objectives: >Engage kids in the moving process so they don’t feel so confused or like they have a lack of control >Reassure them that their feelings about leaving the old place are normal >Get them excited about all the new opportunities and experiences in the new place >To explore and get familiar with the new home and city, and find out what they like about it >To stay in contact with old friends and make new ones >Make moving an overall positive experience // An activity book and game which help kids through all the stresses of moving to a new city through fun, interactive activities and scavenger hunts, set in a fantasy world which will excite and entertain kids. Sprites is designed to start before the move, as something light and positive showing all the things to look foward to. Then once they’ve moved the forest in the app starts out dark, with tall trees, and as they explore it gets lighter and fills with flora. Like the new unfamiliar city, the forest the Sprites find themselves in is mysterious, and has lots of places to explore. Sprites encourages kids to reflect on their emotions, try new experiences and actively explore their new city, while staying connected with old friends and making new ones. 01 ads: Advertisements on websites for moving companies, real estate agents, or other places parents might browse when they’re preparing to move. Companies partnered with the product may also advertise it physically, or over the phone. 02 website: Informs parents about the products, which they can show their kids to see if they’re interested. Can order the book, app, and toy. 03 book: An activity book to record their thoughts, feelings and memories before they leave, which will excite them and engage them in the moving process. 04 app: Beginning on moving day, the app is a fun, interactive game which encourages kids to explore their new surroundings, and emphasises all the positives about being in a new city. 05 toy: A small 3D printed toy of the character that they customise in the app, and send to the website for their parents to order. website: Banners/digital posters on websites for moving companies, real estate agents—anywhere parents might browse when they’re preparing to move—link to the simple website with information about the products which is: >Informative for parents >Something to show the kids to see if they’re interested >A place to order the book, download the app, and order the toys // >Responsive layout for mobile >Simple order page where it can be ordered as a package or separately, with an option to preorder the toy or enter the code from the app to redeem it memory book: A scrapbook-like activity book in which the kids can write in, stick in photos or draw their memories from their old home, and get engaged in the moving process. Encourages kids to write & draw their feelings about moving, through a variety of activities Easily customisable to their own experiences There are three main sections: (each with 5-10 spreads and activities) Memories; where they record memories from their old home and city, as a keepsake of their life, while reassuring them that they’re not leaving it behind entirely. Friendship; where they can write all their friends’ contact details, with tear-out cards to write their new contact details and give to their friends— so it’s easy for them to stay connected with their friends. The Move; which engages them in the moving process by getting them to think about what they’re packing, the route they’ll take, and research the new city, to find out all the exciting things they’ll be able to do when they get there. game app A simple platformer game in which they explore a magical forest alongside a Sprite character that they customise to make their own. The goal is to complete tasks and challenges which relate to their moving experience and new home, and everything that might involve. INCLUDES: Recording their thoughts and feelings about moving and their new home— through words, drawings and photos Completing scavenger hunts which get them outside, exploring their home, neighbourhood, school and branching out into the wider city (if parents allow) Prompts to stay connected with old friends, and how to make new friends— with minigames and activities that require someone else to play with them // The kids explore the forest, guided by the sprite which gives them hints and instructions. Glowing objects indicate a task to complete. The kids explore the forest, guided by the sprite which gives them hints and instructions. Glowing objects indicate a task to complete. Activities include scavenger hunts, which encourage them to explore their surroundings and become more familiar with their new home. All tasks and challenges, once they’ve been ‘found’, are saved in their ‘home’ so they can be found and completed any time. // The map shows where your sprite currently is, has save points so they can instantly go to certain areas, and shows how many more activities they have to complete to unlock the next area. As some activities may not be possible for them to complete—if they don’t have a backyard, or have already unpacked before getting the app—only a certain percentage of them must be completed to unlock new areas. When they meet someone, or make a new friend, they can add them to the ‘new friends’ section - this will start with some other sprites characters-in game to help them practice introducing themselves and making new friends. sprite toy A small 3d printed toy of their character they customised in the app. This can be ordered via the website (by entering a code from the app) and will be a fun reminder of the game to keep!