what an android app builder has to consider when designing apps for kids

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What an Android App Builder Has to Consider When Designing Apps for Kids Thinking of coming up with a new app for kids? Whether it's for recreation or for education, an Android App builder has to consider ease in user interface (UI) and optimal user experience (UX) first and foremost. The key to a successful app for kids is in creating and developing easy interactive tasks, according to UX Magazine . For pre-schoolers, some audio-visual enhancements may serve to entice them to interact with the app in the manner desired. For older kids, the promise of discovery of some hidden features may be enough motivation for them to explore further. When designing kiddie apps that are meant to run on touchscreen smart devices, an Android app maker would do well to remember that not all of the patterns defined in Zeldman's Touch Gesture Reference may be applicable. For instance, as observed by UX Magazine, a child holding a tablet with both hands usually has his fingers touching one of the corners. When he or she taps another part of the screen to activate an action, the app ignores the gesture since the device interprets child’s fingers holding the corner of the screen as a long tap, and does not execute the action being requested with the subsequent tap. As most kids do constantly touch the screen while holding the device, this type of unintentional gesture should be expressly considered among the UI factors in the app's design. With respect to user experience, UX Magazine notes that an app's home screen is generally not useful for children who cannot read yet and therefore do not what the presented options mean. For instance, if a child wants to restart or resume an activity, he or she will not tap on the back button but will hit the home button, causing the app to exit. Once the app exits, the child will just look for its icon on the device's screen and launch it all over again. As recommended by UX Magazine, it is best to use very few buttons, maximize the size of the target tappable areas, and create the sensation of clicking so it feels like they are clicking on physical buttons. When designing apps

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Page 1: What an android app builder has to consider when designing apps for kids

What an Android App Builder Has to Consider When Designing Apps for Kids

Thinking of coming up with a new app for kids? Whether it's for recreation or for education, an Android App builder has to consider ease in user interface (UI) and optimal user experience (UX) first and foremost. The key to a successful app for kids is in creating and developing easy interactive tasks, according to UX Magazine.

For pre-schoolers, some audio-visual enhancements may serve to entice them to interact with the app in the manner desired. For older kids, the promise of discovery of some hidden features may be enough motivation for them to explore further.

When designing kiddie apps that are meant to run on touchscreen smart devices, an Android app maker would do well to remember that not all of the patterns defined in Zeldman's Touch Gesture Reference may be applicable.

For instance, as observed by UX Magazine, a child holding a tablet with both hands usually has his fingers touching one of the corners. When he or she taps another part of the screen to activate an action, the app ignores the gesture since the device interprets child’s fingers holding the corner of the screen as a long tap, and does not execute the action being requested with the subsequent tap. As most kids do constantly touch the screen while holding the device, this type of unintentional gesture should be expressly considered among the UI factors in the app's design.

With respect to user experience, UX Magazine notes that an app's home screen is generally not useful for children who cannot read yet and therefore do not what the presented options mean. For instance, if a child wants to restart or resume an activity, he or she will not tap on the back button but will hit the home button, causing the app to exit. Once the app exits, the child will just look for its icon on the device's screen and launch it all over again. As recommended by UX Magazine, it is best to use very few buttons, maximize the size of the target tappable areas, and create the sensation of clicking so it feels like they are clicking on physical buttons. When designing apps for kids, bigger is always better.

Aside from UI and UX considerations, an Android app creator should never forget about security and privacy issues. A 2012 study by the Federal Trade Commission found that kids’ apps might collect and share personal information, let kids spend real money even if the app itself is free, as well include ads and links to social media, all possibly without the knowledge or consent of their parents. Worse, there might be no disclosure at all that the kiddie apps are doing these types of activities.

Page 2: What an android app builder has to consider when designing apps for kids

With today's modern mobile app maker online services, just about anyone can make kiddie apps for Android devices. Typically, all you have to do is select a design from a wide range of readily available templates, introduce some customization features of your own, upload your logo, add the desired functionality, say when you're ready to publish, and that's it, you're done.