Sites for kids - is it easy to make a serious product “toy”

In the post I want to share the “best practices” of creating development sites for children. Immediately make a reservation: the word "children" I will henceforth have in mind not the geeks who beat dads in chess and read all the twelve volumes of the Children's Encyclopedia, but ordinary kids who learn to read, count, comprehend elementary logic.

We refuse adult dogma

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When creating a web site, it is tempting to create a standard set of pages: Contents, Help, Site Map - all this is necessary, but not for children, but for parents and the search server, therefore, it’s better to set links to them on the start page, where parents help children enter system, register. Maybe their parents will want to call support or send a resume. As soon as the system is logged in, that's it, the children's part of the site begins

Example
If you show the child a form with input fields and text prompts, he will think "why the game did not start, I'll go ask for dad." There are two errors in this example:

1. the child will not read messages, will not notice or does not want
2. the child will not enter much data, even if he knows what to enter

We analyze in order:
if our little user does not notice the message - there is a way out, you need to say this message. For the best effect, it is better to find a person with a pleasant voice and ask them to record several wav files. After - use sound en page.

<audio controls> <source src="privet.wav" type="audio/wav"> </audio> 

or

 var privetWav = new Audio('privet.wav'); privetWav.play(); 

So, like a trodden path - we can transmit information visually and with the help of sound. Is the form with the fields still here? It would be necessary to transfer it to the part of the site for parents.

another example
The branching site sometimes reaches an incredible size. The site is focused on the children's consumer, and the children

1. not used to using submenus, breadcrumbsm, site map
2. often unaware of what level of site they are
3. children are not so fanatically appreciate the time as adults, accelerated access, hot keys to them to anything
4. children are not independent in the educational / developmental process, if they can play or learn, they will prefer to play

Solution: we throw away the menu and other controls - and how to move from one page to another? programs / site need to be converted to a linear structure.

Conversion example

page contains menu:

• take a class
• view your grades
• play a game
• complete classes

many branches, each has its own script.

convert to linear structure:

sound message: Hi, let's start the lesson, press the button if ready
Next comes the study session
sound message: Well done, now is the time to play, press the button if ready
there is a game
sound message: Well done, you broke your record and get trophies
sound message: click on the button to start a new task, or click "Exit"

The menu was transformed into a sequence of actions, and most importantly, the games are not first, but for dessert. The program leads the educational process, it does not ask a lot of questions, does not ask to fill out forms, just sit and study.

Making the user interface "toy".

Button press.

It should be tangible, if it is not so important for someone whether the button is highlighted when the mouse is over, and whether it is important to transfer the amount from the account to the account after pressing - then it’s important for children that this button is not only highlighted when pointing but also making a sound when pressed, it gives the baby to understand that he has hit the button.

the effect of "something will be now."

When the game starts - you can not start it immediately, in the real world, little is happening instantly. Therefore, it is necessary to warn: “start, attention, march” or “3 2 1” or at least a little longer show the progress of the download (preloader)

reward

For the work done you need to give a reward. Otherwise, the positive motivation disappears, only the negative one “if you don’t do the task, you don’t get the candy”
As prizes, there may be virtual “trophies” or pseudo-money, for which later you can buy, for example, new antennas for a virtual robot.

Characters

Characters play an important role in perception. Beasts are a win-win option for both boys and girls. However, users should not be divided into boys and girls, there are girls who are interested in robotics.

Of course, for the children's site you need an artist.

Buttons, input fields - large, with highlighted focus. Driven letters and numbers are also large, so that the user can easily hit the mouse.

Instead of completion

Not such a simple thing - to make a simple children's site. Homework - think, and how would look like a children's social network.