A COUPLE from Dunblane have created a new app for pre-school children to inspire the next generation of nature lovers.
The colourful app called Peekaboo Planet is aimed at encouraging youngsters to explore the natural world using beautiful designs, entertaining animations, calming music and, most of all, their imaginations.
The game, which is available for free on the App Store, is the brainchild of award-winning animation director and illustrator Selina Wagner and her husband Jason, who is founder of Ping, a digital agency based in Dunblane.
They have also enlisted the help of their friend JP Berrie, who is their developer, composer and musician.
The inspiration behind Peekaboo Planet was their two-year-old son Sebastian because they were struggling to find something suitable for him to play online.
The game involves exploring a planet brimming with creatures that are waiting to be found, including a hedgehog rolled up under autumn leaves, an octopus hiding inside a bottle and an owl trying to sleep on a fence post.
Selina, 35, said: “After having a child of our own, we trawled through the app store trying to find engaging and easy-to-use games that weren’t overloaded with adverts for our toddler to play. Needless to say, it wasn’t very fruitful, so we decided to create our own.”
The concept came to Selina when she volunteered with the RSPB as a wildlife education assistant.
Her role involved inspiring children and families to go outside to see what wildlife they could find and then learn all about it.
Jason, 39, said they feel strongly about reconnecting children with the outdoors and see their app as an early step to gaining an interest in the environment.
He added: “Our aim is to create many other planets incorporating different environments and ecosystems, including African plains, Amazon jungle and coral reefs. The possibilities are endless.
“As a result we have a created what we believe is a beautiful, engaging and fun game and we hope that families and children all over the world will agree.”
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