Pok Pok Wins An App Store Award!
How does it feel to win the “Oscars” of app awards?
Pok Pok has won an App Store Award and we are absolutely beaming with pride and gratitude for receiving an accolade of this magnitude. Of course, it’s not just the prestige of the award itself that we’re celebrating, but the affirmation of the positive impact Pok Pok has had on families everywhere.
We’ve said this before, but this would really not be possible without our community who have been co-creating Pok Pok with us along the way. Pok Pok strays from the norm in many ways and we’re thankful that we’ve been given the trust to bring families from around the globe into our little world.
As if this wasn’t enough, we’re so grateful for Apple’s support throughout our journey so far. It’s a true testament to their dedication and love for innovation.
Pok Pok Was The App We Needed
When we got the idea for Pok Pok for our own toddlers, we had a strong feeling that other parents could also be looking for the same type of app. One that was free of distractions and harmful tactics that did nothing to benefit the children and only served the app company. Pok Pok co-founder Mathijs has said,
“We actually set out with the idea that Pok Pok was a need to begin with, we felt that parents would want this new way of play because we needed it ourselves. The hurdle was reminding people that this app they’ve never heard of is the thing their families’ heart desired.”
As momentum built after launch and the feedback poured in from families, it gave us confirmation that Pok Pok was desired and that we were on the right track. What’s more, it even began to teach us more about ourselves. As we learned more about neurodiversity and high sensitivity for example, Mathijs realized how his own high sensitivity allowed him to guide Pok Pok’s features so instinctively.
Unconventional Design
To achieve a gentler form of digital play, we had to lean on our intuition and design background about the kind of media we’d create. Pok Pok’s minimal design and features are also a result of us keeping constraints for our creativity. Our co-founder Esther explains:
“Pok Pok’s art style is deceptively complicated. It might seem simple enough, with its basic colour palette and childlike drawings, but we intentionally set rules and boundaries for ourselves to actually keep it simple. Needing to work within those constraints pushes us to look for unconventional, creative solutions, and I’m glad our team has really taken all of these guidelines to heart to make Pok Pok into what it is today.”
We love going into the app and seeing each team member’s mark on all of our toys — it’s truly a group effort. This is also why it makes our day when parents and kids fall in love with the little details!
The Future is Bright
We may have started as a few parents with an idea but now, we’re a growing team on a mission. Pok Pok gets stronger with each new person we bring on and we can’t wait to see how the app and our company evolve in the years to come.
As our kids continue to grow, some parents have even asked if we plan to make anything beyond the 2-7 age range. At the moment, we are focused on continually bringing new toys to Pok Pok, but perhaps the words of our co-founder Melissa can give an inkling of what to look out for down the road.
“We are working hard to re-define what screen time for kids looks like, so I’m really excited for our team to continue innovating and find new ways to spark learning with technology in a healthy way. We have so many ideas that we can’t wait to build for kids and families. I’m looking forward to expanding our portfolio of toys and digital experiences over the coming months and years!”
This won’t be the last time you hear it from us but we are so touched and grateful to be honored with an App Store Award. We already feel so motivated each day by the little smiles of our players, and this recognition has only supercharged that. We plan to keep expanding Pok Pok in the years ahead so we hope you’ll take the journey with us! Join us on Instagram and TikTok to catch many more milestones and the special moments in between.
We’ve been so inspired by the unique approach of each child who plays with our toys and can’t wait to hear what families like yours think of this one. Receiving your feedback, videos and ideas for new updates is so important for the growth of Pok Pok so please say hello at hello@playpokpok.com or on social media @playpokpok.
