It’s becoming (a very disturbing) trend.
People don’t like paying for high-quality, educational apps for young children. The next time you consider downloading a free app rather than paying for the app, think about the material you’re offering to your children and the effects it may have on their development.
What does it take to make a high-quality, educational app that is good for your child and will be classified as “Healthy Technology”?
- Excellent developers (not free)
- Educational specialists (not free either)
- Graphic and sound experts (sadly, not free)
- Sufficient user testing and bug fixes (also not free)
- Age appropriate and intuitive designs (nope, not free)
- Translated into your child’s mother-tongue (not free either)
- A sustainable business model to generate cool future apps (not possible with no income)
- A ban on adverts and in-app purchases for your little people (a necessity if apps are free)
Remember all screen-time is not equal, healthy technology can teach young children new skills and give parents valuable peace of mind knowing that their children are being exposed to high quality, educational material.
(Also, not all apps are the same, apps offering a service to adults, for instance, can be free as they have different objectives and can generate income via your credit card. Eg apps where you order meals or rides.)
We’re talking here about apps for kids that are like traditional toys and books, paid for and used to stimulate, educate and entertain kids. Again, parents chose to pay for high quality toys and books, as the cheaper versions have been proven to last, at most, a few days before they break.
So, think about it the next time you download an app for your child and prioritize the quality of the material and the effect it may have on your child’s development the same way you would for a good book, a good toy or a good meal.
By Sibella Knott-Craig, founder Tribage App Studio
