A preschool app with educational games

NickJr. Leap

Internal product, acquired by Nickelodeon

From 2013 to 2014

NickJr. Leap: From Internal MVP to Award-Winning Preschool App

Summary

In the process of developing our preschool app Jolly Town as an internal MVP, we received an RFP from Nickelodeon that aligned perfectly with our concept. Recognizing the opportunity, we pivoted Jolly Town to meet Nickelodeon’s needs, evolving it into NickJr. Leap.

Nickelodeon, with its robust brand presence, TV channel, and digital platform, was the ideal partner. The app launched with three game worlds and was so well-received that two additional worlds were commissioned, earning industry recognition and awards for its quality and engagement.

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The Journey

In 2013, while searching the Apple App Store for an educational game for my 4-year-old daughter, I was struck by the poor quality of the available preschool learning apps. Despite their low quality, many of these apps were among the App Store’s top-grossing titles. This indicated a high demand for better educational games in the preschool market, especially as device accessibility increased and parents looked for more purposeful gameplay experiences for their children.

Armed with this research and insight, I pitched the vision for Jolly Town to the team. Our goal was to create a vibrant, engaging town where children could help shopkeepers with mini-games based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standard.

While Jolly Town was in development, we received a brief from Nickelodeon for a preschool app with a very similar vision. Given Nickelodeon’s audience reach and resources, we decided to pivot our internal MVP and collaborate with them, transforming Jolly Town into NickJr. Leap. The result was an app that everyone was immensely proud of, featuring beautiful game worlds designed to captivate and educate preschoolers.

Goals & Outcomes

Our primary goal was to create an educational game that offered both visual delight and substantial learning benefits for preschoolers. By partnering with a local school, we ensured that the games aligned with EYFS learning objectives and conducted thorough user testing with young children.

The app’s initial three game worlds were so successful that Nickelodeon commissioned two additional worlds, further expanding the learning experience. Analytics showed strong user engagement, with children actively playing and progressing through the games, meeting both educational and entertainment goals.

My Roles

As the Product Lead, I was responsible for the initial vision, research, and strategic direction for the Jolly Town MVP, which laid the foundation for NickJr. Leap. I oversaw the partnership with Nickelodeon, managed internal execution, and played a hands-on role in the learning design of the game’s math and language components.

To ensure the educational integrity of the app, I worked closely with a local school, collaborating with their staff to integrate their feedback into the game’s development. I also facilitated user testing sessions where we observed children interacting with the app, using their feedback to refine the games and improve the overall experience.

Managing multiple stakeholders—both internally and with Nickelodeon—was key to the success of the project. Thankfully, everyone involved shared a common goal, and we respected each other’s contributions, which made the process highly collaborative and rewarding.

Vision & Strategy

90%

Wireframes

90%

User Stories & Specifications

90%

Execution

90%

Pillars & Opportunities

During the early stages of NickJr. Leap, I identified three core pillars for the product:

Engaging Visuals and Gameplay: We focused on creating captivating visuals and interactive gameplay that would appeal to preschoolers while keeping them engaged in learning.
Educational Value: Aligning the game design with EYFS standards ensured that the app provided real educational benefits, not just entertainment.
User-Centric Design: Regular user testing and feedback loops allowed us to refine the experience, making sure it was intuitive and enjoyable for both children and parents.

These pillars drove further research, feature development, and ongoing testing, creating a foundation that allowed NickJr. Leap to become an award-winning product that resonated with both its audience and stakeholders.