Project Idea

Kids Storytime: Read, Record & Replay

Overview:

Introducing... Kids Storytime: Read, Record & Replay.
This is a smartphone app, designed for online children’s story book reading, targeted at parents with young children. Similar to an audio book, BUT with the personalisation of the parents being able to record their voice reading the story and also having the story book illustrations for the children to enjoy.
The app will allow parents to record their voice reading their favourite stories to their children. Children will be able to interactively learn to read their favourite story books, whilst listening to their parents recorded voice.

(Anon., n.d.) Online story book reading helps parent to connect with their kids and develop strong relationship. Through the voice recording option, both parents will be able to record story with their voice and kids can listen to their voice even when they are not around. It is a great way to start early literacy skills and have lots of fun at the same time. Storytelling is an effective way to enhance the language of children, including vocabulary, grammar, and narrative skills (Isbell, 2004).

Motivation:

My motivation for this idea has been driven by the personalised experience that the children will gain, by hearing a familiar voice and not a system generated robotic voice telling the story. The children will hear the tone, pitch, accent and mannerism that they are used to hearing from their parents reading the story aloud with book in hand. The apps is designed to help parents.

This app would be useful for parents and young children, as parents will have the ability to personalise and connect with their children, whilst the child is accessing the app and listen/reading their favourite online story book. This app development would allow parents to read their children’s favourite story on demand for the child. In some cases, parents will not have to read the same book over and over again, as the children will be able to hear the parents voice reading the story, simple by accessing the app, where the parents have pre recorded their voice telling the story. This will free up some time for some parents, and effectively provide some form of comfort to the child who needs their parents to read a book on demand.

Description:

What sets us apart from our competitors offering a similar product is that we offer a unique experience to our end consumer. Our Kids Story Time: Read, Record & Reply smartphone app, is in a class of its own, a step above its competitors. Why? How? I hear you ask. Well, not only can parents or the children’s favourite Aunty, Uncle or Grandparent also record their voice reading a story book, but we also offer identification and recognition of images e.g. pictures of animals can be formatted to play the animal noises, should the child touch the image, teaching children what animal makes what noise.
We also have accessibility options for the sight and visually impaired including a range of text size options, colour contrasting options, alternative image text to describe images.
What really sets us apart from competitors is our personalisation and the fact that parents have ultimate control over what the child can hear, see and learn.
After researching and analysing other similar smartphone apps on the market, we are the one and only that offers a unique rewards sticker chart system. Each time a child successfully completes a level and a new story book, they are rewarded with a new sticker. This is to promote and encourage development of children’s literacy, language and learning skills. What child doesn’t love getting a sticker?
Once a child has progressed through all levels and received all the sticker rewards, they will then be able to access and unlock a secret feature. An innovative feature that we are including in this app, is the option for a family member and the child to collaborate and create their own storybook. Each child would start with a blank canvas and with the assistance of a family member, they will be able to help the child create a meaningful story plot, and create beautiful illustrations personally designed by the child. Families will then have the option to save and download a copy of their very own self -created story book, a very special keepsake memory.
This is a very innovative and feasible smartphone app, its planned/created for the sole purpose of entertainment and family fun.

Each member of the family will be able to customise their profile, complete with the option to upload their profile picture, and a choice of what story books they want to record their voice to.

Personalised content for an immersive experience – parents can pre record their voice telling the story just how they would if they were sitting with their child with book in hand.

A story book can have the option to be read by many e.g., the child could select that they want Mums recording, or Dads recording, or Aunties recording of the story being told.

Interactive engagement – as the child grows and learns, the child can turn the digital pages, the child can trace their finger over the words to hear the word being read aloud.

The app would display the visual illustrations of the book, just as if it were a hardcopy of the story book.

The app would contain 3 different levels:
1. The child would have the story book automatically read start to finish by the parent (child would just listen)
2. The child would need to turn the digital pages over, for the story to proceed/following along with the story
3. The child would trace their finger over the words to hear and learn to read the story book.

1000’s of story books available to download for a small monthly fee

Free month trial when you sign up for a 6-month subscription

Recordings can be downloaded and saved, great keepsake for children.

Makes learning experiences fun, interactive and personalised for children

Compatible for both Android and OS.

Tools and Technologies:

Software

XCode is a free platform to create applications for Apple devices. (John786, 2012) It provides developers a unified workflow for user interface design, coding, testing, and debugging. It is integrated with Cocoa Touch and Cocoa frameworks which provide productivity platforms. (McClarty, 2020)IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a modern age software application which helps developers to create secure, scalable and feature packed mobile apps in less time. (Anon., n.d.)XCode IDE features the proper tools for communicating with the developer website of Apple which enables developers to activate apple service and make it available in Apple stores once completed. (Jagtap, 2017) (Anon., n.d.)The main benefit of XCode are:

Smooth navigation between parts of code,

Live issues highlighting common coding mistakes.

Controls server-side bots that continuously build, analyse, test and archive XCode projects.

Helpful interface and application testing to check app quality, bug, and interface navigation.

Customer support team available online, phone and training.

Split window view and open quickly.

Easy access and free to download from the official App store.

Managed and maintained by Apple.

Static analysis of finding bugs in your code and report of potential bugs that could have remained hidden or are nearly impossible to replicate.

Drag and drop tolls to construct or edit your interface.

JDK for Android:

(Anon., 2020)JDK is a package of tools for developing Java applications and applets. (Anon., 2020) It helps programmers to compile, debug and run applets and applications. (Tyson, 2020)It includes the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), an interpreter/loader (java), a compiler (javac), an archiver (jar), a documentation generator (javadoc) and other tools needed in Java development. (Anon., 2019)The benefit of Java Development Kit are:

It has a simple and basic user interface and is free to download.

It is very fast, compact, and innovative developer tools for most of the Window Operating System, MacOS and Linux.

Lightweight and consume low resources.

Privacy and Security.

PC user friendly.

Hardware

Modern personal computer – Windows, Mac or Linux + high quality peripherals

Network/Internet connection

iOS and Android devices for testing – iphone, iPad etc

Skills Required:

Developers fluent in Java, Kotlin for Android, and objective-C and Swift for iOS apps

Developers experienced in data security, problem solving and analytical skills, communications, creativity.

Development of a mobile application is very feasible, given the popularity of skills required and availability of outsourcing the development.

Modern Language Programming skills like C#, Java, Kotlin, HTML 5, CSS

Familiarised with mobile platform application Programming Interfaces (API) eg: IOS, Android and Windows Mobile

To be able to build a high quality user interface (UI) for easy navigation, design and smooth run. (Toth, 2017)

Versatile Cross platform app development for current major mobile platforms. (Anon., 2020)

Knowledge of database management, language, and frameworks

Cyber security

Great transparency, focus on collaboration and fast delivery time.

Business and marketing capability to win over the competition. (Anon., 2020)

Outcome:

Successful execution of the development will see a standout application from other competitors, providing families with an application, not only one that they can personalise and enjoy as a family, but one that has a range of accessibility options for all members of the family. Families will now be able to hear their favourite stories on repeat, freeing up time for parents and assisting children to read.

Parents may want to review stories before sharing with their kids for any concerns.

Span a range of early reading levels.

Create an account to access apps and support via email.

Link to multiple other users to share with family and close ones.

Personalised voice recording, save and share files and backup options.

100’s of classic story books available to download for free and subscription required to explore more.

Trace their finger over the words to listen and learn words.

Touch pictures and listen to the sound of animals and birds.

Great quality pictures, simplicity, and big icons for visibility for kids and elderly.