Watch How One Company Brings Timeless Design to Educational Apps For Kids

This September, TEDxNewYork took place at Manhattan's SVA Theatre, where creative minds across various industries came together to share their ideas, inspirations, and discoveries.
Text by

One such speaker was Youngna Park—the Head of Product at Tinybop—who knows that good design should not be ageist. As a company that creates educational, visual-based iOS apps for kids, she believes that in order to inspire our young ones, we have to find ways to spark their curiosity. To do this, she turns to thoughtful research and iconic illustrators in order to create "digital toys" that can become building blocks for creativity. 

Watch this video to learn how she treats the screen as a medium, and how she brings together technology, design, and playfulness to challenge our next generation. 

Make sure to watch the rest of the talks from this year's TEDxNewYork on their profile.


<br>


Park references the books that left the strongest impressions on us when we were young. Her team asks themselves, "What was it that made them so memorable and how can we use the latest technologies to replicate that timeless effect?"

Park references the books that left the strongest impressions on us when we were young. Her team asks themselves, "What was it that made them so memorable and how can we use the latest technologies to replicate that timeless effect?"


When working with their artists, they turn to icons who were known for illustrating the natural world in their own special ways. Two such examples are Paul Rand (whose work for IBM is shown on the left) and Charley Harper (whose "Ford Times" Vintage Silkscreen piece is shown on the right).

When working with their artists, they turn to icons who were known for illustrating the natural world in their own special ways. Two such examples are Paul Rand (whose work for IBM is shown on the left) and Charley Harper (whose "Ford Times" Vintage Silkscreen piece is shown on the right).


Shown here is an illustration from Charley Harper's 1961 Golden Book of Biology. Artist Kelli Anderson combined these depictions with educational posters from around the world in order to bring together timeless visual references that could be adapted for the screen. This resulted in one of Tinybop's apps titled, The Human Body. 

Shown here is an illustration from Charley Harper's 1961 Golden Book of Biology. Artist Kelli Anderson combined these depictions with educational posters from around the world in order to bring together timeless visual references that could be adapted for the screen. This resulted in one of Tinybop's apps titled, The Human Body. 

Park and her team at Tinybop also worked with artist Tuesday Bassen to create depictions of homes from across the world that focus on the most minute details. This is intended to spark questions, and to teach children about different cultures. Tinybop aimed to include as many authentic cultural details as possible for each geographic location.

Park and her team at Tinybop also worked with artist Tuesday Bassen to create depictions of homes from across the world that focus on the most minute details. This is intended to spark questions, and to teach children about different cultures. Tinybop aimed to include as many authentic cultural details as possible for each geographic location.

Paige Alexus
Paige Alexus is a content producer and blogger at Dwell who loves the ocean, vintage textiles, and midcentury design.

Published

Last Updated

Get the Dwell Newsletter

Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.

Comments
Private
Start a public conversation on this article by adding your comments below.