Overview
Parenting Apprentice is a mobile simulation game where players practice key parenting skills by caring for a virtual baby from birth to age two. Designed as an engaging and educational experience, the game helps soon-to-be parents explore child care knowledge and apply it to real-world situations in a safe, interactive environment.
This game was my prototype for the "Design of Learning Games" course at Florida State University (Summer 2024).
Parenting Apprentice Game
Helping first-time parents build essential parenting skills through a simulated, interactive, and game-based learning experience.
Game Design
Game Goal & Gameplay
Players aim to raise a healthy baby physically, cognitively, and emotionally. The baby’s growth (weight, height, head circumference) and skill development align with real-world child development milestones.
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Players start with a newborn (Level 1) and care for the baby through age 2 (Level 10).
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Daily scenarios cover nutrition, sleep, safety, vaccinations, skill development, and self-care for parents.
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Players interact with realistic challenges such as feeding, soothing, and playtime, making decisions that shape their baby’s development.
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As they complete missions, the baby physically grows and reaches new developmental milestones (e.g., rolling over, crawling, walking).
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Unlike games with reward-punishment systems, this game focuses on guidance and feedback. If a player makes a mistake, they receive corrective suggestions instead of penalties.
Game World
A non-player character (NPC) named Astra serves as an assistant and storyteller. Astra interacts with players through voice and text, offering hints, tutorials, and expert-backed parenting insights to help them complete missions.
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My role
I took full ownership of designing and developing the Parenting Apprentice prototype. Over the semester, my tasks covered:
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Designing game mechanics, game world, user experience and game features through detailed design documents and wireframes.
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Developing an interactive prototype using Articulate Storyline 360, balancing game-like interactions with mobile app usability.
Key Challenges & Solutions
Prototyping a playable game without coding
With limited time and no coding, choosing the right tool was critical. I explored various game development platforms, including GameSalad, RPG Maker, and GDevelop, before settling on Articulate Storyline 360.
Why Storyline 360?
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Enable prototyping of drag-and-drop and rotation-based interactions, which are crucial for the gameplay.
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Balance game mechanics with mobile-friendly UI design, unlike traditional game engines.
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Require no coding skills or mindsets, which saves lots of learning time.
This exploration sharpened my technology evaluation skills, helping me identify must-have features, compare tools efficiently and assess learning and development time and cost.
Making a learning game fun
A learning game must be both educational and engaging. The challenge was to find the fun elements in childcare tasks that are often repetitive.
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Decision-making challenges: Players make cognitive choices (e.g., selecting age-appropriate food or bedtime stories).
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Progress-based engagement: It is engaging to progress through each level, experiencing new challenges and milestones that align with the baby's growth.
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Real-time feedback: Players see immediate cause-and-effect between their actions and the baby’s progress.
Through research on simulation games, I discovered that real-time feedback and progress-based engagement are among the most engaging elements. Watching their virtual baby grow based on their care decisions and going through the journey make the experience rewarding and immersive.
Final Thoughts
Parenting Apprentice reimagines how parenting education can be delivered, turning overwhelming information into an interactive, game-based experience and theories into a life-like simulated environment.
This project deepened my expertise in learning game design, prototyping, and technology selection while reinforcing the power of game-based learning in real-life skill development.
Target Audience
The game is designed for first-time parents who lack hands-on experience in child care. While parenting skills require time, effort, and real-life practice, there are few opportunities for structured learning before the baby arrives.
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Why a Learning Game?
For many new parents, learning about childcare can feel overwhelming, as most resources are theoretical and difficult to retain. Gamification and simulation make the learning process more digestible, engaging, and practical.
Additionally, while baby care simulation games exist on app stores, they are primarily designed for entertainment and lack educational depth. This gap presents an opportunity to create a well-designed simulation game that combines fun and learning.