The app that transforms you into a playful parenting hero

 

About Debi:

 

Debi is the founder of Play Healing and a mother of two teenage daughters. Debi coaches parents online and has featured on BBC Radio to talk about parenting, home schooling and preventing tech addiction. She has worked in education with children aged 4-16 for over 20 years, performed as a musician for 25 years and studied a Post Grad in Therapeutic Play. 

She is the author the PLAY HEALING PAUSE Model helping parents to Pause, Play and Connect deeply with their children in a fast-paced, digital age. 

 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/debi-john-159343a8/

 

Music used on the podcast written by Debi John and produced by the amazing Paul Frazer.

 

About Ben Geliher

 

Ben Geliher, CEO and founder of Caper has been developing and project managing the Caper app for families for the last year or so thanks to seed funding from LEGO and Founders Factory. He is an ethical and highly experienced game designer with a passion to encourage connection between parent and child.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengeliher/

 

https://www.caper.co

Resources 

22 Screen Free Ways to Build Connection with your Tween/Teen - https://playhealing-tween.gr8.com 

Play Healing website - https://www.playhealing.com/Play Healing Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/playhealingofficial/

Play Healing Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/playhealingparent/

If you think that working with me may be something you’d like to do then contact me at playhealing@outlook.com and we can arrange a chat.

 

Managing tech for emotional health course coming soon so do send me a message or check out the website for more information.

 

 

Value Bombs: 

 

 

Ben: I’m not a saint being in the games industry they use a lot of the mechanics of addiction, if you look at the top grossing apps on the app store games in the chart they use elements of gambling and addiction. 

 

There’s a lot of debate in the ethics of game design.

 

Extrinsic motivators are points in the game where you reward your player eg. points coins, items. 

 

When we were looking at caper we wanted the intrinsic motivators including: Why would we want to play with our kids? What makes it fun to play with your kid?

 

Often it’s about pretend play, physical connection, running cuddling and playing in the space you feel comfortable in. 

 

 

Often there’s an effort gap when you’ve been working to then be in a place where you are able to click into ‘play mode’ and give your child focussed attention. It can be really tough…not everyone can make up these magical worlds, not everyone is good at doing pretend play. So Caper provides a backbone a story with loveable characters and then encourage you with suggestions and starters.

 

Debi : Creativity is so important and a way of future proofing our kids. We don’t need them to be able to recall facts - we have google but we will need children that can think outside the box whether physically or digitally. 

It’s important to give parents a framework when it comes to managing tech in a healthy way.

 

Ben: Lego seem to care the most about play and the philosophy of play and creativity. Lego itself has infinite possibilities. 

One of the other key factors is that sometimes parents find it boring to play. Playing a board game is boring for many parents themselves. 

I do not feel playful when Im feeling stressed.

Some parents really find play boring so we wanted the characters to have a pixar quality that parents can also enjoy the content as well as the child.

You want the parent to have fun with the kid as that aids connection.

 

To download the app or for more information check out:

https://www.caper.co

 

 

Sponsors

To grow your audience with a quality list and market products check out - https://www.getresponse.com/?a=KAwgJm7CYh

 Special Offer for Listeners:

To get 10% off Teddo Cards, enter PLAYHEALING at the checkout. https://www.teddo-play.com

 

Support the Play Healing Podcast

 

If you fancy treating yourself of a loved one to some Neals Yard Organics Products then support this podcast by using this link: uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/debijohn

Podcast Production:

Debi John