A free interactive iPhone app has been developed by Taronga Zoo to engage kids with wildlife.
Targeted at five to 12 year‐olds, Monkey Mayhem is a game created by mobile marketing agency Nomad after exhaustive on‐site testing, focus groups, concept development and prototype trialling. The agency also consulted with Macquarie University cognitive scientists to ensure optimal educational content.
The game takes children on a journey to discover and connect with wildlife. Their task is to help Marley, the zookeeper’s son, restore the zoo manual which have been torn to shreds by escaped monkeys.
Children add their own animal photos, unlocking hidden videos, animal noises and keepers’ notes, to personalise their manual and share it with friends. Behind its kid friendly interface, the game actually utilises the iPhone’s built‐in GPS, camera, image library and digital compass.
David McGowan, Nomad business director, said, “Focus groups showed us iPhone owners are surprisingly willing to hand over their mobile phones to their children to access educational games, because they’re easy to use and child‐robust. Smartphone play can also act as a micro‐babysitting session, giving parents a break while producing an enriching educational experience.”