The best app for kids that won’t leave them in tears (even when they need to turn it off)

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*This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from every sign up for the app- however, my opinions about this app are authentic, we really do use this app frequently in our house and it continues to be my favorite!

I’m an Occupational Therapist, and I’m also a Mom with an invisible mental load that never ends. Screen time is a tool that I am NOT afraid to use.

But not all screen time is created equal. 

Some games or apps are more dysregulating than others, which is probably a HUGE reason for the meltdowns and behaviors that come up when it comes to turning off the device. Since the day I was introduced to Pok Pok (in 2021) until now, this has remained our ONE app that has never, and I mean NEVER, caused behaviors or meltdowns. 

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How the Pok Pok app started (and where the name comes from)
• Behind the scenes info on how they create their unique sounds and visuals
• All the different ways Pok Pok helps celebrate neurodiversity
• The future of Pok Pok

If you want to try Pok Pok yourself, you can, for FREE! You can try Pok Pok out for free for 7 days, and if you decide you like it, you can sign up for a 25% off annual subscription using my code 25OTBUTTERFLY and my link [[here]].

Why is screen time causing so many problems for my child?

Pok Pok is a sensory informed and inclusive app

I can say with confidence that Pok Pok is ultra-sensory friendly because they consulted a sensory-expert when developing the app. (It’s me- I’m the sensory expert they consulted 😅). Melissa and Esther truly, truly cared about being inclusive of ALL learners, ALL ways of communicating, and ALL ways of playing when it came to developing Pok Pok.

Being a sensory friendly app doesn’t just mean a toggle on-off button for background music.

It means being intentional about ALL the sounds that occur within the app in general, which is exactly what Pok Pok has done with their talented in-house sound engineers who create the sounds themselves! They’ve also done a fantastic job creating visuals that are engaging but not overstimulating.

Avoiding overstimulation within an app is one of the truest ways to avoid dysregulation when turning OFF the app. When your nervous system becomes overly excited or stressed, or overwhelmed, it primes it for fight or flight activity. What happens when you have a kid playing with an app that overstimulates their senses, primes their nervous system for fight or flight, and then you tell them it’s time to turn it off? Well… you see… fight or flight behaviors. Crying, melting down, grouchiness, all of it.

By avoiding the overstimulation from the sensory components, Pok Pok is already one step ahead in keeping your kids regulated after screen time. But if you’re looking for tips on how to manage screen time as a whole, check out this post.

Frustration tolerance is a skill

Frustration tolerance is a skill… but we don’t need to work on it right now, do we? 

Listen, we could all probably use a lesson or two in improving our frustration tolerance. Even us adults, right? 

It is certainly an area I’d like to help my neurodivergent daughter be more skilled in. But guess what? There’s a time and place to work on frustration tolerance… and for me, it’s NOT going to be in the middle of when I need to do the dishes or finish up an email for work or just have some me time, and those are the times I rely on screens to keep my daughter occupied and out of my space. 

So I can see the argument for parents searching for apps that are going to build frustration tolerance, but for me, I’d like to keep screen time as frustration-free as possible, and again, that’s something that Pok Pok does so well. 

When my daughter uses other apps and games, I can always expect to have at least a few interruptions that might sound like “Mommmyyy!!! It’s not working! I keep pushing this button but it’s not working, see???”

or, “What am I supposed to do here? Is this right?” or,

“What’s the answer? I keep getting it wrong.”

In Pok Pok, we’ve never experienced any kind of bug or glitch that impacts functionality of the game.

There are no complex menu options that require an adult to navigate around.

There aren’t even any instructions on how to play, it really gets to be played with HOWEVER your child chooses to interact with it. So there’s no frustration of losing, or doing something wrong, or getting something to “do” anything. 

Want to try Pok Pok for free?

Honestly, you’ve got nothing to lose. You can try the app for a free 7 day trial and cancel it before you get charged for a subscription. Just test it out- see how your child likes it. It’s geared for ages 2-7, but I don’t see my 7 year old anywhere near being over this game, and as a 36 year old… I am still loving it too! 

Here’s how to get started: 

• All you have to do is click [this link] to get started (it will pull up a separate tab in your browser)
  
• Next, create your account
• Complete your payment (25% off discount will be automatically applied at checkout or put code 25OTBUTTERFLY at if you don’t see it)
• Head to your Apple App store or Google Play Store and download Pok Pok
• Log in with your account credentials
• Once you’re logged in, you’ll still have a 7-day trial before your annual subscription kicks in (and you can cancel it before you’re charged)

I hope you enjoy playing with Pok Pok as much as we do!