Android gets beloved, award-winning digital ‘playroom’ game for kids that was iOS-exclusive for years

Ben Schoon | Oct 17 2024 - 6:00 am PT

After years on iOS as an award-winning game for young children, Pok Pok is finally launching on Android.

Pok Pok is a game for kids ages 2-8 that’s designed differently from other mobile games.

It doesn’t have ads, doesn’t have in-app purchases, and doesn’t even have words or letters. The game is designed to turn traditional toys, such as blocks and Busy Books, into a digital experience. In part, the app is designed to help avoid the traits that lead to an “iPad kid” as, like traditional toys, it’s not meant to be addictive and can just be put down when the child is done with it.

Pok Pok is a Montessori-inspired playroom for kids aged 2-8. Our interactive learning games are open-ended with no levels, winning or losing. This makes for calming and non-addictive play so kids can stay regulated. (Which also means less tantrums!)

On iOS, Pok Pok has been available for years, first launching in 2021, but the company’s CEO, Melissa Cash, explained to 9to5Google that one of the reasons parents have been asking for an Android release is the lower cost of Android hardware compared to an iPad, even if the parents are using iPhones.

She further explains in a press release:

Bringing Pok Pok to Android means expanding our mission of nurturing creativity and curiosity in children everywhere. This launch marks a huge leap forward in making playful learning accessible to more families around the world, and opening doors for kids no matter what device they use.

Pok Pok will be available through the Play Store starting today and through Amazon’s Appstore (for Fire tablets) “in the coming weeks.”

The app has a 7-day free trial, and then runs on a subscription. You’ll pay $6.99/month or $45.99/year, with the fee going towards continued content updates to Pok Pok which arrive every 6-8 weeks.

You’ll find continued updates on new content in Pok Pok over at 9to5Mac. In a press release, Pok Pok’s Melissa Cash teases a forthcoming update that will bring numbers to the app for the first time.

We still have a lot up our sleeves! We’re exploring new ways to expand and push the boundaries of what’s possible with conscious digital learning for kids. People should keep an eye out for some major updates in the next few months, including our first introduction of numbers into Pok Pok—a little spoiler!

Pok Pok on Android supports phones and tablets, including the kid-focused tablets from Samsung and other brands.