Girls aged 7-12 face multiple barriers to staying physically active, from having no safe place to play outside to parents who discourage them from roughhousing. Only 10% of girls get the recommended daily level of physical activity, compared to almost 30% of boys. Frolic aims to change that outcome by helping girls choose physical play more often, and by helping their parents be more supportive of their activities.
Frolic is a mobile game that uses five key game design principles to create a playful, active experience.
- Minimize screen time. Frolic helps girls put down the phone and play together away from the screen. After each game, girls come back to the phone to get another challenge.
- Reduce uncertainty. Instead of being bored or wondering what to do, girls can get a customized activity from Frolic that’s perfect for their current situation.
- Add reinforcement. Frolic celebrates girls’ successes and tracks their progress over time.
- Include parents. Parents can see their girls’ activities, and get suggestions for how to have fruitful conversations with the girls about their physical play.
- Broaden access. Accessibility needs, from girls with limited mobility to girls with low vision, are taken into account from the beginning of our design.
Collaborators
Faculty
Project Staff
Students
Melissa Kalarchian (Duquesne)
Gal Fleissig
Adela Kapuścińska
Vicky Lin
Payal Bhujwala
Alice Cai
Carol Cheng
Haylee Kim
Ember Liu
Lily Shan
Mimi Wang