Why I built it
I wanted something my toddler could enjoy without ads, network calls, or fiddly UI. The brief was simple: big tiles, instant sounds, and a guided way to learn words that feels like play.
Design constraints
- Offline only. No analytics, no trackers, no surprise pop‑ups.
- Distraction‑free. Full‑screen, back button disabled, screen stays on.
- Big, obvious tap targets. A 3×3 grid per page with next/prev controls—no vertical scroll.
- Delightful motion. Quick press feedback and tiny “wins” without being noisy.
Interaction model
There are two modes:
- Soundboard — tap a tile, hear the animal/vehicle. Each tile also has a short friendly sentence (e.g., “The duck says quack!”).
- Find it — the app says, “Where is the duck?” You tap until you get it right. Misses get gentle feedback; success gets a tiny celebration.
The ‘Find it’ loop
- Pick a random target from the current page.
- Play “where‑is‑the” + target word.
- Track wrong streaks; alternate feedback between “try again” and “that’s not it.”
- After two misses, replay the target hint.
- On success: confetti burst + a congratulatory voice line.
This tiny bit of structure turns a passive tap toy into vocabulary practice, and kids love the feedback cycle.
Audio architecture
- Short effects (animal sounds) use SoundPool for low latency.
- Spoken words and phrases use MediaPlayer from
assets/words/<name>.wavwith ares/rawfallback. - A simple cache keeps repeat taps snappy.
Compose and motion
The UI is Jetpack Compose + Material 3. Tiles use press‑state animations (tilt/scale/translate) and the hero header gently bobs. Nothing is gratuitous; the goal is clarity, not spectacle.
Toddler‑proofing details
- Immersive sticky mode; back button disabled to avoid accidental exits.
- No scrolling lists; big pages with explicit navigation.
- Consistent placement and iconography so kids don’t have to relearn.
What I’d ship next
- More pages and categories (farm, jungle, vehicles, instruments).
- Simple parental settings (volume cap, auto‑lock time).
- Optional text labels for early readers.
If you’d like to try it:
I built ToddlerTones to be boring in all the right ways: fast, predictable, and safe. If you have ideas or a kid‑tested wishlist, I’d love to hear it.