THE BRIEF
Skiddly is an educational mobile game built by my team to teach kids (ages 8–15) about sustainable development concepts (energy conservation, renewable energy, and how those concepts show up in everyday life) through a fun, easy-to-understand game.
THE APPROACH
Designing audio for kids meant prioritising clarity and warmth: every sound should feel friendly, never punishing. I aimed for [TONAL TARGETS like bouncy, organic, soft synth-led] and avoided sharp transients so younger players wouldn't get fatigued. Key references: [GAMES YOU REFERENCED].
SFX DESIGN
I built SFX across [N CATEGORIES: UI, collect, reward, transition, negative]. The most important were the reward cues. They had to feel satisfying enough that kids wanted to keep playing, but not so hot that they overwhelmed the music. I [TECHNIQUE: used pitched layers, tuned cues to a key, stacked harmonics] to keep them musical.
DESIGNING FOR KIDS (8–15)
Designing for kids changed several decisions. SFX had to be [SHORT / REPEATABLE / NON-FATIGUING] because young players replay the same actions far more than adults do. I also [PEDAGOGICAL DECISION: used audio to reinforce the SDC concept, e.g. lower-pitched cues for energy waste, brighter for conservation].
WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY
With hindsight, [SPECIFIC THING you'd change] (because [why]). Next time I'd [SPECIFIC APPROACH] from the start, especially because [REASON tied to kids audiences].