Playful learning in nature through storytelling, play and movement
With Play Stories we seek to impact the green awareness of European citizens by targeting children and parents through an innovative education tool in the form of a nature storytelling app. As defined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals: education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. Since its launch in 2019, the Danish app Nature Tales has engaged more than 100.000 children on digital fairy tales experienced as GPS-based treasure hunts using immersive storytelling, play and movement along children-friendly routes in nature.
In the Play Stories project, a consortium of partners wishes to further develop the interactive storytelling format by adding scalability and new ways of interacting with the fairy tales through challenges utilizing both GPS, compass and the AR capabilities within smartphones while at the same time teaching about the biodiversity, culture, science, art or history related to a given area. The starting point will be Copenhagen, Cologne and Barcelona, but with the new digital solution developed throughout the project, the tool can easily be replicated all over.
The result will enable families to explore beaches, forests, parks and cultural sites throughout Europe while simultaneously activating their feet, senses and brain cells with a potential positive long-term impact of several sectors, such as tourism, sports, and the literary sector. The tool we develop will furthermore enable writers, animators, illustrators and sound designers to build and share stories across Europe and teach children why it rains, which bugs live in the local park or why a historical queen should be more well-known. We do this because teaching children the value of nature, culture, history and movement is fundamental to our societal development in Europe.
Call: CREA-CROSS-2022-INNOVLAB — Creative Innovation Lab
Natureventyr ApS – Project coordinator – has been introduced quite thoroughly previously, as the PLAY STORIES project is standing on the shoulders of the work already done in Denmark with the app Natureventyr (Natureventyr ApS). Natureventyr Aps is the natural project coordinator, as the objectives of this project is comparable to the objective of the startup’s previous endeavors. Not only will Natureventyr ApS be the administrator of the project, but the company will also spearhead the work packages related to concept, business and content development.
Nurogames is a Cologne-based independent game developer since 2006 with extensive experience and knowledge in games design for various platforms and global distribution for different target groups, including: Nintendo DS / WII / Switch, other consoles, PC / Online – Games; MMORPG, Smartphones and tablets (iOS, Android, Serious & Applied Games, VR / AR / MR Games. Nurogames developed and (co-) produced many games on Nintendo, but also online and PC. The focus shifted in 2009 towards browser (and social) games and the mobile / smartphone games market, also cross platform, and new forms of self publishing possibilities, also for PC games. With those projects, Nurogames started to act as a publisher for smartphone/tablet games and PC and online games, and since 2017 this has also included Nintendo Switch and other consoles. Many of the games targeted the kids and family markets, as well as chartered productions. Nurogames worked with known brands like Spongebob, Garfield etc. Since 2020, a substantial focus lies on VR/AR/MR development as well as testing and planning to develop for the newest devices coming to the market which has a tremendous dynamic currently. The state-of-the art technology and innovative features are developed by an experienced team of around 35 professionals.
ESPRONCEDA – Institute for Art & Culture was founded in 2013 by the company Lemongrass Communication S.L. (Barcelona, www.lemongrass-media.com) in Barcelona as an innovative center and international platform for contemporary arts, education and cultural diffusion. Its mission is to provide a multidisciplinary environment and a platform for creation which promotes international dialogue between artists, curators, critics, gallery owners, collectors, cultural institutions and lovers of art