Best Interactive Story App for Kids: Boost Imagination with Hiro Stories

Play Hard, Work Hard

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By Jackie Lebovits, Contributing Producer at Hiro Stories

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How can an app stop a kid from becoming an iPad zombie? The answer is all in your head. Or rather–theirs. 

Think of the brain as a muscle. (It’s actually an organ, but, like a muscle, grows stronger over time with use). For a developing brain, a child’s imagination is like a sweaty HIIT workout at the gym. 

Whenever kids exercise their imagination, they flex this “muscle” to engage many different brain functions at once. In order to conjure up the make-believe, kids' brains work hard to recall past senses and experiences, create and apply associations, and synthesize existing concepts and ideas.

In other words, a lot of neural labor goes into playtime.  

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Not All Screen Time is Created Equal

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Imagine going to the gym… and using the escalator instead of the StairMaster.

Research shows that consuming “passive media,” like watching videos, does the “work” of imagining a scene or scenario for a child. For example, if a kid is watching a video about recess, they no longer have to evoke the idea of a playground in their head; instead, a video production team does the heavy lifting. 

Thankfully, you don’t have to swear off tech completely to raise an imaginative child. It turns out, not all screen time is created equal.

Hiro Stories uses technology to spark imagination–not replace it.  

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Interactive By Design and Backed by Science

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Hiro Stories encourages kids to engage with the world around them. 

While adults are conditioned to think of “play” as the opposite of “work,” playtime is fundamental to children’s development. Playing pretend allows kids to explore, evolve, and expand their understanding of themselves, others, and the world at large. 

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What Do Kids Learn Through Play?

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• Abstract, critical, and creative thinking
• Gross and fine motor skills
• Vocabulary, concepts, cohesion, and context
• Cause and effect, adaptation, and flexible thinking
• Memory, storytelling, pattern recognition, and associations
• Problem-solving and overcoming challenges
• Emotional regulation (self-control, patience, navigating fear and uncertainty)
• Social skills (cooperation, collaboration, sharing, taking turns)

So…pretty much everything!

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Hiro Stories: Tech That Sparks Imagination

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Hiro Stories is designed to use technology to ignite imagination, not replace it. Here’s how it works:

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Backed By Science

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Hiro Stories was developed to inspire, entertain, and educate young readers. Experience screentime rooted in the best science-backed practices.

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Enter the Adventure

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By using the camera on your iPhone or iPad, Hiro Stories puts your child directly into the story. Did you know? Seeing themselves reflected in the media inspires confidence and connection, and keeps kids more engaged. 

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Dramatic Play

Each video prompt offers kids a launching point to jumpstart their imagination.  This process, called structured dramatic play, is an imperative to cognitive and social development.

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And bonus! Not only is make-believe fun, but acting out stories engages young readers, improving reading comprehension.

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Expand Beyond the Screen

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When it comes to kids’ neural development, nothing beats hands-on experience in the analog, 3-D world. Hiro Stories asks kids to move around their real bodies– not avatars. 

And there's a bonus to that: Dance on the world’s largest stage! Slalom down a snowy mountain! Hiro Stories prompts encourage kids to move around–which is proven to improve attention and memory.

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Boost Bonding Time

Hiro Stories was created to be used together.  The most important factor in determining screen time’s educational value? You! 

Not only does a shared activity strengthen your connection, but studies show that consuming content with your child offers them beneficial social cues. For example, kids pick up on your subtle eye movement and follow your gaze to appropriately direct their attention. 

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Tip: Asking kids questions also improves engagement!

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Is Your Child’s Content Up to Par?

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Choosing quality content for your kids can be overwhelming. This diagram from Zero to Three can help assess the value of your child’s screen time. Next time you pick up a screen, ask yourself: is this app an escalator or a StairMaster?

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Ready to Level Up?

DOWNLOAD HIRO STORIES TODAY and use the promo code VERYBRAVEHERO for two weeks *free* access to the full library.

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