Mission Master gets the digital generation moving with an exercise app for kids. Neighborhood sports coaches enter missions and children are challenged – while playing and moving – to earn gadgets and medals for their own spy in the app.
Maarten likes to think along!
Children in the Netherlands do not exercise enough. As many as 46% of children up to age 11 do not meet the national exercise guideline. An important factor in this: children spend a lot of time behind their computers and phones. But what if we used that very smartphone to motivate children to play outside again?
With Mission Master, we get kids moving in a way that connects to their world of experience. Through the app, they carry out exciting spy missions in their own neighborhood. Mission completed? Then you as a player earn gadgets for your own spy. Municipalities and (sports) organizations throughout the Netherlands can connect with their own account.
ApproachIn collaboration with Sportbedrijf Drachten we have realized a first pilot version of Mission Master. During the development process the target group was intensively involved in both artwork and gameplay. What kind of characters appeal to them? And what kind of colors and styles? Based on their feedback and use in the Smallingerland region, the app was further developed for use nationwide. Through a user-friendly back-end, sports coaches can easily create their own missions for their own region.
“Missie Master voegt veel extra’s toe aan onze activiteiten en biedt de mogelijkheid om alle losse activiteiten aan elkaar te koppelen. Ik merk dat kinderen het interessant vinden dat we middels missies, codes en medailles meer te bieden hebben dan alleen de activiteit of les.”
Buurtsportcoach
ResultsMission Master is already being used by several sports organizations in the Northern Netherlands. And since going live, over 13308 exciting spy missions have been completed by children who started playing with the app through their community sports coach! Not only exercise missions with GPS got a place, but also questions about lifestyle and nutrition lend themselves perfectly to an educational mission. This is how we promote an active and healthy lifestyle from an early age.
At 8D, we support researchers in integrating a design approach into their work, from project design to creative product development and process supervision. This participatory methodologies help solve complex, human-centered issues and embed research results sustainably in society.
