Puku is a creature who evolves and grows into different shapes and colours according to the child’s in-game actions as they master new words. The direct impact of the child’s actions on Puku, accompanied by the creature’s endearing motion and sound effects, endeavours an emotional bond between the two.

The game is permeated with a constant sense of progress; getting a word wrong and learning from the mistake is as important as getting a word right. Any incorrect words on the user’s part come hand-in-hand with the opportunity to learn and help their Puku grow.

At the heart of the app is the ability for children, parents and teachers to create their own word lists. This enables users to focus on a word list that they may be studying in school, or a collection of words they are struggling with, or a list that revolves around real world events.

The unique relationship between the child and their Puku makes for a personalised learning process. The personal nature of the child’s experience is reflected in their nurtured Puku, whose appearance will differ from their friends’ and classmates’ based on their own journey in the game. This gives social comparison opportunities and encourages the child to take pride in their individual Puku and their progress in mastering new vocabulary.

This sense of continual progress lends itself well to a subscription based model, meaning users can have access to a continually updated bank of words.