The document provides design guidelines for creating digital experiences for different age groups of children. For 2-5 year olds, it recommends using bright colors, separating foreground and background, and assigning a single function to each interactive element. For 6-9 year olds, it suggests providing visual and audio feedback, making losing interesting to encourage trying again, and creating multiple levels. For 10-12 year olds, it advises making breaking the rules fun to encourage exploration, respecting their abilities, and providing contextual learning as they play.

1. DESIGNING FOR KIDS!
Debra Levin Gelman | @dgelman

2. 2-5 YEAR OLDS
• COLOR: Pick 4 or 5 bright colors & use them to
communicate purpose, task & functionality
• VISUAL HIERARCHY: Separate foreground &
background so kids can focus on the main goals
• ONE ACTION PER ELEMENT: Assign a SINGLE
function to each interactive element
• SYMBOLS & GESTURES: Limit use of metaphors and
constrain gestures to those familiar to little hands.

3. 6-9 YEAR OLDS
• REINFORCEMENT: Let kids know they’re doing it
right by providing visual/audio clues and rewards
• LET ‘EM LOSE: Make losing interesting for these kids
so they understand what to fix next time and are
encouraged to keep trying. Don’t always let them win!
• LEVEL UP: Create multiple levels in your experience
so that it can grow with the kids you’re designing for.
• PERMANENCE: Let kids save, store and share their
stuff, or give them something to gather/collect.

4. 10-12 YEAR OLDS
• INVITE SILLINESS: Make breaking the rules fun! This
allows for additional learning and exploration
• DON’T TALK DOWN: Respect these kids. Focus on
what’s great about your product instead of the fact
that it’s “just for kids.”
• PROVIDE CONTEXTUAL LEARNING: Instead of
front-loading information, let kids learn as they fail,
providing information at each step.

5. THANK YOU!
Debra Levin Gelman
on twitter: @dgelman
on email: debra.levin@gmail.com