Gingersnap Helps You Share The Love On Grandparents Day & Every Day
When President Jimmy Carter signed the original paperwork in 1978 to make Grandparents Day a national celebration, the stated aim of the day was: “…to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
But that was a different age when far more of us lived close to our immediate families and the emphasis was on more shared family time rather than new-fangled digital communications.
Now almost 40 years later, US families have become so fragmented or dispersed that we’ve become reliant on our devices and gadgets to bridge that gap. And yet it still seems to be a blind spot for many in the tech industries, particularly those in Silicon Valley, who appear oblivious to the fact that we Boomers deserve some TLC too.
So this Grandparents Day we’re thrilled to report that a British start-up called Gingersnap is making waves with a new app platform for iPad and iPhone user families – one that specifically helps connect grandparents with their grandkids when they’re apart.
In the first initiative of its kind, grandparents can now:
- choose an interactive adventure for their grandkids from a growing collection – by downloading an app onto their own smartphone or tablet
- customize the story with their grandkid’s name
- personalize it by taking a selfie (to become a star on screen)
- and then ‘gift’ the story to their grandchild, anywhere in the world, using a smart-link
If you really want to spoil them you can even include the details on a custom-printed postcard delivered to their door – featuring you on the front!
Then, when the grandkids access the link, they are immediately directed to their very own version of the app – starring you.
The adventures are a mixture of a 2D animated story, each with a personalized narration, mini-games, and interactive puzzles. And at the end of each quest, the child is encouraged to make a digital postcard (using the in-app tools) that they can email back to you as a “thank you.”
The stories are designed to spark curiosity and inspire the kids’ creativity, and help the whole family stay better connected when they’re apart – and early signs are they do just that.
But don’t take our word for it – try them for yourself by visiting the app store here. Or read more about Gingersnap’s ground-breaking product at www.gingersnap.tv