Recently we had an opportunity to speak with Brian Nemeckay, the Manager, Crayola Virtual Product Development at Crayola about Crayola Create and Play

Please share with us the backstory of what motivated you to create this app.

Crayola has been helping parents raise creatively alive kids for 115 years and it was time to bring that mission to life in new interactive ways by providing a safe, creative, fun and educational app that parents can trust.

What features do you hope to roll out to your app in the future?

There is no shortage of ideas and new technology to take advantage of. We're are always exploring new feature concepts.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of the creation of this app?

It is incredibly rewarding to see kids using the Create and Play to express their creativity. The best feedback is when we hear about a child's creative spark being ignited by our app. Our hope is that Create and Play will play a part in inspiring a new generation of creators and foster their creative spirits.

What is the coolest or most innovative feature of your app?

The most meaningful feature of Create and Play is how kids' creativity is celebrated and encouraged. Everything a child creates is automatically added to their gallery where it is displayed in frames and admired by characters. It was an important design decision that the app does not ask kids to decide if their creations are good enough to be saved. The underlying message is that everything they create is worth celebrating.

What surprised you most in your journey to create this app?

It was surprising to see there isn't a lot of awareness for the really great kids apps that are available. Often kids educational apps are narrowly defined as ABC's and 123's, but there is so much more depth to this category.

Which other mobile apps or technology have inspired you?

There are some awesome apps out there and we're always trying out the latest releases. The trick is combining technology with everything great about Crayola to make something truly unique that stands out in a crowded space.

Do you have any recommendations or advice for others wanting to create a mobile app?

Create a mission statement and refer back to it often. Some of the toughest (but most important) decisions are choosing to leave out features that don't support your mission statement.

How did you decide which platforms to release your app on and do you plan on releasing your app to other platforms?

Create and Play is available on the App Store, Google Play and Amazon App Store.

How is your app different than the rest of the market? Which unique need does it fill?

Create and Play's activities are thoughtfully designed with the core pillars of STEAM in mind. Kids are empowered to create, play, experiment, learn, and express themselves in ways that have a meaningful impact on their experience in the app. Parents can feel confident that the app is safe and worry free, living up to the high quality standards of Crayola.

You can view Crayola Create and Play here