AI-Powered Storytelling App for Kids - Design and Development by Anton ZalisAI-Powered Storytelling App for Kids - Design and Development by Anton Zalis
AI-Powered Storytelling App for Kids - Design and Development
AI-powered storytelling for kids who ask “one more story” at least five times
The short version
Ryan is an AI-powered mobile app that creates personalized fairy tales, bedtime stories, and fantasy adventures for kids. Think less “static bedtime book” and more “living story that adapts to your child, your mood, and your remaining patience level at 9:47 PM.”
Our job was to turn a powerful AI concept into something magical, calm, and parent-approved without making it feel like yet another noisy kids app.
The challenge
Children want infinite stories.
Parents want quiet.
Most apps deliver neither.
The client wanted:
A premium, magical experience that feels safe and warm
Deep personalization without overwhelming parents
AI that feels invisible, not technical
A product kids can use… without breaking reality
And all of this wrapped in a design that feels like a modern fairy tale, not a learning app from 2012.
No pressure.
The idea
What if storytelling worked like imagination actually does?
Instead of forcing users through rigid flows, Ryan lets parents:
Define who the child is
Choose themes, styles, and characters
Let AI do the heavy lifting
The result is a story that feels written for the child, not about children.
he experience
Ryan’s flow is intentionally calm, simple, and playful:
Step 1
Parents tell Ryan about their child
Age, preferences, gender, characters they love, and characters they absolutely hate.
Step 2
Choose the story style
Adventure, fantasy, comedy, mythology. Basically Netflix, but for fairy tales.
Step 3
The story comes alive
Text, visuals, and narrated audio turn imagination into a fully immersive experience.
Step 4
Voices matter
Ryan includes curated narrators so stories can be read aloud. Perfect for bedtime, car rides, or moments when parents need five minutes of peace.
Step 5
Save and revisit
A growing library of stories kids can return to again and again without hearing “we already read that one.”
Design approach
The visual language blends:
Soft illustration styles
Warm, neutral color palettes
Gentle typography
Subtle motion that feels magical, not distracting
Everything is designed to feel safe, cozy, and premium. No loud buttons. No aggressive gamification. No visual chaos.
Basically, a kids app that doesn’t scare adults.
Technology & craft
Behind the scenes, Ryan combines:
AI-powered story generation
Personalization logic based on child profiles
Audio narration flows
Mobile-first UX with performance in mind
All wrapped in a design system that scales as new stories, voices, and features are added.
The result
Ryan feels less like an app and more like a bedtime ritual.
Kids stay engaged
Parents feel in control
Stories feel unique, not repetitive
The experience sells itself without explaining AI once
Which is exactly how good AI products should work.
Final thought
Ryan proves that AI doesn’t have to be cold, technical, or overwhelming.
Sometimes, it just needs to tell a really good story… and maybe help parents finally win bedtime.