How I Gamified a Kids' Music Practice App, boosting Weekly Engagement to 60% and Task Completion to 85%.

Project Overview 

Support at-home Music practice for young kids, and their parents who lack music theory knowledge.

Key Task 

UX/UI design for an at-home music practice app, optimizing accessibility, task flows, and gamification mechanics.

Role 

User Experience Designer (Solo)

Toolkit: Figma, Photoshop, Mural

Year & Duration

Year: 2024

Duration: 6 weeks

TL;DR

Problem

Parents with kids in music classes often struggle to support their child's learning because they can't read or understand music.

What I did

Designed intuitive tools and interactive guides to help parents engage in their child's practice without requiring music knowledge.

Context

60% of parents find it challenging to support their children's music practice due to a lack of musical knowledge​.

(Merriam Music)​.

Desk Research Insights

70% of young music students face frustration due to poor practice environments, increasing dropout rates.

(National Dropout Prevention Center)

85% of students showed higher engagement with gamified learning.

(Smart Learning Environments)​

50%+ of students who don’t practice during school breaks lose interest, reducing retention.

(Student Engagement Research Handbook)

67% of primary students preferred gamified methods for a more engaging and interactive experience .

(Education and Information Technologies)​

Primary Research Insights

Parent and Teacher Interviews

Children struggle with musical concepts,

leading to frustration and disengagement.

It is difficult to reinforce learning at home,

Parents of young children (3-7).

Teachers struggle to maintain engagement,

while parents struggle in tracking progress.

Current Tools in the Market: Strengths & Gaps

Simply Piano by JoyTunes

  • Best Features: Interactive piano lessons, technology integration, parental progress tracking.

  • Lacks: Diversity in instrument offerings, limited customization for learning paths.

Yousician

  • Best Features: Comprehensive curriculum for various instruments, parental progress tracking.

  • Lacks: Subscription model creates financial barriers, complex interface for younger kids.

Current Experience Parents and Kids are having

Problem Statement

How can we make music learning fun for kids 3-7 while connecting school and home practice?

Who has this problem?

Parents

Busy parents of young music learners (3-7) struggle to support practice without a music background.

They need simple, engaging tools that help kids practice independently, stay motivated, and progress.

Solution ecosystem

  1. Practice lessons on the Kids' iPad UI

  2. Track progress via the Parents' Mobile App

  3. Enable teachers to customize content through the Web Interface.

Lesson Personalization Strategy

Instrument First

Pick an instrument, and basic lessons follow.

Non-exhaustive approach providing recommendations from teachers.

Class-wise

Pre and post-class, pre-drafted modules.

Structure includes warm-up, sing-along, play-along, and story time.

Pre-drafted

A pre-set, module-based learning system.

Options for lessons, games, and activities with rewards for success.

Branding

The color scheme is designed to create a playful and inviting environment for children aged 3-7.

Tune Trek Solution Ecosystem:

1. iPad UI for Kids

Challenges Addressed:

  • Motivating children to practice

  • Providing personalized lessons

  • Making learning fun and interactive

STEP 2: Using the App

  • Interactive Lessons with animated guidance.

  • Games & Activities to reinforce music theory concepts.

  • Characters suggest practice lessons and activities based on personalized teacher recommendations.

How gamification and reward system help?

Studies show gamified learning can increase engagement by 48% and improve student performance by 34% (Wikipedia).

Reward systems boost motivation by offering incentives like badges, reinforcing positive behavior.

STEP 1: Onboarding

  • Children begin by selecting a character to guide them through the app.

  • The chosen Character provides animated, voice-guided directions to help navigate the platform.

Why is Avatar Selection Helpful?

Choosing avatars in educational apps can increase student engagement by 65%, making learning more personalized and enjoyable (EdTech Magazine).

2. Teachers Dashboard

(under development)

Upload Pre-Drafted Lessons: Teachers can upload lessons, games, and stories personalized to each student's progress and preferences, that students then access via their iPads.

Weekly Course Schedule: Visual representation of classes ensures easy planning and management.

Clear Progress Tracking: Monitor lesson completion and student engagement.

3. Parents' App

Challenges Addressed:

  • Balancing encouragement and progress tracking

  • Understanding children's practice needs

Features:

  • Real-time progress tracking

  • Lesson customization

  • Communication with teachers

  • Screen time and engagement controls

Parents' Mobile App Overview

Onboarding

  • Dashboard Setup:

    • Create a parent profile and link it to child's account.

  • Tutorial & Preferences:

    • Set notification preferences and explore the app's features via a guided tutorial.

Accessing Lesson Plans & More

  • Lesson Plans:

    • Review pre-drafted lesson plans tailored to child's progress.

  • Communicate with Teachers:

    • In-app messaging allows direct communication with teachers.

  • Adjust Learning Goals:

    • Customizable learning paths, setting goals, and access detailed progress reports.

What Users said

(Unmoderated User Testing)

I'd like more robust parental controls to monitor and limit screen time effectively.

— Marc (Parent)

Kids are excited about choosing their own teachers, and the vibrant visuals keep them fully engaged.

— Sky (Music Teacher)

I liked the animation and colors .

— Vivaan (7 year old)

Tune Trek: Success Metrics

Prototype Testing (Unmoderated) @ Music Place, Sunnyvale, CA

Practice consistency improvement

40%

Parental engagement increase

60%

User drop-off rate reduction

20%

Reflections

In music education, engagement isn’t a bonus, it’s essential.

Effective learning happens when kids feel motivated, and parents can support practice effortlessly, no music background required.

🎯 Designing for Dual Users

Balancing usability for both children and parents required simplifying complex interactions while ensuring accessibility for varying tech literacy levels.

🎮 Gamification & Motivation

Integrating gamified elements proved essential in sustaining engagement, making learning feel more like play while supporting independent practice.

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