Little Passports: Bringing the World to Kids On and Offline
Kids today are so digitally savvy that they tend to forget what it means to play. Their worlds are so consumed with technology, that the offline world doesn't exist or is simple an after thought.
Trying to combine the draw of online gaming with the creativity of the offline world is a company called Little Passports, a global adventure for children aged 6-10, combining the best of offline media and online games.
Each month Little Passport "characters", Sam and Sofia, travel to a new country on their magical scooter and share their experiences with your child.
With a Little Passports subscription, children receive a monthly package via postal mail that includes an adventure letter, fun souvenirs and access to our online Boarding Zone full of games and activities. Little Passports also donates a portion of its sales to non-profits focused on helping children in other countries including SOS Children’s Villages-USA and Ubuntu Education Fund.
Recently, Technorati sat down with Stella Ma, co-founder of Little Passports to talk about the company and its mission.
TR: What was the impetus around the company? Where did the inspiration come from?
Ma: When my business partner and I discovered that we both have an entrepreneurial spirit, we started talking about ideas that we each felt passionate about. We quickly discovered that we both have backgrounds in and a love of international studies and fostering global citizenship. As moms, we also felt strongly that we wanted to inspire children to learn about the world around them.
We surveyed the market to see what products were already available. We were disappointed with what we found and saw that there was a need for a product that would inspire global citizenship in a fun and engaging way.
We then brainstormed different ideas and decided to combine the best of traditional media, receiving a package in the mail (especially in this age of digital communications!) with online media where we provide interactive, educational games and activities.
TR: Can you give me a little more detail on how the experience works for a child?
Ma: Little Passports is a subscription-based product where children receive a monthly package in the mail from our globetrotting friends Sam and Sofia. Sam and Sofia travel to a different country every month on their magical GPS-enabled scooter.
For the first month, your child receives our innovative Explorer Kit which includes a travel suitcase to collect future mailings, an adventure letter from Sam and Sofia introducing themselves, a wall-sized world map, a passport, and an international activity sheet.
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