Spotify Kids
P.S. Some unhinged early explorations if I could have my way with the avatars.
A Playground of Sound made for the next generation of young listeners. Safe. Personal. And tons of fun.
Kids love to explore sound. And they get their fix in lots of different places. They’re listening to audiobooks on the morning ride to school. Showing off their dancing skills around the living room speakers. And searching out the latest online music videos by their favorite artists. There’s audio everywhere, and kids can’t get enough.
The thing is, all of these audio experiences were built with adults in mind. Which means they’re not easy for kids to navigate. They’re not much fun to use. And they aren’t always the safest spaces for impressionable young people.
Spotify Kids is a world bursting with sound, shape and color, where young listeners begin a lifelong love of music and audio.
The app lets children aged 3 - 12 explore their favorite sounds in an environment built just for them. It’s a safe zone that parents can trust and, most importantly for kids, it’s really really fun. None of that boring adult stuff.
We created a set of playful avatars to guide kids through the app and make the experience feel approachable. These characters also show up in marketing beyond the kids’ app. To help parents differenciate but also instantly recognize the app, we developed a dedicated icon that feels fun yet distinctly Spotify. From Spotify’s core palette, we derived an accessible set of colors tailored for kids and introduced three fun themes to give users a more playful, customizable experience. Even the error states felt friendly and easy for kids to understand.
Kids love to explore sound. And they get their fix in lots of different places. They’re listening to audiobooks on the morning ride to school. Showing off their dancing skills around the living room speakers. And searching out the latest online music videos by their favorite artists. There’s audio everywhere, and kids can’t get enough.
The thing is, all of these audio experiences were built with adults in mind. Which means they’re not easy for kids to navigate. They’re not much fun to use. And they aren’t always the safest spaces for impressionable young people.
Spotify Kids is a world bursting with sound, shape and color, where young listeners begin a lifelong love of music and audio.
The app lets children aged 3 - 12 explore their favorite sounds in an environment built just for them. It’s a safe zone that parents can trust and, most importantly for kids, it’s really really fun. None of that boring adult stuff.
We created a set of playful avatars to guide kids through the app and make the experience feel approachable. These characters also show up in marketing beyond the kids’ app. To help parents differenciate but also instantly recognize the app, we developed a dedicated icon that feels fun yet distinctly Spotify. From Spotify’s core palette, we derived an accessible set of colors tailored for kids and introduced three fun themes to give users a more playful, customizable experience. Even the error states felt friendly and easy for kids to understand.
Credits
Associate Director, Premium Proposition Strategy: Sara Lerner
Creative Director: Marie Ronn
Design Director: Rasmus Wangelin
Design Lead: Angeline Toh
Sr. Editorial Art Director: Christina Le
Product Design Lead: Antonio Rezende
Copy Lead: Chris Monk
Brand Manager: Candice Greenburg, Melanie Eisen
Producer: Kenzie Tankersley
Production Partner: Radio
Associate Director, Premium Proposition Strategy: Sara Lerner
Creative Director: Marie Ronn
Design Director: Rasmus Wangelin
Design Lead: Angeline Toh
Sr. Editorial Art Director: Christina Le
Product Design Lead: Antonio Rezende
Copy Lead: Chris Monk
Brand Manager: Candice Greenburg, Melanie Eisen
Producer: Kenzie Tankersley
Production Partner: Radio