About DingDong
DingDong is a little app I made for my kids to get a bit of educational screen time. It's a collection of mini-games that I add to whenever I have a fun idea - math challenges, music games, drawing, memory puzzles, and more.
The Games
The app keeps growing as I add new activities:
- Math Games - Addition, subtraction, and number recognition
- Music - Simple instruments and sound exploration
- Drawing - Free-form drawing with fun colors
- Memory - Card matching and pattern games
- ...and new games added all the time!
The Air Hockey Menu
Here's a fun story: the app started with just a few games in a simple tab bar. But I kept adding more. And more. Eventually the tab bar was getting crowded and I needed a better way to navigate.
So I built an air hockey-style menu. The games are pucks that float around, and you flick them to select what you want to play. It's completely unnecessary and over-engineered, but the kids love it and it was a blast to build.
Sometimes the best UI is the one that makes you smile.
Why I Built It
Most kids' apps are either:
- Full of ads and in-app purchases
- Too complex for young kids
- Not actually educational
I wanted something simple that I control completely. No ads, no purchases, no "ask your parents" prompts. Just fun little games I can customize for my kids' ages and interests.
Screenshots
Tech Stack
- SwiftUI for all the UI and games
- SpriteKit for the air hockey physics menu
- AVFoundation for music and sound effects
- Custom animations throughout