Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts, hosts of Parenting, Apparently, share the story behind Pok Pok—their award-winning kids’ app built to rethink screen time through creativity, calm, and imaginative play.
After struggling with the arrival of her second child, Esther searched for a digital experience for her toddler that didn’t exist yet: something that felt more like a real toy than a typical app. As artists, she and her husband Mathijs began creating a prototype that eventually pulled in Melissa, a former Disney designer.
They share how Pok Pok grew from living room floor sketches into a globally recognized kids’ app, why they chose to build without addictive engagement tactics (despite investor doubt), and the intentional choices behind its gentle, open-ended design. From no ads, points, or levels to keeping the artwork hand-crafted, every decision was made to create a calmer experience for kids. Esther also reflects on how design choices she made intuitively, influenced by her own neurodivergent experience, have since resonated with neurodivergent families in the Pok Pok community.
It’s a conversation about parenting, creativity, taking chances, and imagining a future of kids’ media that protects curiosity instead of competing for attention.
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