Take a deep breath IN… and then OUT and get ready for all-new levels of giggly-wiggly mindfulness play in the latest Rosie’s Rules game ‘Rosie’s Flop Fiesta’ now on PBSKIDS.org, or on the PBS KIDS Games App available in the Android and IoS App Store.
In the game Rosie’s Flop Fiesta, developed by 9 Story’s Interactive team along with partners PBS KIDS and Curious Media, players engage in 4 mini-games, from cleaning up the space for guests to decorating the backyard with themed party decorations, building a bouncy house, and cooking treats with Papa. But as Rosie encounters mishaps and challenges her frustrations grow, and players can help her express her feelings by selecting a “feeling jalapeño”. Alternatively, players can step into their own mindfulness imagination space, where Rosie guides players through different charming breathing exercises to transform frustration into mindful moments. Whether you’re wiggling about, or doing a giggly-wiggly noodle dance, these preschool-friendly techniques provide a playful way for kids to start understanding how to cope with stress.
In collaboration with Google Kids Space, this game helps kids explore fundamental lessons behind mindfulness. As a beginner’s introduction into that space, the developers were able to pepper in humor, and other special moments that could expand upon what the show already introduces, in a more practical and immersive way, modeling the best practices and behavior.
During the development of this game the team collaborated with mindfulness consultants, participated in breathing meditations as a team to get inspired and of course vigorous play testing.
Check out Rosie’s Flop Fiesta and other fun activities by visiting the Rosie’s Rules Games page on PBSKIDS.org.
Rosie’s Flop Fiesta is based on the adorable hit series Rosie’s Rules from 9 Story Media Group now airing on PBS KIDS. The show follows the adventures of Rosie Fuentes, a 5-year-old Mexican American girl who is starting to learn all about life with her blended, multicultural family by her side. As Rosie learns new lessons, she shares her “rules” about life with viewers, teaching kids how to navigate their world.
Rosie’s Flop Fiesta is the fourth supertastical game to launch in the Rosie Rule’s interactive suite of play, joining the wildly popular Rosie Care, Rosie’s Slime Store, and Riding with Rosie games.
To get the inside scoop on this new game and all of the amazing features waiting for kids to explore, we spoke with 9 Story’s Producer of Interactive, Jamie Cohen:
What were the most important considerations during development/ideation for the game?
When we were first approached by the Google Kids & Family Space to create a Rosie game about mindfulness, the most important consideration for us was the sensitivity around the subject and being creative with how Rosie modeled a concept like Mindfulness – something that’s difficult even for adults! And while Rosie has her signature “Breathe in, breathe out…” moments, thinking about how we could make those moments feel organic within a game?! To pull that off, we knew we needed a broad and knowledgeable team to help us strike the perfect balance. From our Mindfulness consultant Liz Caceda who taught us how to meet kids where they are with regards to Mindfulness; and Alex Breen, an award winning creative Executive Producer and founder of Breenscreen LLC; we were able to collaborate to create a strong engaging narrative experience, coupled with unique gameplay and curriculum!
Can you share any fun facts or easter eggs our players can look forward to in Rosie’s Flop Fiesta?
Absolutely – here are three…
- The tent in the players mindfulness space was inspired by a PBS KIDS play tester! Through many sessions, this tester always played in their playhouse tent and told us that was THEIR mindfulness space!
- This game was inspired by the episode “Tia’s Big Break!”
- The team behind the game participated in guided meditations to help inspire how to model different breathing exercises!
As the game producer, what is your favourite part of gameplay?
We love how the different challenges and obstacles affect Rosie’s “frustration meter”! A balance we worked hard to create. We wanted the game to be challenging enough where kids are not only using their critical thinking skills, but also the mindfulness tools we’re teaching them in the game! A HUGE highlight for us during testing was hearing kids repeat Rosie’s mantra in an effort to bring their own frustration down if they didn’t win a level. That alone showed that we were onto something!
What do you hope players will enjoy the most about Rosie’s Flop Fiesta?
Aside from enjoying having Rosie by your side, AND incorporating Rosie’s meditation and breathing techniques, we hope kids pick up on the bite sized pieces of curriculum we incorporated as well. Our central theme is planning small fiestas for big and small occasions, to show appreciation for the people in our lives. The idea that kids could throw their own appreciation fiestas in real life – that’s the reason we do what we do!
What sets Rosie’s Flop Fiesta apart from other games?
What sets this game apart is what it’s teaching at its core – that ‘it’s ok to take a moment, take a breath, and reset your focus and self’. Sometimes those moments happen in big ways, and sometimes small – where the stakes are low (like in a video game). However, what we do in this game is use a story narrative to motivate kids and model the tools that they can use away from their devices.
Rosie’s Flop Fiesta was also recently nominated in the Interactive Children and Youth Content category at this year’s Rockie Awards, going up against Bestest Day Ever with My Best Friend (Lopii Productions, CBC Kids, Canada Media Fund), Love Chat Box: Virtual Romance (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation), Turtle Island Skate Jam (CBC Kids, Nations Skate Youth, Zenfri), Weirdwood Manor Vol. 2 – Rise of the Therimancer (Relish Studios, Wasabi Entertainment).
A supertastical congratulations to our 9 Story Interactive team, PBS KIDS, and Curious Media who have come together to make something incredible.
If you’d like to play Rosie’s Flop Fiesta, or any of the other games in the WOWMAZING suite of Rosie catalogue, you can visit the Rosie’s Rules page on PBSKIDS.org or on the PBS KIDS Games App available in the Android and IoS App Store. And don’t miss all the other fun and engaging Rosie’s Rules activities available on PBS KIDS site while you’re there! !
To watch Rosie’s Rules now on PBS KIDS, check your local listings and playtimes or use the PBS KIDS Video App or PBSKIDS.org.
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