Loties app: Bridging the gap between screens and reality for modern families

As we live in the digital age, screens have become an integral part of life and inevitable in our children's upbringing. However, screen time should be fun, creative, safe, and educational, offering children content aimed at stimulating and acquiring various knowledge and skills.

That's exactly the concept and main thought behind Loties, a unique application for children and parents. The app allows children to create their own characters and stories, fostering creativity and learning. It limits screen time by alternating between digital storytelling and real-world activities, promoting a healthy relationship with technology. The application is unique in that it offers the creation of custom characters (Loties), allowing children to contribute to the story instead of just passively consuming content. It cleverly limits screen time by providing just a few minutes of story reading, followed by real-world activities that seamlessly connect to the story they just read, making the transition from digital to real-world equally creative and enjoyable, but also gentle for children.

Loties has been developed by RIT Croatia’s alumni, and the parents of two boys, spouses Petar Gregović (Class of 2016), a developer and technology enthusiast, and Una Pašić Gregović (Class of 2017), an educator for expectant parents and parents who recently opened the Mati Center, a comprehensive center for families, expectant mothers, mothers, and women, and a grandmother, namely Petar's mother, Anica Gregović, a high school teacher and author of numerous English language textbooks.

Croatian application that connects parents with children in an innovative way

"Loties seeks to provide children with the opportunity to learn through fun, while also encouraging creativity and allowing parents to actively participate in their child's digital experience”, says Petar. “The idea arose on Christmas two years ago during a family gathering when we accidentally found an old picture book in the closet that my mother had written and published long ago. That picture book enables a child to actively interact with it, and create their own stories, and can compose 27 different stories from one book. We decided to bring the picture book to life and combine storytelling with the child's creativity, education with screen time and beyond, prioritizing quality time spent by parents with their children. Screens themselves can be used in a way that benefits children's development, and inspired by my children, I have found a solution to a problem faced by many parents. And thus, Loties was born," adds Petar, emphasizing that Loties does not encourage screen addiction but rather the opposite - it teaches children boundaries and a healthy relationship with technology.

“Unlike many others, Loties harnesses the best of the digital world, encourages creativity, and promotes quality family time without creating screen addiction,” says Una. “It encourages children to integrate technology and the real world in a fun and safe way, teaching them about emotions and diversity while helping parents create new memories while giving them a safe option for breaks or when they need to get something done, without guilt.”

Since the application is interactive, children can create almost 30 different versions of stories within one "book" with each reading, and ultimately choose activities, offering them controlled autonomy and the ability to choose, leading to easier screen separation and reduced tantrums. Another interesting feature is voice recording, which allows parents and grandparents to record themselves reading the story, and the child can play the recording whenever they want, reminiscing about moments shared with a loved one whose voice they love to listen to.

Be Among the First: Test Loties App by April 28, Give Feedback, and Unlock Premium Content!

The purpose of the application is to facilitate modern parenting and take advantage of the benefits of technology without the negative consequences of excessive use. Its founders greatly value the real experiences of their users, so they invite families, parents, and children to try out the Loties application by April 28, which is currently in the testing phase and available in Croatian and English, provide feedback, and thus participate in its creation and improvement. As a thank you for participating, during the launch, the first 100 registrants will receive access to premium content completely free for a period of up to a year!

"Tale as old as time, a very loud, extroverted business student girl meets a mysterious, quiet IT guy, while working the same shift as student helpers at RIT Croatia”, says Una. “They fall in love and fast forward a couple of years, and kids, later, they decide to use the knowledge to solve their problems with parenting today, and then of course, decide to share it with the world! So if you have little tiger cubs at home just as we do, and if you are trying to figure out how to bridge the screen time, tech and developmental gap happening in modern parenting, support our LOTIES app and story, sign up for the launch, be the first to try it out and let us know what you think!"