I’ve been completely smitten with my daughter since the day she arrived. Watching her discover the world makes me want to build little worlds she can discover, too.
I’m a designer and developer, but being her dad is what gives this work its meaning. Together, we’re making safe places to learn and play, filled with music, movement, and adventure. I bring the tools. She brings an imagination that keeps surprising me.
Bella and Pan grew out of our shared love of math. It began with a drawing Brooklyn made of Bella, and her imagination took it from there: more characters, more stories, and a whole cast of well-loved stuffed animals. Together, we’re bringing them to life in a handmade math adventure.
We wanted a game that made room for both math and imagination, even without an internet connection. Finding one wasn’t easy, so we decided to make our own.
Somewhere to explore and learn, with no ads, no trackers, and no internet needed to play. Just the adventure, whether we’re at home or on a long flight.
At our worktable, Brooklyn draws characters and imagines their stories. Dad makes them move and builds the math into their adventures. Then it’s back to Brooklyn to play. We talk about what works, change what doesn’t, and try again together.
In Brooklyn’s stories, Bella and Pan have imaginations of their own. They dream up adventures where their own stuffed animals come to life, becoming friends who help them mend bridges, cross the sea, and bring Willow Valley’s treasure home. It’s a world of make-believe inside another.
We kept the flower dress, the colors, and the little uneven details that made Brooklyn’s drawing hers. Now Bella breathes, walks, and celebrates as she leads the adventure. She can do much more than she could on paper, but she’s still the same Bella.
Pan began as another of Brooklyn’s drawings. We worked through his movements one pose at a time, paying attention to his ears, tail, expressions, slingshot, and saucepan helmet. Now you can choose him or Bella to explore the world we’ve made.
We went back to Brooklyn’s drawing to bring more of Bon Bon into the adventure, from her uneven ears to her patched cheer outfit. She travels beside you, celebrates your progress, and offers a little encouragement when an answer is hard to find.
Our drawings of roads, villages, and mountains grew into three connected chapters. The trail begins in Willow Valley, winds along Saltwind Coast, and takes to Goldtide Sea aboard Clawz’s ship. Each place carries Bella and Pan a little closer to bringing the treasure home.
Math is how you find your way forward. Each correct answer takes you farther along the trail and earns Adventure Coins. Choose Easy for mostly addition and a gentle introduction to subtraction, Medium for a mix of both, or Hard for multiplication and trickier subtraction.
Brooklyn plays on iPhone and iPad, spotting things that don’t work, pointing out confusing moments, and imagining what could happen next. Her ideas bring us back to the worktable. We adjust the drawings, movement, sounds, and math, then play again.
What began with Brooklyn’s drawing is now an adventure for your family to share. Pick a friend, follow the trail, and see where your curiosity takes you. We hope you enjoy meeting everyone as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to life. Download Bella and Pan on the App Store.
Simon and Brooklyn