Launched in mid-June, the game-based learning app asks children to help a troll name Poio learn to read by collecting words, and founder Daniel Senn said the game aimed to boost literacy rates within the UK.

“Children’s minds are vast sponges during these formative years”

“The UK’s Department of Education reported in 2018 that in one in five British children are leaving their primary education without being able to read and write properly,” Senn said.

“They also indicated that the right solutions to solve these issues were not available in the UK market and, encouraged by Poio’s success with over 100,000 Scandinavian users, it felt that we may have the answer.”

Speaking with The PIE News, Senn added play was a crucial component in engaging early childhood learners and using game elements and characters that children enjoyed meant there was better knowledge retention.

“The spirit of play in education is at the very core of what we do and helps to connect with children who are often left behind by the traditional education,” he said.

“Children’s minds are vast sponges during these formative years, able to recall every one of their favourite Pokémon – but also sometimes struggling to expand their vocabulary elsewhere.

“Instead of taking the traditional approach of chastising children for caring about the things they care about, it’s the role of learning tools to tap into that sense of enthusiasm.”

A US-English version will be made available later in the year.

In May, Poio was acquired by game-based learning platform Kahoot!, which describes itself as the “Netflix of Education”.