Interactive Video Chat App Lets Families Enjoy Drawing, Storytelling, and Playing Games Together

CJ Robles, Tech Times 22 December 2020, 10:12 am

With children constrained in their homes while their parents are working somewhere else, most families communicate only through video chatting. However, with different online games and videos to keep children busy, virtual communicating seems tedious.

Good thing, families may now spend their family virtual time with an app that allows them to have a more interactive video calling experience. Here are some important details about the Caribu interactive video chat app.

Caribu interactive video chat app for families

Since lengthy Skype or FaceTime chats may be somewhat boring, it is harder for working parents to communicate with their kids. Thus, they need to find a better way to connect with their young ones.

According to CNET, families may want to try an interactive video chat app called Caribu. It brings families together through virtual activities with zero to 13 -year-old kids as they can draw, read, and play games despite the distance.

Currently, the app only allows for one-on-one calls right now, although the company is looking at expanding to multiple callers in the future. This is safe for kids as they can only make calls with people who are added on the contacts list. However, parents can add their family members or friends as contacts and connect with them through the app.

"The magic comes from being able to see content in the video call," said Caribu CEO and co-founder Maxeme Tuchman. Tuchman noted that people may now enjoy a library full of thousands of different books, activities, coloring sheets, scavenger hunts, and games in 10 languages to replace the boring video chats with kids.

Tuchman who has Latina and Jewish background said he grew up with a "very strong belief that diverse teams just perform better." Thus, she pooled a diverse team to enhance the app, which grew to 12 with the pandemic: four are people of color, six are females, and some are members of the LGBTQI community. This is reflected in the app's book library including anti-racist books as well as games and readings in 10 languages.

The Caribu app was launched in 2016, but its popularity only skyrocketed during the current coronavirus pandemic as its users grew 10 times overnight after lockdowns were applied in March. Currently, it now has over 500,000 users in more than 200 countries and territories. In 2019, Time Magazine named Caribu as among the best inventions while on December 11, it was named one of the winners in Apple's App Store Best of 2020.

Caribu interactive video chat app price and features

Caribu is free to download on Android and iOS devices as well as on the website and it gives limited access to some contents like activities, books, and video calls. It is also available on paid subscription plans of $9.99 per month or $99/99 per year, which provides two month free subscription. Subscribers will get unlimited access to books, games, activities, and video-calls, which can be shared to a number of people. Meanwhile, teachers and military members also get free subscriptions.

Caribu ensures all calls are encrypted and only with approved contacts while there are no ads and in-app purchases. Except for the free app, paid subscriptions can have unlimited access with books, coloring activities, puzzles, and two-player games. The best thing is that one plan already covers the whole family.