Academics
ObbyPals
A make-an-obstacle-course game for ages 6–8: bridge the pits so Nims the goat — who can only climb up one step at a time — can run your course. Send Nims to test it, fix the spots he gets stuck, then share your fair course. On-device; nothing leaves your device.
#0f766e Distributed-narrative cast
Meet the cast
ObbyPals has a tiny friendly crew who make building a FAIR obstacle course something a six-year-old can hold: Nims the goat runs your course but can only climb UP one step at a time; Plank the beaver bridges the deep pits so every climb is one step; Spotter the meerkat tests the course and spots exactly where Nims gets stuck; and Fairley the tortoise checks, all the way to the flag, that every single climb is fair. Each friend shows ONE gentle idea about building a course a learner can run; everything is spoken, and there is no way to lose.
Nims
One step at a time (hero) - Nims the goat, the novice runner who can climb UP only one step at a time: a drop too deep is an unfair trap, so build the course fair for him
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Plank
Bridge the pit - Plank the beaver, who fixes a deep pit by bridging it: stack blocks or lay a step so the climb out is only one step high, a fair way through
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Spotter
Test, then fix the stuck spot - Spotter the meerkat, who does not guess: she sends Nims to test the course, watches exactly where he gets stuck, fixes that one spot, and tests again
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Fairley
Fair is every climb, all the way - Fairley the tortoise, who checks every single climb from start to flag: even one climb too deep is a trap, so a fair course has no traps left
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Browse all chapters → · What's distributed-narrative methodology? →
What's inside
Learning goal
A make-an-obstacle-course game for ages 6–8: bridge the pits so Nims the goat — who can only climb up one step at a time — can run your course. Send Nims to test it, fix the spots he gets stuck, then share your fair course. On-device; nothing leaves your device.
Question kits
16 curriculum-aligned kits × 25 questions = 400 questions per app, mapped to recognized standards.
On-device AI mentor
FoundationModels-powered hints, feedback, and adaptive difficulty — all running locally.
Mentored by Nims — on-device AI, no data leaves the device.
How ObbyPals handles your kid's data
- ✅ All progress, settings, and AI-generated content stays on the device
- ✅ No analytics, no tracking, no third-party SDKs
- ✅ No ads, no in-app purchases — you pay once
- ✅ COPPA compliant under the 2026 FTC amendments
- ✅ Parental controls + session limits + content filters built in
ObbyPals runs on ForgeKit — the open-source Swift Package Manager framework that powers every Spark & Anvil app. ForgeKit ensures consistent accessibility, COPPA compliance, and design language across the portfolio, so your kid's progress and preferences feel coherent across every app they touch.
Coming to the App Store
ObbyPals is in active development. Email us to hear when it ships — no marketing, no spam, just a one-shot launch announcement.
Email me at launch