# Immersive Story Orbs Storyballs are a Fun, Screen-Free Way to Engage Kids By Joey Haar | Published 2018-06-26 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/storyball References: [kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/848480002/storyball-the-screen-free-smart-toy-that-keeps-kid) & [mystoryball](http://www.mystoryball.com/home) Today, kids spend countless hours in front of screens, so Storyballs provide a [screen-free way to stay active](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nodi-flip), engaged, and having fun. The [orb-like toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sensory-balls) are equipped with games framed around various narratives, leading kids on adventures as soon as they pick them up. Storyballs consist of a console and a series of skins. Once covered with a character-specific skin, the console will take on the qualities of that character, meaning that kids can play around with different characters and find the ones they connect with most. Storyballs connect to parents smartphones, and from there they can select the type of game or activity to play. Those include [quests, minigames, and storytime](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thekidsstorycom). Parents can also download new games through the app as they become available. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.7/10 - Popularity: 96% | Activity: 98% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/toys) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Screen-free Engagement:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop interactive toys or games that engage children without the use of screens, promoting physical activity and imagination. - **Character-specific Experiences:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create customizable products that allow kids to personalize their play experiences by connecting with characters they resonate with. - **App-connected Toys:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design toys that seamlessly integrate with smartphone apps, offering a wide range of games and activities that can be easily updated and expanded. ### Who This Affects Most - **Toy Manufacturing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the development of interactive, screen-free toys that foster imagination and physical play. - **Entertainment Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative methods of integrating smartphone apps with physical play to create immersive experiences for children. - **Mobile App Development:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with toy manufacturers to create app-connected toys that offer engaging and educational experiences for kids. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Screen-Free Play Companions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fabli.md) - [Kids' Interactive Sensory Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/interactive-and-multisensory-toys.md) - [Screen-Free Entertainment Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toniebox-2.md) - [Interactive Screen-Free Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spin-play.md) - [Interactive Storytelling Headphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/onanoff-storyphones.md) - [Screenless Learning Wands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kinoo-magic-wand.md) - [Screen-Free Gaming Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/picoo-gaming-console.md) - [Interactive Early Education Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tokidos-playcubes.md) - [Interactive Story Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/storytelling-app2.md)