Loóna: calm, relax and sleep
Calm interactive stories transition from screens to sleep.
Loóna: calm, relax and sleep
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Loóna: calm, relax and sleep is a subscription-based tool designed to help users shut down and prepare themselves for a restful night. It wasn't made specifically with kids in mind, but there are no significant content or usage issues to keep kids from being able to use it. Just be aware that there's no parent gate on the subscription options. Interactive stories, called sleepscapes, last roughly 20 minutes and are meant to be used right before going to bed. The app's calming music or short audio stories are available to play as kids are falling asleep. All content is available in English or Russian. Though it's not necessary, there's an option to sign in through an Apple or Facebook account to save progress. The free version allows limited access to content; a subscription is required for full access. Even with the subscription, however, kids can do only one sleepscape every eight hours. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
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What’s It About?
There are three types of content in LOÓNA: CALM, RELAX AND SLEEP: sleepscapes, audio stories, and music. Sleepscapes are interactive stories with a calming musical background. As kids move through the story, they slowly tap different parts of a 3D scene to add color to it and watch it come to life. After completing a sleepscape, kids can replay what they've already done but must wait eight hours to start a new one. At any time, kids can access audio stories or music from a variety of calming themes. Set a timer to automatically turn the audio off. Upon opening the app for the first time, kids can customize their experience a bit by indicating what time they wake up and choosing their favorite calming colors and musical and narrative themes.
Is It Any Good?
Some kids may find these centering sleepscapes helpful for transitioning to bedtime, though using the audio features right before sleep would be best. The main content in Loóna: calm, relax and sleep are the sleepscapes. These are like guided meditative sessions in which users follow directions to slowly add color and enhancements to a 3D image as they listen to a story. The coloring aspect resembles the calming, purposeful concentration involved in using a coloring book. If kids get into it, the sleepscapes can be quite soothing, as they require just the right amount of concentration. Although this is a purposeful design element, some kids may find it frustrating that there's an eight-hour wait before they can access a new sleepscape and that they can't choose which new sleepscape to do. And, though the activity is calming, some kids may be better off not staring at screens right before going to sleep.
Though sleepscapes are clearly designed specifically for inducing a sleep state, the other content could be used at other times of day for general calming. The audio stories and music aren't particularly unique, but Loóna: calm, relax and sleep has a decently sized collection of both, from a variety of themes. So, especially if your kid is having a lot of trouble transitioning away from screens, an app like this might help that process along.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how using Loóna: calm, relax and sleep makes you feel. Does it help you relax? Why or why not?
Explore other options for mindfulness and calm around bedtime, such as meditation, visualization, or reading.
Help your kids establish consistent routines before bedtime. What kinds of activities or rituals can you do every night? Routines can help prepare both kids and adults for sleep!
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, Android
- Pricing structure: Free to try (free trial then $9.99/mo. or $39.99/year)
- Release date: February 5, 2021
- Category: Health & Fitness
- Publisher: Loona Inc
- Version: 1.9.7
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 11.2 or later; Android 6.0 and up
- Last updated: March 10, 2021
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