Cache Me Outside

Inspiration

Until our first jobs, we never truly understood the value of being financially literate - things as simple as overdraft and stock investments seemed like alien concepts at first. However, we quickly realized, financial literacy isn't something that can be learnt just in one day - it should be taught starting at a young age in simple ways, which inspired us to create Cache Me Outside.

What it does

It is a game for children ages 7-12 that simplifies complex financial literacy concepts. The game's objective is to earn as much money as possible by growing and selling flowers in a garden; however, there are many obstacles that arise in this process. This includes varying prices of assets (the soil patches and flowers) which are affected by external factors like the weather (imitating the stock market), and unexpected expenses like the evil mayor randomly taking money - both of which use exaggerated ideas inspired by real life. This game also touches on concepts of debt, loans, overdrafts, interest rates and more. To ensure that users of this game fully understand the concepts, not only is there a brief explanation available on the left side, there is also a chatbot where children are actively able to ask question to gain more insight.

How we built it

This game is built using Gemini AI Studio which used React/Typescript, CSS, Gemini API and Web Audio API. Through several iterations of trial and error, we were successfully able to design this game.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges we faced was narrowing down and executing our ideas. We had many strong concepts we wanted to include, but integrating them into a single, cohesive product within a limited timeframe was technically challenging. Prioritizing features while maintaining a clear and intuitive user experience required constant trade-offs.

Another major challenge was translating strong software logic into effective UI design. While the AI-driven functionality worked well conceptually, communicating our design intent to AI tools and aligning visual outputs with our product vision proved difficult. Small inconsistencies in layout, accessibility flow, and interaction design often required multiple iterations to resolve.

We encountered challenges in coordinating between design, logic, and accessibility goals simultaneously. Ensuring that the interface remained simple, inclusive, and usable without overwhelming users which required careful refinement and testing.

Despite these obstacles, the challenges pushed us to focus on clarity, adaptability, and intentional design decisions, ultimately strengthening the final product.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One of our biggest accomplishments was actively seeking feedback from mentors and meaningfully integrating it into our game design. We used their guidance to refine both our educational approach and user experience, ensuring the game remained engaging, age-appropriate, and impactful for children.

Based on mentor feedback, we introduced new features such as a friendly political figure who explains taxes and government in simple terms, helping children understand real-world financial systems early on. We also added interactive elements like a chat box for guidance and dynamic weather changes that affect the garden’s growth, reinforcing financial cause-and-effect through play.

We’re proud that our project evolved through iteration, mentorship, and thoughtful design decisions, resulting in a stronger and more intentional financial education experience.

What we learned

Throughout this project, we learned how challenging it is to truly step into the shoes of our users and understand how children perceive and interact with digital platforms differently from adults. Designing for kids required us to rethink assumptions about attention, comprehension, and engagement, and to simplify ideas without losing their educational value.

We also learned the importance of user-centered and age-appropriate design. Through research and iteration, we explored kid-friendly language, visuals, and interaction patterns to ensure complex financial concepts could be understood through play rather than instruction.

Overall, this experience taught us that effective accessibility and education come from empathy, research, and continuous iteration, especially when designing for young audiences.

What's next for Cache Me Outside

Next, we aim to expand Cache Me Outside by introducing modes tailored to specific youth age groups, each adapted to different levels of financial knowledge and cognitive development. This would allow the game to grow with the user, offering more relevant challenges and learning outcomes at each stage.

We also plan to add more problem-solving scenarios that simulate real-life financial decisions, helping players practice critical thinking in a safe, playful environment. Finally, we want to introduce a social layer, where players can visit friends’ gardens, see different financial approaches, and participate in optional leaderboards to encourage friendly competition and collaboration.

Together, these additions would deepen engagement while reinforcing financial literacy through exploration, comparison, and play.