Zen Garden Game

Inspiration In an era of "doom-scrolling" and notification fatigue, we noticed that most apps are designed to keep you hooked. We wanted to flip the script. We were inspired to create a digital space that rewards you for stepping away, helping users reclaim their focus while providing a soothing "micro-break" when they actually are on their phones. What it does Our app acts as a gentle wellness companion. Key features include: • Mindful Mini-games: Low-stress activities like "Cloud Painting" and "Virtual Sand Sorting." • Gem Rewards: Users earn "Zen Gems" for completing breathing exercises or meeting screen-time reduction goals. • Wellness Insights: A dashboard that tracks mood trends alongside digital usage patterns. • Positive Reinforcement: Instead of harsh alerts, the app uses soft haptics and supportive language to suggest breaks. How we built it The app is built on a fullstack architecture designed for smooth, peaceful performance: • Frontend: React Native with Reanimated for fluid, organic UI transitions. • Backend: Node.js and Express managing user profiles and wellness data. • Database: MongoDB to store progress and mood history. • State Management: Redux to handle the real-time gem-reward system across the app. Challenges we ran into The biggest hurdle was implementing accurate screen-time tracking across different OS permissions while maintaining strict user privacy. We also spent significant time fine-tuning the game physics; we wanted the interactions to feel "heavy" and tactile, like real sand or water, rather than jittery or over-stimulating. Accomplishments that we're proud of We are particularly proud of our "Breathing Sync" mechanic, which uses the phone’s sensors to guide users through rhythmic exercises. Creating a reward system that feels rewarding without being addictive was a delicate design balance that we feel we successfully navigated. What we learned We learned that "less is more" in UI/UX design for mental health. We moved away from bright, high-contrast colors toward a pastel palette to reduce visual stress. More importantly, we gained a deeper understanding of how to use gamification for positive behavioral change rather than just retention

Built With

• customizedsms
• framemotion
• lucidereact
• node.js
• react.js
• replit
• screentimeapi
• tailwind