Wanderly
Wanderly provides an interactive storytelling app for children ages 3–8 that builds emotional intelligence through choose-your-own-adventure narratives. Developed with therapists and specialist educators, the app integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy principles and lets parents personalize stories to reflect their child's real-life experiences. The library includes 80+ stories across five CASEL-aligned social-emotional skill categories.
- Education Technology
- Software Only
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Young children often struggle to understand and manage big emotions, leading to behavioral challenges at home and in school. Parents and educators lack engaging, accessible tools that teach emotional intelligence and coping strategies in a way that resonates with early childhood development.
Solution
Wanderly provides a library of interactive, choose-your-own-adventure stories designed for children ages 3–8, where kids actively decide what characters do next, exploring the consequences of different choices in a safe, imaginative setting. Each story is crafted with therapist input, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles that help children connect thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Parents can personalize stories to reflect their child's real-life experiences—like a toddler throwing a water bottle before bedtime—making the lessons directly applicable. By turning emotional regulation into an engaging game, Wanderly fosters self-awareness, confidence, empathy, and resilience, giving families a shared activity that promotes connection and coregulation.
Target Audience
Primary users are parents and caregivers of children ages 3–8 seeking to build emotional intelligence at home, along with preschool teachers, therapists, and schools looking for evidence-informed tools to support social-emotional learning.
Features
- Interactive branching narratives where children choose what happens next, exploring outcomes in real-time
- Stories based on CBT principles and play therapy-inspired techniques, developed with therapists and specialist educators
- Personalization options that let parents customize stories with their child's specific experiences, such as a particular behavior or upcoming event
- Coverage across five CASEL-aligned social-emotional skill categories: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making
- Story request portal where families can submit specific child development needs for future story consideration
- Growing library of 80+ stories addressing topics like anxiety, school readiness, confidence, chores, and friendship