Tuklas: Interactive Learning Platform

Built Around a Real User

Tuklas started as a small word game for my daughter. I wanted something she could actually enjoy using while practicing letters, words, and early writing — not another exercise that felt like homework.

Because she was the person using it, the project quickly became less about adding features and more about watching how she interacted with them. That changed the way I approached the product.

From One Game to a Learning Space

The first version focused on word recognition. As her interests changed, I expanded Tuklas with tracing, writing practice, flash cards, drawing, and coloring activities. The goal was to keep each activity simple enough to understand without instructions.

I also added choices such as difficulty or item counts where they helped, while avoiding settings that would make the experience feel complicated for a child.

What I Learned From Watching It Being Used

Touch interaction exposed problems that were easy to miss on a desktop. In tracing and drawing, for example, a second finger could redirect the active stroke. I changed the input handling so the activity follows only the first touch until that stroke is finished.

I also learned that consistency matters more than novelty for young users. Visuals, controls, button placement, and activity flow all needed to behave predictably from one game to the next.

Why This Project Matters

Tuklas is one of the projects that most clearly changed how I think about building software. I was not designing for an imaginary user or a checklist of features; I was improving something for a person I could observe directly.

That pushed me to value usability, iteration, and small behavioral details just as much as implementation. The result is a project that continues to grow with the needs of the person it was built for.