Shaftesbury Technology Launches Bubble Bloom: A Free Tablet Game to Help Kids Cope With Stress Through the Power of Play

TORONTO, June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - With most kids isolated at home due to COVID-19, Shaftesbury Technology, the technology division from the award-winning production company Shaftesbury (Murdoch Mysteries), has devised a new creative solution to help children cope with stress. Shaftesbury Technology has launched Bubble Bloom, the first of six Positive Distraction Games. After two years in development as a virtual reality game, Bubble Bloom was released today as a tablet app at an online event.

Positive Distraction Games help reduce a child's stress level and create an engaged and relaxed state of attention. Research from recent college testing found that test participants exhibited a seven per cent drop in heart rate. Aimed at children aged six to 15, Bubble Bloom helps ease anxiety by transforming the user's environment into a virtual underwater paradise with captivating imagery and calming music. The app can be used on iPad and Android Tablets.

Drawing on 30 years of experience in producing kids' content, Shaftesbury Technology is reimagining pediatric health and wellness through immersive media experiences. Shaftesbury Technology has built partnerships with leading pediatric healthcare institutions and university research centres in Canada and the U.S., which has helped with the development of evidence-based applications for immersive media experiences. This includes augmented and virtual reality, with a strong focus on children's therapeutic support tools.

"COVID-19 has affected us all, and the lives of children have been uniquely altered," said Christina Jennings, Chairman and CEO, Shaftesbury, at today's online launch event. "We hope Bubble Bloom's stimulating play environment will not only give children something fun to engage with but will also help provide some comfort and distraction during these times."

"Bubble Bloom combines the lightness of play with the rigour of medical science," said Ted Biggs, VP, Shaftesbury Technology. "It evokes ease, imagination and creativity, and can help alleviate situational stress and anxiety through mindful play at a time when kids – and parents – need it more than ever."

"This pandemic has created a triple-threat for Ontario; a health crisis, an economic crisis and now a social crisis that has impacted many of our province's youth," said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, who participated in the online event. "As a passionate advocate for mental health, I'm proud that Ontario's interactive digital media industry is playing an integral role in creating virtual platforms like Bubble Bloom that will help connect young Ontarians with trusted tools and experiences to support them during these unprecedented times."

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BUBBLE BLOOM TRAILER 

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About Shaftesbury Technology
Shaftesbury Technology, a division of the award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital which includes Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries and Hudson & Rex, is reimagining pediatric healthcare through next-generation patient engagement and positive distraction games. Shaftesbury Technology has been building partnerships with leading pediatric healthcare institutions and university research centres in Canada and the U.S. to explore and develop clinical applications for immersive media experiences including augmented and virtual reality and a recent focus on children's therapeutic support tools. Product pillars include Positive Distraction Entertainment System (PDES) to help prepare children for surgery with play and modules for children who identify with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Backed by 30 years of production experience, Shaftesbury is at the intersection of entertainment, health and advanced technology with an international reach in over 120 countries.

About Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital. Shaftesbury's current slate includes 13 seasons of Murdoch Mysteries for CBC and UKTV, three seasons of detective drama Frankie Drake Mysteries for CBC and UKTV, three seasons of critically acclaimed horror series Slasher for Netflix, two seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv/Rogers Media, and several new primetime series including Departure for Global/Corus Entertainment and NBC Universal, Dead Still for RTÉ, Acorn TV, and Citytv/Rogers, and The Sounds for CBC, Acorn TV, and Sky NZ. Building on a rich slate of award-winning kids programs, Shaftesbury's growing roster of Kids and Family co-viewing programming brings fresh content to a new generation of tween and young adult viewers across all platforms. Current shows include The Solutioneers, Miikshi, Stinky Science, Life with Luca, based on the Disney hit series Life with Derek and Mary and Flo on the Go! based on the characters from Frankie Drake Mysteries. Shaftesbury's branded division produces original entertainment projects for brands, including the global phenomenon Carmilla for U by Kotex/Kimberly-Clark, Turning the Tables for göt2b®/Henkel, and Futurithmic for Nokia. Shaftesbury's technology division works with leading healthcare institutions and researchers to explore and develop clinical applications for immersive media experiences including augmented and virtual reality, including a recent focus on children's therapeutic support tools. www.shaftesbury.ca

SOURCE Shaftesbury Technology