Kinder, the popular chocolate brand for children, has teamed up with Gameloft for brands and the University of Oxfords Department of Education to launch a mobile app which brings Kinder’s toys to life through augmented reality (AR).

The edutainment app, called ‘Applaydu’, is aimed at children from four to nine years old and is designed to encourage bonding between parents and their children through games, interactive stories, activities, and more.

“By sparking the imagination of children, and uniting adults and children in play and enjoyment, we believe that Applaydu can play an important role in helping ensure that a happy child today will be a better adult tomorrow,” said Emiliano Laricchiuta, Global Head of Kinder Products with Surprise.

Applaydu does not include ads or in-app purchase options, and has additional parental control features to ensure the app is safe.

The Applaydu app is available to download for free from both Google Play and the App Store and is compatible devices starting from Android 4.4 and iOS 12.

“We are really proud to partner with Kinder to make this project a reality,” said Alexandre Tan, Vice President of Brand Partnerships & Advertising at Gameloft. “It is incredible to bring our 20 years of gaming expertise to the Kinder brand and their beloved toys in order to craft an app that brings a whole new layer of fun to families, by merging physical and digital worlds in order to expand the traditional play experience.”