What if the antidote to your child’s screen meltdown wasn’t another app — but a body-first moment of connection you could share together?

That’s the beating heart of Hoopla Fun UAE, the gamified family wellness app founded by Jacqueline Perrottet — a mum of two who struggled with anxiety herself and set out to build something she genuinely needed at home. The result is an app that doesn’t chase engagement through addictive design. It quietly hands it back.

In this conversation, Jacqueline walks us through the philosophy behind Hoopla’s Feel it, Move it, Connect approach — and why calming the body first is the fastest path to a calmer mind.

“It’s a lot easier to control and calm your body than it is to calm your mind.”

-Jacqueline

What makes Hoopla different:

* It’s designed for families to use together — not a device you hand a child and walk away from

* Sensory, movement-based activities replace passive screen time

* The app is deliberately free of streaks, reward loops, and notification hooks

* It meets parents in the moment — because as Jacqueline says, “in the moment, you need something simple”

For families in the UAE navigating regional tensions and uncertainty, Hoopla is offering something quietly radical: not a fix, but a focus. The app’s free interactive tools also include parent guides with specific language for talking to children about war, displacement, and change.

👉 Download their free Parent Guide here: hooplafun.com/this-might-help

Key Takeaways

* Body-first emotional regulation is more accessible and easy to understand for young children

* Co-play and family connection are built into the app’s core design

* Digital wellness isn’t about less screen time — it’s about more presence

* Practical, in-the-moment tools matter more to parents than theory

“So many parents come to us and say - we’ve read all the books, done all the courses, but don’t know what to do in that very moment. In the moment, you need something really simple.”

-Jacqueline

Incorporating mindfulness into family life is not only beneficial but necessary in our digital age. By utilizing tools like Hoopla, families can reconnect, communicate better, and cultivate a nurturing environment. Check out Hoopla on iOS and give their meditation a try.

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Raising Calm Kids in Uncertain Times: A Dubai-Mom's Guide to Mindfulness