SEATTLE — Finding the perfect fit for playtime can be kind of tough. But Amanda Friedman, the founder of Seattle-based Babyrific, looked at the challenge as an opportunity to make things easier.
"My daughter was two weeks old and I was parked on the side of the road going through a bunch of blogs and websites, and I was like this is crazy why isn't there an app for this?"
Although she had no experience with startups or engineering, Friedman went to work on the app. After collecting data from various sources, and working with developers, Babyrific was born. Friedman says it's proven to be an invaluable tool.
"Being a new mom or dad in the city, having this simple resource to find all of the fun things to do with your kids is great because we don't have time to go to all these blogs and research what all the fun things are to do."
Through a simple search within the app, you can find a range of activities like parks, playgrounds, museums or even kid-friendly restaurants. You can also use your location to find things that are nearby, and even more helpful is a map built into the app that plots the locations so you can easily see where each place is located. Added filters can also customize results.
A built-in calendar also allows you to save events you're interested in, like library story time or holiday shows. And the list of activities is always growing and changing, because the app is designed to let everyone share their top spots.
"Anyone using the app could add a business, or park, or event," said Friedman.
The sharing capabilities are a big help for moms like Marlene Mejia Weiss, who is a Babyrific user.
"As moms, we're always looking for recommendations from friends, so this is a great and easy way to do that."
But most valuable of all, may be the extra time you can spend building memories.
"It's all about convenience for me," said Mejia Weiss. "Time is so limited, so any way anything can help me figure out planning is such a big help."
"Our time with them is so limited," said Friedman. "It allows us to make every moment count."
Babyrific is currently available to iOS users in Puget Sound, and the Android App is due to be released soon.
Evening is your guide to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Watch it weeknights at 7:30 on KING-TV Ch. 5 or streaming live on KING5.com. Connect with Evening via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Email.
