Cupcake Digital and Discovery Communications Announce New Animal Planet Apps for Kids

Deluxe activity apps incorporate Common Core State Standards to enhance literacy and critical thinking skills for kids ages 4-7

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cupcake Digital, Inc. announced today a partnership with Discovery Communications to create a series of original, deluxe activity apps for preschoolers and kindergarteners under the Animal Planet brand. The first interactive activity app is Animal Planet’s Hide & Seek Pets featuring images of domestic pets including dogs, cats, birds, fish, rabbits and turtles. Young learners will engage in a story infused with stimulating activities that help them look beyond what they already know about each animal. Using the interactive format, children can develop vocabulary skills through various games, puzzles, tracing, sequencing and sorting activities.

“Our proven method for building high-quality apps that blend entertainment and education is a natural fit for Animal Planet’s next foray into the transcreation of their world-class content”

Cupcake Digital has identified a need for tools that help parents prepare their children for new Common Core State Standards being adopted in 47 states in the 2013 and 2014 school year. The Common Core standards are designed to prepare children in grades K-12 for college, careers and a global economy. The series of apps will focus on bringing to life the exciting world of animals, species and habitats in playful games that encourage learning.

“The Animal Planet brand allows children to engage with the full range of life in the animal kingdom through an array of games, toys and books dedicated to increasing curiosity and familiarity with the world around them,” said Elizabeth Bakacs, Vice President of Licensing, Animal Planet. “This new partnership with Cupcake Digital allows us to fulfill a growing need for parents who have trusted our brand to deliver high-quality products for their kids.”

“Our proven method for building high-quality apps that blend entertainment and education is a natural fit for Animal Planet’s next foray into the transcreation of their world-class content,” said Cupcake Digital co-founder Susan Miller. “As more and more families look to tablets and smartphones as a source of learning, we have determined that the new Common Core Standards are a priority. Our team of developers and primary education experts create fun-filled apps and activities for world-class media brands that are aligned with the new curriculum.”

The apps will be available on Apple, Amazon, Google Play and Barnes and Noble platforms.

About Cupcake Digital

Cupcake Digital, Inc. was established in June 2012 with the intent of transforming children’s entertainment properties into deluxe story experiences infused with educational elements. Its first venture into digital applications was based on the Emmy Award-winning television series “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” These apps immediately rose to #1 and #3 among children's book apps on Amazon and iTunes respectively. Since then, every subsequent children’s app created by Cupcake Digital has achieved a top 10 rating on Amazon. Headquartered in NYC, Cupcake Digital was founded by proven professionals in the fields of technology, family entertainment, publishing and brand marketing. In October of 2012, Cupcake Digital received its first round of private funding and has since gone on to partner with additional major children's entertainment properties. For more information about Cupcake Digital Inc., please visit www.cupcakedigital.com.

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.