Inspiring Creativity Through Playful Design

Creative Lead for Kids Products & EdTech

I design playful, mindful products for kids that spark imagination, build emotional skills, and deliver real learning outcomes. From bestselling paper toy books to an AI-powered wellness app, I turn ideas into products kids love and parents trust.

View My Work

Brian Castleforte

I’m Brian Castleforte, a motion designer, illustrator, and creative director with a passion for creating engaging products for children. My work includes two published paper toy books, the AI-powered emotional wellness app ReflectoBot, and the mindfulness-and-creativity platform CreatableMe. I help brands, toy companies, and EdTech organizations develop products that blend creativity, storytelling, and mindful learning — from concept to prototype to launch.

Featured Projects

CREATABLE ME

A mindfulness and creativity platform I created to help families connect, reduce stress, and spark imagination through simple, playful practices.

REFLECTOBOT

An interactive AI-powered wellness app for kids that helps them explore emotions through conversation, creativity, and play. Designed to build empathy, resilience, and self-awareness in a fun, engaging way, ReflectoBot is currently in early development and already generating excitement among educators and parents.

NICEBUNNY

An animated series concept featuring a badass, smart-mouthed rabbit who takes on humanity’s wrongs while fighting for animals, the environment, and those without a voice. Currently in development, with the pitch deck available by request.

WACK IN THE BOX

Earlier in my career, I created Wack in the Box, a quirky iPhone app that combined a virtual pet monster with papertoy collectibles. It was ahead of its time in blending digital + physical play, and it still informs how I think about engagement today.

PAPERTOY MONSTERS

A bestselling papertoy book I created featuring 50 wild, buildable monsters from top designers around the world, bringing DIY play to life.

PAPERTOY GLOWBOTS

My second papertoy book featuring 46 futuristic robots designed to glow in the dark, sparking kids’ creativity and imagination with hands-on play.

Services

I create playful, mindful experiences that captivate kids and inspire learning. From rapid concept sprints to character IP, product design, and launch content, my services blend creativity, storytelling, and technology to bring meaningful kids’ products and EdTech solutions to life.

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Concept Sprints

A 3-week rapid process to develop 3 strong ideas, 1 testable prototype, and a clear roadmap for next steps.

In just three weeks, I take your idea from rough concept to a clear direction with 3 creative options and 1 testable prototype.

✅ Why it matters: You get fast, tangible results to test with kids, parents, or educators before investing in full production.

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Character IP & Visual Systems

Design a unique hero character (plus sidekicks), a color palette, expression sheets, and usage rules that bring your brand to life.

From hero characters to complete worlds, I design engaging mascots and visual systems that bring your product to life.

✅ Why it matters: Memorable characters build loyalty, spark imagination, and give your product an identity kids will instantly connect with.

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Product Design for Kids

UX flows, content models, and motion prototypes designed with kid safety, accessibility, and engagement in mind.

I craft user experiences, learning flows, and playful interactions that are safe, accessible, and fun.

✅ Why it matters: Thoughtful design ensures kids stay engaged while parents and educators see real educational value.

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Launch Motion Pack

Professional motion assets to make your launch stand out, including a product trailer, walkthrough, and social media cuts.

Dynamic trailers, walkthroughs, and social-ready motion graphics to showcase your product at its best.

✅ Why it matters: High-quality visuals help you stand out, attract attention, and build excitement at launch.

People are already excited about ReflectoBot —

here’s what they’re saying on social:

“I love the concept of your app, lots of young people could benefit from this.”

Comment on X

“this is beautiful work…so simple, warm, and needed. Can feel the heart in it. Big respect” 🙌🏼

Comment on LinkedIn

“This is really awesome! I really would love this for my kids!”