WWW.EVERYDAYEXPLORER.COM/AFFILIATE
Aiming to get middle school kids away from the TV and out into the world, Everyday Explorer helps kids plan expeditions in their own neighborhoods, National Geographic-style.

Everyday Explorer offers activity suggestions ranging from mapping their daily routine to grouping foods at the grocery store by origin to interviewing older citizens about how their local landscape has changed. Downloadable PDFs give Explorers detailed instructions and research tips; they can then document their work by uploading images to a digital scrapbook that’s like Flickr for kids. All the activities are based on U.S. National Geography Standards, which means teachers can easily integrate the site’s activities into the classroom.

The site, which is an extension of the National Geographic Channel, was an adventure for Hello Design as well. “We’ve been working for National Geographic for six years, and every project has been unique, from Russian spy submarines to ascending Mount Everest,” says Hello’s David Lai. “But this was one very different challenge—create a site that motivates kids to leave the computer and go outside to explore. It needed to be engaging enough to grab a kid’s attention, but not so deep that they wouldn’t want to leave the computer.”

Hello vowed not to talk down to its audience, making Everyday Explorer every bit as sophisticated as a grown-up site. The intelligent look helped bring both students and their teachers to the program, he says. “It’s been a successful campaign in building kids’ interest in geographical exploration and learning more about the world around them.”
Alissa Walker

HelloDesign
CREATIVE DIRECTORS: David Lai, Hiro Niwa
LEAD DESIGNERS: Casey Sheehan, Midori Yamanaka
PROJECT LEAD: Szu Ann Chen
TECHNICAL LEAD: Hugo Zhu
INTERN: Harald Koebler
CLIENT: National Geographic
CONTACT: www.hellodesign.com