About Salon Nova
A note for parents, teachers and anyone else holding the tablet.
I'm just a mom. I got tired of handing my kid a "free" game for ten minutes, only to watch it fill up with ads made to trick little fingers into tapping, and paywalls pushing me to upgrade for something simple. Sometimes you just need ten minutes to cook dinner or answer an email, and that shouldn't come with a sales pitch.
So I made the game I wanted to hand over. No ads, no sign-up, no upsells, and nothing your child does ever leaves the device.
Salon Nova is a mom-in-tech effort to push back on advertising aimed at children. My passion is making changes online that are safe, research-based and private, and this game is one small way to show it can be done.
The point isn't more screen time
Salon Nova isn't meant to add screen time. It's meant to make the screen time kids already get count for more. Kids here make things instead of watching things. They mix colors, design a look, meet a friend from each continent and pick up a fun fact along the way. It's a small, friendly first step into STEM and the idea that technology is something you can create with.
What the research says. How kids use a screen matters more than the clock alone. One study of 5-year-olds found passive screen time (like watching videos) was linked to weaker thinking and social skills, while active screen time was linked to better vocabulary and science scores. The U.S. Department of Education also encourages active use, like design and making global connections, over passive use.
Time still matters, though. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends about one hour a day or less of high-quality content for ages 2 to 5, ideally with a grown-up nearby. Playing together, even for a few minutes, helps most.
What kids practice
- Geography: six continents, one friend from each, and how to say hello in their language
- Fun facts about each place, read aloud for kids who can't read yet
- Colors, mixing and making creative choices, including picking any skin color
- Cause and effect, fine motor skills and finishing a creation they can save
Send me your feedback
What does your kid love? What confused them? What should we decorate next? I read every note.
questions@playsalonnova.comHelp keep it free
Salon Nova will always be free to play, with no ads and nothing to unlock. If it bought you ten quiet minutes and you'd like to chip in for the domain and new levels, you can leave a small tip. It's completely optional, and this button only lives here on the grown-ups page, never inside the game.
Leave a tipTips are not tax-deductible donations.
Salon Nova is free. No ads, no tracking, no accounts.