Featured case study
LekkerKids
A live product for comparing Calgary children’s activities in one place.
Helping Calgary parents discover activities, classes, and programs for their children.
The problem
Finding children's activities is surprisingly fragmented.
Parents discover options through search, Facebook, Instagram, advertisements, individual studio websites, and local event blogs. The information is inconsistent and difficult to compare.
What the market revealed
I compared the main discovery channels used by parents and tested demand directly with local studios.
Local directories
Useful coverage, slow comparison. Article-led pages make parents open and interpret multiple sources before they can compare options.
Editorial guides
Good for inspiration, weak for decisions. Key details such as age, schedule, location, and price are difficult to scan side by side.
Social feeds
Strong awareness, incomplete information. Algorithms surface what is promoted or popular, not necessarily what best fits a family.
Studio outreach
Studios wanted visibility too. Some contacted me directly and asked to be added.
Product evolution
I started with a map. Parent behaviour kept pulling the product toward a list.
Map-first
Assumption: location would be the primary way parents discover activities.
Map + Bottom Sheet
Improvement: users could scan activity information without repeatedly opening map markers.
List-first + optional map
Insight: parents were comparing options more often than navigating to a single destination.
Current direction — Studio pages
I’m now testing studio pages that show each provider’s programs, age ranges, and locations in one place.
This is designed to create more value on both sides of the marketplace:
- Parents get better structured information.
- Studios get a more useful presence and a clearer way to reach families.
Results
Visitors reached
Page views
Local studios listed
Studio claim rate among businesses contacted
Learnings & next test
What didn’t work
Traffic proved genuine interest, but it did not create strong retention or conversion. Parents still rely on Google, social media, and word of mouth.
The product needs to earn a place in those existing discovery habits—not simply become a better directory.
Next validation question
Can LekkerKids become useful enough that parents return directly?
- Improve studio and program information
- Build consistent content distribution
- Measure repeat visits and engagement
- Test parent inquiries and studio conversion
