Bopsy is ten movement games for kids aged 3–9. Your child plays by moving: stepping, jumping, reaching, flapping, dancing and freezing in front of the camera. One or two kids can play together.
Setting up Playing on a TV Turning the camera back on Contact
Setting up
- Prop the device up sideways (landscape), at about waist height, with the camera facing the room. A tripod, a shelf or a stack of books works.
- Make room. Kids stand 2–3 m (7–10 ft) back, so the camera sees them from head to toe, with space to step left and right. The game tells them when to step back or move to the middle.
- Turn the lights on. The camera needs to see the body clearly. A bright room works best; avoid a bright window right behind the kids.
- Pick the age on the home screen: Little (3–5) is slower and more forgiving, Big (6–9) is faster with extra tricks.
- Start a game, or tap Kids pick and let the kids choose one themselves by holding a hand on its picture.
The first time, the app asks to use the camera. Tap Allow. The picture is only used live, on the device, to see the moves: nothing is recorded or sent (see the privacy policy).
Which camera?
In the app's Settings → Camera → Lens:
- Front: the screen faces the kids, so they can see the game on the device itself. Best without a TV.
- Back: a sharper picture. Best when the game is on a TV.
- Wide (on devices with an ultra wide camera): sees the most of the room. Best in small rooms.
The picture is always mirrored, so stepping to your right moves your character right.
Playing on a TV (optional)
A big screen is more fun, but not needed.
- Prop the device up near the TV, as above.
- Open Control Center → Screen Mirroring and pick your Apple TV or AirPlay TV. A USB-C to HDMI (or Lightning to HDMI) adapter works too.
- The TV shows the game, full screen. The phone becomes the grown-up's remote: it shows what the camera sees, with buttons to start, pause, play again, pick another game or quit. Sound plays on the TV.
The Play on TV button on the home screen shows these steps.
How a round goes
- The voice asks the kids to step back until their head and feet are in view.
- "Raise your hands to play!" Each kid who wants to play holds both hands up. Two kids play side by side; one kid plays alone.
- 3, 2, 1, Go! A round lasts 1, 2 or 3 minutes (Settings → Game → Round). Nobody loses: mistakes just slow you down for a moment.
- At the end: 1 to 3 stars, the score, and a cheer for a new best. Hands up to play again.
- If a kid walks out of view, the game pauses and waits for them to come back.
Hands on the head (both hands, elbows out, held for a moment) pauses the game and shows a menu, so kids can stop or pick another game without walking to the device.
Touch mode
Every game can also be played by one child on the touch screen, without the camera. It's handy for trying a game out, or when there's no room to move. Turn it on in the app's Settings → Camera → Controls → Touch.
- Tap or swipe left and right to step; tap the middle or swipe up to jump.
- In Bubble Pop and Balloon Volley your finger is a hand: touch the bubbles, or swipe the balloon up.
- In Flap & Fly, tap to flap, or hold a finger down to keep flapping.
- In Freeze Dance, move your finger around to dance (draw a circle to spin), and stop to freeze.
- In Copy the Monkey and Hop to the Answer, tap the right picture.
- In Day & Night, hold a finger down to sleep and lift it to wake up.
If the camera is off
If you tapped Don't Allow earlier, the app says "Camera access is off" and switches to touch controls. To turn the camera back on:
- Open the device's Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Bopsy.
- Switch Camera on. Then go back to the game.
If the Camera switch is missing or grey, camera use may be limited by Screen Time: check Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Allowed Apps (Camera must be on).
Questions
Does the app record my child?
No. The camera picture is processed live on the device and thrown away. No photos, video or body data are saved or sent, and the app does not connect to the internet.
Is there anything to buy, any ads or an account?
No. No purchases, no ads, no accounts, no links out of the app.
The game doesn't see my child.
Check that the whole body, head to feet, is in the picture (the phone shows the camera view), that the room is bright, and that the child is facing the device. Move the device back, or try the Wide lens. Loose, dark clothing in a dark room is the hardest to see.
A grown-up in the background keeps getting picked.
The game prefers the kid standing front and centre over people further back, like a grown-up on the sofa. Between rounds, a grown-up can also tap the right child in the camera picture on the phone.
Jumps or steps are missed.
Make sure the feet are in view and there's enough light. Big, clear moves work best. A device that is very warm runs the camera more slowly; let it cool down, and take it out of a thick case.
Can two kids play?
Yes, all ten games. Both kids raise their hands to join and stand side by side, each in their half of the picture. (Touch mode is for one player.)
Can I change the language?
Yes: Settings → Game → Language: English or Srpski (Serbian). The voice, the words on screen and the letters in Hop to the Answer all switch.
Can I turn the voice or music off?
Yes: Settings → Game → Voice, and Sounds (music and sound effects).
Who is the voice?
The voice is AI-generated: computer-made speech, recorded ahead of time and built into the app.
Does it work on iPad?
Yes, iPhone and iPad, held sideways, with iOS 17 or later.
How do I reset the best scores?
Deleting and reinstalling the app clears the settings and best scores.
Contact
Something not working, or an idea for a game? Write to hello@bopsy.app. Please tell us which device you have and which game it was.