Cody Block
A simple and engaging app for Cody Block
The Challenge
Cody Block is a wooden toy that introduces young children to programming — screen-free. Using RFID technology, kids guide a small car home by arranging wooden blocks in sequence, creating a tangible and playful approach to computational thinking.
But as the product matured, the team faced a tough challenge: how do you enable firmware updates, bug fixes, and developer tools without compromising the simplicity that makes Cody Block special? The toy had to stay intuitive for families, while becoming more flexible and future-ready behind the scenes.
We designed a minimal, animation-led companion app that enables firmware updates without introducing friction or screen dependency.
Outcomes
Parents are guided through the process with playful, intuitive interactions, no tech knowledge needed.
To support developers, we built a hidden diagnostic mode accessible via a secret button combination. This allows testing, debugging, and future expansion — all without affecting the experience for everyday users.
With this system in place, Cody Block is now both expandable and maintainable. Parents can keep the toy up to date without hassle, and engineers can iterate faster. All while preserving the magic of screen-free play.
Working with the Mettle team was a fantastic experience. The collaboration was smooth, responsive and genuinely enjoyable from start to finish. Kudos to them.
Oscar
Chief Design Officer at QUBS Toys
We worked closely with the Cody Block team to align on both vision and user expectations.
Through rapid prototyping, we explored ways to balance invisible complexity with visible simplicity — testing how updates could feel as seamless and delightful as the toy itself.
Project Summary
Animation played a key role in making the process feel intuitive. And by embedding the developer mode discreetly, we gave engineers the tools they needed without ever disrupting the core user experience.
This collaboration ensured that every feature — from firmware updates to hidden tooling — felt joyful, lightweight, and true to the product's purpose.