Dreamkeeper NEW
Pick a helper, then tap a glowing tile.
GEORGE'SDreamkeeper
A slow, cosy garden to wind down in. Worries drift in. Your helpers turn them into happy thoughts, and every happy thought brings you stars to spend.
- 1️⃣Pick a helper at the bottom, then tap a glowing tile to plant it. Start the next wave early for bonus stars. The helpers on the left do the most damage. The three after the dotted line are support: they help the others.
- 2️⃣Worries drift along the path. Helpers turn them into happy thoughts and stars. Tap a helper to upgrade it.
- 3️⃣Mix helpers: slow them down, light them up and calm them, then everything hits harder.
- 💛Every worry becomes a happy thought, and the stars come with it. If one reaches the nest it still turns into a happy thought, but you get fewer stars and the garden is a little less calm.
Choose a level
Make it sleepy
Best before bed, not in it. Sit up, keep the screen dim, and put it away when the timer says goodnight. Screens close to sleep can make it harder to drift off, so this game is made slow and gentle, and it asks you to stop.
If a worry feels big, tell a grown-up you trust. A game can help you feel calmer, but talking helps most. You can also call Childline free on 0800 1111 any time.
Paused
Take your time
Level complete
A quiet garden
Something kind to remember
Take a slow breath and say it quietly to yourself.
Happy thoughts you made
What matters to you?
The garden needs a rest
Let's breathe together
Breathe in slowly…
Then we'll try this wave again. Your helpers are still here.
Moon breathing
Breathe with the moon
Get comfy. We'll start in a moment.
Goodnight, George
Time to rest your eyes
The garden is quiet now. Put the screen away, let your eyes rest, and let your brain wind down.
A thought to sleep on.
Three good things from today
Tap three that fit your day.
Calm Cards
Kind thoughts
Turn a worry into a star to collect its card.
For parents: why it works this way
Dreamkeeper is a game, not a treatment, and it is not a replacement for talking. These are the ideas behind it.
- 🧠Worries are named, then answeredEach enemy is a common "thinking trap" kids' CBT resources use (Fortune Teller, Mind Reader, All-or-Nothing, All My Fault and so on, see Choosing Therapy and Child Mind Institute). When one becomes a star, a kinder thought replaces it. There are over 200 different worried thoughts and kinder replies, and they mix so George rarely sees the same one twice. They cover what children this age most often worry about: school and tests, friends and fitting in, nerves in the body, the dark at night, mistakes and being embarrassed (see Place2Be and the Nemours KidsHealth survey). The kinder replies are honest, not just soothing: they name the feeling, check the facts, and point to a grown-up for bigger things.
- 🌬️Slow breathingThe breathing break is box breathing (in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4), a standard calming exercise (see Raising Children Network).
- 🌟Kind words at the end of each levelWhen a level is clear, George sees what he really did (for example, how many worries he turned into happy thoughts) next to one kind thought. The praise is about effort and coping, not "you're the best", because big claims can backfire when a child does not quite believe them (Wood and others, 2009) and praise for effort supports motivation better than praise for cleverness (Mueller and Dweck). He can also tap what matters to him, a self-affirmation habit. It is one tap and is only saved on his device and account.
- 💛Three good thingsEnding the night on something positive is a low-risk routine. The research behind it is mostly with adults, so treat it as a nice habit, not a cure (see Psychology Today). It uses pick-lists only, so nothing personal is typed or saved.
- 📵Screens and sleepHealth bodies advise screen-free time before bed (see NHS and National Sleep Foundation). So this game is slow, dim and warm, never flashes, has no scores or timers to chase, and ends itself with the sleep timer. It works best earlier in the wind-down, sitting up, not in bed.
- 🛏️Worry talks belong in the daytimeTalking through bigger worries is best done earlier in the day, not in bed (see Connecticut Children's). If a worry is big or keeps coming back, please talk to your child, and to your GP or school if it's affecting sleep or school. Childline (0800 1111, free, UK) is there for children at any time.
🏅 Achievements
Gentle ones. Nothing is timed, and there are no scores to chase.