Shamandarشمندر
The host
Stories from the souq and beyond
The stories you grew up with,in their hands.
Shamandar is a screen-free Arabic storyteller you build together. Tap a picture card on the glowing seed in its chest, and it tells a story.
Reserve a founding kit $149Concept preview · not taking orders yet
Shamandar is a little beet who knows every story in the souq. Tap a card on its chest and it tells one, in Arabic. No screen. No scrolling. Just stories, songs, and the sound of home for kids growing up far from it.
Shamandar never tells stories alone.
One seed, many friends, starting with his little sister, Shamandoora. Move the seed, and a new friend wakes up.
Shamandooraشمندورة
The riddler
Riddles and guessing games
Batinjanباذنجان
The dreamer
Bedtime stories and lullabies
Rummanaرمانة
The singer
Songs, rhymes and nasheeds
Jazarجزر
The explorer (coming soon)
Science, animals and adventures
Liftلفت
The gentle one (coming soon)
Feelings, calm and kindness
Teenaتينة
The wise one (coming soon)
Folk tales and proverbs
A card for every story.
Every card is one story, song or lullaby. Kids pick by picture, so they don't need to read yet. Packs add six cards at a time: Bedtime, Souq, Ramadan and more.
A new story every week.
- 10stories in the box
- +12bonus for founding kits
- 4a month with Story Club
Make it yours.
Paint it, swap it, or see inside it.
Build it together.
Three steps, about ten minutes. Every part fits only one way and clicks when it’s in. Your kid puts on the last piece.
- 1
Plant the seedPress the body onto its feet, then push the seed into its chest. The electronics come sealed inside it. - 2
Put its head onPress it down until it clicks. This part is your kid's. - 3
Tap the hello cardShamandar wakes up and says أهلا. The Shamandar app on your phone joins it to your Wi-Fi.
One app, for grown-ups.
Kids never need a screen. Just the cards.
Wi-Fi setup
Bedtime timer
Story Club
Made for bedtime.
At night the seed glows a soft, warm amber, never blue, and a sleep timer fades the story out. Same friend, same goodnight, every night.
What's in the box.
- The seedBoard, speaker and battery, sealed inside
- One friendFeet, body, head and leaves. Your pick of four at launch.
- 10 story cardsPlus the hello card
- 12 Story Club cardsThree months of new stories. Founding kits only.
- USB-C cableFor charging
- Picture guideNo words needed
Parts sit in the box in build order, with picture instructions that work in any language.
Questions.
No. Four parts snap together, each fits only one way, and the electronics come sealed in the seed.
Ages 4 to 10. Younger kids build it with a grown-up, and older ones can do it alone. Not for children under 3.
Yes. Stories stream, and you connect it once with the Shamandar app. It beeps the moment a card touches the seed, so kids know it heard them.
No. The kit and its cards work without it, and every card you have keeps playing if you stop. Founding kits include the first three months. We'll set the monthly price before they ship.
No. It has no microphone and no camera. It only sends the card's number to fetch the story.
It works best with you. Children learn a language from people, so stories end with a question to talk about together. Each pack says whether it's in Fusha or a dialect.
We're building the prototype now. Founding kits ship after testing.