WHY GOOD NOODLE?

In November 2023, I spent Thanksgiving in the hospital with my mom as she recovered from acute perforated diverticulitis. A few days before I was supposed to head back to Penn State for my final semester, my mom started experiencing severe pain again. As I packed a bag with my laptop, tablet, chargers, and snacks for the ER, I asked myself, "What do kids do when they have to go to the hospital?"

Sitting in the uncomfortable ER chairs at UPMC Susquehanna, waiting for her CAT scan results, I pulled out my laptop and began brainstorming ideas. As my mom faced another hospital stay, I realized that the project I was developing—Good Noodle—could help bring some joy to those long, monotonous hospital hours and offer kids a moment of peace amid all the chaos of medical procedures.

As I was wrapping up this project, my mom underwent surgery to prevent any further issues and is doing great!

And voilà—now we have Good Noodle, where kids can be kids! What started as a late-night trip to the ER and an idea jotted down in my notes became a fun, inspirational, and inviting kit that helps kids play and distract themselves from what’s going on around them.

ALL GOOD BRANDS GOTTA START SOMEWHERE

Hospitals can be intimidating, sterile, and boring, especially for young children whose imaginations are always running wild. While children's areas in hospital waiting rooms are often filled with outdated exhibits, old toys, and generic art, Good Noodle aims to offer something different. The brand's goal is to provide fun and imaginative ways for kids to stay entertained, even in such a challenging environment, allowing them to remain playful while giving parents the time they need to manage the situation.

I was tasked with developing a fully realized brand, focusing on creativity and practicality. Along with a brand identity, I researched and designed a product line, including take-home activities, hospital room games, and kid-friendly instructions, with potential for expansion into both physical and digital spaces. The project demonstrated both creative design and a practical solution, resulting in a scalable product that could make a meaningful difference in children's lives. Good Noodle is not just a brand—it's a way to keep kids’ minds wild, even in the most unexpected places.

Good Noodle came from a noodle plush that I got for Valentine’s Day, and the rest was history! That plush was not only the inspiration behind the name but also the entire brand and even our mascot. Mac is not only a kid’s best friend but also a super important ingredient when making the ultimate comfort food! And what kid doesn’t love mac and cheese?

To the right, you will find a glimpse into my extensive research and experimentation when I was developing the branding and deliverables for Good Noodle, including my moodboards, logo versions, color exploration, and more!

WHO IS (A) GOOD NOODLE?

Get it? Creating a brand identity is no joke, and I knew that I needed to get the branding just right—not too childish, but not serious either.

Good Noodle’s brand identity includes a primary and secondary logo as well as an icon. The primary and secondary logos are used across all deliverables, each being applied in certain use cases. The noodle icon is used primarily for any digital assets or social media platforms or small deliverables. You will find that the noodle is tilted at 12° for a few reasons; the main reason being that if it were tilted any further, it would start to look like a different letter. And I’ll be honest, 12 is my favorite number! 

Rainbows symbolize happiness and positivity, and their vibrant colors naturally capture kids’ attention, sparking creativity and imagination. After some research, I chose a non-traditional rainbow palette that includes five colors and an off-white and soft charcoal. At this age, children learn colors through ROYGBIV and associate them with familiar objects, so the color names are inspired by foods kids love—like a cherry popsicle or cotton candy!

The most important part of a brand—besides its visual appearance—is its voice and mission.

_{“At Good Noodle, we believe in the power of play to promote healing and well-being, fostering a sense of positivity and resilience in young patients. By putting the "busy" in "busy bee," we are committed to making hospital stays more bearable for children and families, one fun-filled activity at a time.”}

I wanted the brand voice to be cheerful and optimistic, making messaging lighthearted and approachable. At the same time, it had to be warm and compassionate, reassuring families and kids that we genuinely care about their well-being. The tone is conversational yet professional, balancing a cheerful vibe with a clear commitment to our mission.

Mac Plush

• Provides a sense of comfort with their new BFF!
• Super cute and cozy

‘Paper Plate Creatures’ Craft

• Encourages kids to let their imaginations run wild and be creative! 
• Supplies included: paper plates, self-adhesive googly eyes, crayons

Memory Game

• The perfect match for a super simple game that’s engaging for all ages!
• Includes 25 matches of fun shapes and doodles

Busy Book

• Interactive booklet that balances learning and fun!
• Activities include: connect the dots, coloring, matching, and more!

Tic Tac Toe

• Fun game of strategy with some friendly competition!
• Materials included: acrylic game pieces and gameboard

Activity Kit Box

• Who doesn’t love a 2-in-1 deal?
• Doubles as storage for all your activities and supplies with a Tic Tac Toe board cleverly built right into the lid

GOOD NOODLE IS FOR ALL KIDS ALL OVER THE WORLD

At some point during this process, I realized that Good Noodle shouldn’t only exist within the bland walls of a daunting hospital room, but should be played with by children everywhere. This inspired me to design and mockup an e-commerce site where parents can not only learn more about the brand and the kit that their children received, but parents who have heard about Good Noodle can order their kids an activity kit without needing a trip to a partnering hospital. 

We live in a world that could use more compassion and empathy towards others, so it was extremely important to be inclusive, especially when considering future expansions of Good Noodle. I designed the activity kit so I can easily release special editions, create different versions, and even expand it to cater to specific age groups with more customization. I wanted to be considerate of those who may have an impairment that would hinder their Good Noodle experience, so a future addition to this project would be a digital version of the activity kit that would have accessible features like alt text, voice-to-text, and accessible forms. Future iterations of Good Noodle will ensure every child, regardless of ability or circumstance, can engage with its creativity and joy in an inclusive and accessible way. 

WHY DO WE NEED GOOD NOODLE?

As a society, we can’t seem to escape the phrase, “iPad Kid,” so when I decided to create a brand that is meant to entertain children, I knew that I wanted to stay away from anything that required a screen. You might wonder why I would do that when we live in a world that is so dependent on technology and our devices. When I think of my childhood and the activities that I gravitated towards, it may not have always been a card game or a mess-free craft—much to my mom’s displeasure—but it was something that had me learning and thinking and encouraged me to use my imagination.

Good Noodle puts the “bee” in “busy bee” and makes learning fun and screen-free, giving kids a chance to unplug, let their imaginations take the lead, and discover new ways to have fun while keeping their hands and minds busy the best way we know how—playing!

Credits
Art direction, deliverables, and imagery are self-produced.