# PreOpApp Kids — Making surgery less scary > Interactive app to reduce children's fear and anxiety before surgery. (iPhone/iPad app by LN Welsh MD Anesthesiologist, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preopapp-kids/id6752910839 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [LN Welsh MD Anesthesiologist, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1841684340) - Category: Education, Health & Fitness - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.90/5 from 15 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 1.0 GB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-03-15 - Data updated: 2026-09-06 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preopapp-kids/id6752910839/reviews.md ## What is PreOpApp Kids? PreOpApp™ Kids is a patent-pending pediatric surgery preparation app with innovative technology designed to make preparing for surgery easier and less stressful for children and families. Created by a pediatric anesthesiologist, PreOpApp™ Kids helps parents and caregivers prepare their child for surgery and anesthesia with child-friendly education, calming tools, fasting reminders, stories, and interactive activities. Key Features: Interactive Games: Engaging, age-appropriate activities that help children become familiar with the hospital and operating room environment while encouraging calm breathing, focus, and emotional regulation. Practice blowing into the anesthesia mask with Little Hottie™! Also practice making a calming, centering Mandala that will sync with your child’s heart rate on the day of surgery with Mandala Sync™! Friendly Characters: A spark of courage flame (Little Hottie™), a cheerful goldfish, a cuddly sheep, a curious kitten, and other companions guide children through their surgical journey with warmth and reassurance. Kid-Friendly Hospital Preparation: Visual storytelling helps children understand what happens before surgery, reducing fear of the unknown and helping them feel more prepared. Download the Dream Fetcher interactive book today, available in the Kid Zone of PreOpApp™ Kids. Smart Guidance: Gentle, timely reminders that support surgical preparation, reduce last-minute stress, ease the burden on busy families, and help everyone stay on track. Enter your child’s arrival time for their surgery and this app will tell you what to do next to prepare your child. No stress. Future versions of PreOpApp™ Kids are designed to support secure integration with hospital systems to further improve communication between families and their surgical and anesthesia teams. Parent Resources: Practical guidance and tips for caregivers to help prepare their child for surgery with confidence. Beyond Preparation: Utility on the Day of Surgery Clinical Support: PreOpApp™ Kids can be used by anesthesiologists, CRNAs, CAAs, child life specialists, and other anesthesia team members to help support calmer transitions during induction of anesthesia. It can also support children in the preoperative holding area and provide comfort during transport to the operating room. Physiology-Responsive Experiences: A key innovation of PreOpApp™ Kids is that its games gently synchronize with a child’s natural breathing rhythm and heart rate. Visual and audio elements flow in real time with the child, creating a calming, immersive experience that supports connection and comfort during anesthesia induction. Motivational Challenges: Interactive games that invite children to remember playful details as they drift off to sleep — a modern, engaging alternative to familiar counting challenges like “How high can I count?” during anesthesia induction or counting sheep to fall asleep. Buy Mandala Sync™ today in the Kid Zone of PreOpApp™ Kids. Why PreOpApp™ Kids? Surgery can be overwhelming for children and families. By blending evidence-based approaches with engaging games and interactive technology, PreOpApp™ Kids makes preparation feel less scary and more empowering.  Children learn what to expect, families feel supported, and the hospital experience becomes calmer for everyone involved. Created by a pediatric anesthesiologist, PreOpApp™ Kids is designed to complement the care children receive in hospitals while giving parents peace of mind that their child feels safe, supported, and ready. PreOpApp™ Kids: Turning surgery prep into a journey of learning, confidence, and calm — from at home to the operating room. Educational guidance is based on published anesthesia guidelines and supporting literature: sources available inside the app. ## Key features - Interactive games for hospital familiarization - Friendly characters for reassurance - Kid-friendly visual preparation stories - Smart reminders for surgical preparation - Parent resources and guidance - Physiology-responsive calming experiences - Motivational challenges for anesthesia induction ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Little Hottie | $2.99 | one-time | | Dream Fetcher Book | $9.99 | one-time | | Mandalasync Game | $2.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preopapp-kids/id6752910839/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Give it a try! *2026-09-02* This unique app can be used in the perioperative environment to familiarize kids with the OR and to help reduce anxiety about surgery. A handy tool for anesthesia providers, and very informative for parents as well. ### 5/5 — Making tough times easier for kids *2026-08-23* This app is filled with lots of great information that helps parents and kids alike. Between the info and the games, it offers a great crossover to make those difficult conversations with kids about surgery and procedures a little easier. ### 5/5 — Excellent Tool for Kids and Parents *2026-04-01* This app is just what the doctor ordered for alleviating perioperative anxiety for young children having surgery. Screen time with a little surgery and anesthesia buddy like “Little Hottie” keeps kids minds off of the unknown and helps them engage with their environment, leading to less anxiety and worry. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Great resource! *2026-03-18* So impressed to have found an app that helps kids prep for surgery and it’s all created by a pediatric anesthesiologist! Try it out! ### 5/5 — Kid surgery *2026-03-16* This is an amazing app for kids that are getting ready for surgery! ### 4/5 — recommend *2026-03-16* Very good application to help children understand and prepare for an operation. The explanations are simple and reassuring. I recommend to parents **Developer response:** Thank you so much for your review! We appreciate your time and opinion! Sincerely, Lauren Welsh, PreOpApp Kids Founder ## Frequently asked questions about PreOpApp Kids ### What is PreOpApp Kids? PreOpApp Kids is an educational app designed to help children and their families prepare for surgery. It uses interactive games, friendly characters, and visual storytelling to reduce fear and anxiety, making the hospital experience calmer. ### How does PreOpApp Kids help children before surgery? It familiarizes children with the hospital and operating room environment through engaging games, teaches them what to expect with visual stories, and offers smart reminders to ease preparation. The app also features physiology-responsive experiences that synchronize with a child's breathing and heart rate for a calming effect. ### Is PreOpApp Kids suitable for all ages? PreOpApp Kids is designed for children and has an age rating of 4+. Its content and interactive elements are tailored to be age-appropriate for younger audiences preparing for medical procedures. ### What kind of parent resources are available in PreOpApp Kids? The app provides practical guidance and tips for caregivers to help them prepare their child for surgery with confidence. These resources aim to support families throughout the surgical journey and reduce last-minute stress. ### Can PreOpApp Kids be used by medical professionals? Yes, PreOpApp Kids can be utilized by anesthesiologists, CRNAs, CAAs, child life specialists, and other anesthesia team members. It can support calmer transitions during anesthesia induction and provide comfort in preoperative areas. ### Does PreOpApp Kids have ads? No, PreOpApp Kids does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use, focusing on providing a stress-free experience for children and families without commercial interruptions. ### What devices support PreOpApp Kids? PreOpApp Kids is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed to be accessible on Apple's mobile operating systems. ### How often is PreOpApp Kids updated? The latest version of PreOpApp Kids is 1.2, and it was last updated on March 31, 2026. Future versions are planned to support integration with hospital systems. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.3.6 — 2026-09-05 Improved UI ### 1.3.5 — 2026-06-30 Updated Book Audio. ### 1.3.4 — 2026-06-19 Added Parent Education Resources: Including How to Prepare a Child for Surgery. ### 1.3.3 — 2026-05-09 Dream Fetcher Book - Audio Updated ### 1.3.2 — 2026-04-16 Dream Fetcher book has been added --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-06.*