In this edition of our Local Creators Spotlight, we’re thrilled to feature Yeoh Xiao Yun, educator, mum of four, and the creative mind behind The Magical Spell, a wordplay card game designed to help children practise spelling through the magic of play.
We caught up with Xiao Yun to learn about the heart behind her game, how it came to life, and why play-based learning is so much more than just fun.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is the woman behind The Magical Spell?
I'm a mum of four amazing kids, aged 11 to 16, and an educator who didn’t actually start out in education. My background is in advertising and sales, but that changed when my firstborn didn’t meet his developmental milestones. Watching him struggle sparked something in me—I wanted to understand how to help him.
That led me down a path of learning everything I could about literacy and child development. I earned qualifications in early childhood education, learning disorder management, and child psychology. I began applying multi-sensory learning methods—and to my surprise, they didn’t just benefit children with learning difficulties. They worked for every child.
2. What inspired you to create The Magical Spell?
Honestly? My kids were just not interested in the typical spelling games. Around the same time, Su Wei (my co-founder at The Talking Oaks) messaged me with a rough idea for a spelling game. That was the spark.
From there, I dove into creating something exciting and magical. I designed fun characters and added playful, fantasy elements to keep kids engaged. We had a test version ready within a month—but it still felt like something was missing.
That’s when The Nurts came in.
3. How did your collaboration with The Nurts come about?
Su Wei introduced us, and it was such a good match from the beginning. Rachel from The Nurts shared her insights on how the cards should look and feel—what would make them visually engaging and kid-friendly.
If you saw our first prototype and compared it to what we have now, it’s a huge difference. The Nurts helped bring the game to life in a way I couldn’t have done alone. It went from “good idea” to something truly magical.
4. What makes The Magical Spell so different from other educational games?
For me, fun always comes first. If a game isn’t fun, kids won’t play it—especially when spelling is involved! So I designed The Magical Spell to be fast-paced, exciting, and full of surprises, with Power Cards with magical elements that shake things up.
Kids are learning without even realising it. They’re spelling, building vocabulary, thinking strategically—and they’re having a blast. That’s the secret sauce.
5. How can parents or educators use the game in different ways?
There’s so much flexibility. You can use it to practise sight words, reinforce spelling rules, play memory or matching games, and even spark conversations about words and meanings.
It’s suitable for kids as young as five, because of its versatility, and older kids enjoy it because of the strategy involved. The best part? My kids always say "YES!" when I ask them to play it.
6. What role do you think play-based learning plays in today’s world?
It’s more important than ever. Screens are everywhere—for both kids and adults—and we’re all feeling the disconnect. Our mission at The Talking Oaks is to use play, not just for learning, but to bring families together.
We want learning to be joyful, and we want games like The Magical Spell to be a tool for reconnection—a bridge between parent and child, built through laughter and curiosity.
7. How has The Nurts Creator Programme supported your journey?
It's been amazing. With The Nurts handling the marketing and distribution, I could focus on creativity and learning from the process without being overwhelmed.
8. Final words: What do you hope children and families take away from this game?
That learning can be magical. That spelling doesn’t have to be boring or stressful. I want kids to feel confident when they spell, and I want parents to rediscover the joy of playing and learning together.
