Augmented reality picturebooks (ARPBs) combine story content

with printed or spatial anchors, mobile displays, and children’s actions. This

design-based pilot examined three configurations built around the same colour-

mixing story: Basic, branching interactive narrative (BIN), and Embodied.

Eleven children aged 5–6 produced 18 prototype-use records in one-to-one

kindergarten activities. Structured observation, an immediate learning check,

and semi-structured interviews were used to examine feasibility and process

level evidence rather than comparative effectiveness. All configurations were

generally workable with limited adult support. However, operational

completion did not necessarily indicate articulated choice–consequence

understanding; movement could support story-following, spatial exploration, or

off-task drift; and positive affect did not always align with willingness to re-

engage when bodily cost was involved. The findings support process-oriented

evaluation that treats operational independence, articulated choice–consequence

understanding, movement function, affect, and re-engagement as related but

distinct indicators.