Smoothie globe is the result of the cooperation of TOY Design with Tecnodidattica, the Italian leader in the manufacturing and distribution of geographical globes around the world.

At first the project started from a benchmarking of competitors as we wanted to create common knowledge with the company around design drivers that are relevant in the different positioning on the market.

We have concentrated on 3 main aspects of the globe:

• the general shape of globes: this especially changes a lot depending on the age group and on the price;
• the cartography: the main figurative item that can have great impact on the overall perception of the globe and on the intended target group;
• the augmented reality: one of the main features of this new globe

As augmented reality changes radically the experience with the play, we wanted it to be there also on the experience with the object as well. That’s why it has been created a solid arch that allows children to grab the globe and move it around the house. An instinctive gesture that most of us have had in mind but that was not possible, due to the shape/solidity or distance of the arch from the globe.

The wired version of Smoothie has been presented by Tecnodidattica at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2025 with great enthusiasm from distributors, also in the National Geographic version.