GENTLE GIANT POUNDING BENCH PROJECT

Brief:

• age group 1/2 yo
• Product max size 15×22 cm
• Product features: Activity, Colorful, Product Quality, Design Quality, Safety
• Purpose: Skill building toy
• Assets: injection molding + local craftmanship
• Innovation factor: 7/10

RESEARCH

The project started from a benchmarking activity, both in the market and in the informal domain. This led to a set of toy typologies we could enter with a new design: Sensory toys, Musical toys, Transportation toys, Role play toys, etc… We analyzed these in order to extract age-specific play principles and requirements that could lead us to Design Guidelines that could generate different concepts.

DESIGN

Design directions we created went in 2 basic directions: a wheeled mechanical animal and a balls-eating animal. Starting from here we created different design proposals initially exploring with sketches showing the basic functions and the general look.

The selected concept was an elephant, an important animal to the Indian culture. It has a hammering tail and wheels on feet, where wheels are actually the same balls that are used for the pounding activity, just stacked underneath the elephant’s paws. So we had the first play function: an animal that could move in all directions.

The second play function is the hammering, the third play function is the ball slide (through the elephant’s nose tilted backwards) and the forth play function is the feeding (by rotating the head a mouth hole opens). Moreover, the possibility to open the 2 shells of the body allows children at this age to explore the concepts of “what’s inside?” and use the body as storage for balls.

DEVELOPMENT

From the concept we have developed the 3D file to verify dimensioning and functionality of the toy. The toy has been produced into 3 parts + balls and hammering tail. We have lead and coordinated the mold making in order to make sure all draft angles and functional parts were appropriately dimensioned and had the right tolerances.

The result has been an enjoyable toy with exceptional play features and cost compliance. Children, now enjoy!

Manufacturer: Avion Toys