Creating a toy that helps with childhood development while still prioritizing fun!
PROJECT PROMPT
Design a children's toy that connects to an educational and developmental need, corresponding to the age of the user, with certain educational/developmental functions and value.
HOW IMPORTANT IS EAERLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT?
71% of 87 research studies saw enhancements in cognitive skills from educational/structured play.
A UK study of ~11,200 children found that cognitive development changes between ages 5 and 10 significantly influenced adult outcomes, including education level, employment, and mental health.
REDEFINING MY DESIGN GOAL
How might I design a children’s toy that engages memory, problem-solving skills, and attention span in children ages 6 to 8, all while maintaining fun?
INITIAL SKETCHES
For my initial sketches, I tried to go as broad as I could while keeping within the container of my project scope. Additionally, I kept thinking, “Would I have played with this?”
After several rounds of ideating and refining, the feedback I got seemed to point at the “stacking castle game” having the most potential. I further ideated on this idea until I eventually came up with several core features. I then modeled it in Solidworks before rendering it in Keyshot. The core features I wanted to showcase in the renders were:
The use of the outside of the storage box as a playing area.
The different ways the blocks could be used and stacked.
The different angles the “cannon” could be oriented at.
How the “castle side” looked when toppled.
CAD RENDERS
FINAL PRODUCT
Introducing: Castle Stack Attack!
Designed for children ages 6 to 8, Castle Stack Attack can be played alone or with a friend! Roll the dice to determine how many pieces you can use for your “Castle”, build your “Castle” to defend your “King”, line up the “Cannon”, and see how many attempts it takes to topple the “King”! Kids will have a blast while engaging their problem-solving skills, improving their attention span, and fostering socialization with their friends or siblings!