Toy Design Workshop Spring 2008

Class 1 Jan 24:

Introduction , and discussion, here are a few ideas for thought and discussion:
- What is the difference between toys and games.
- Are all toys interactive ?
- Should toys be designed gender-specific?
- Is it enough for a toy to just be fun ?
- Toys used to be adaptations/simplifications of real objects to help kids pretend they are grownups (small kitchen and pots, model cars and power tools) but now many toys indulge into the kids fantasy world (transformers combining robots and dinosaurs etc.) Is this the way of the future, is it OK?
- Do smart and enticing toys reduce the motivation of children to socialize (and their skills ) as computer games are said to do.
- Is there a specific aesthetic for children, is there a different design language for boys and girls ?
- Any really good or bad toys you wish to discuss ?
- Any initial ideas for toys ?
Also does anyone in class have access to:
- Children – to view, interview and later test the designs .
- Teachers, psychologists to interview and review our designs
- Toy makers / designers. To interview and review our designs
Describing subject of short term design, assigning groups for short term design assignment.
- Short term design assignment - design a toy based on the concept of amplifications i.e.. making small things big, making weak things strong, making soft sounds loud and in general empowering the kids with extra abilities.
Describing and example of toy critique, and signup for toy critiques along the semester

presentations of short term design group assignments. Assigning research topics to groups.
Research topics:
- What’s out there – A survey of toys available for the age group 5 –10 . The goal is to try and categorize the toys by the official parameters such as, age and gender, but more importantly try to come up with new categories such as educational, motor skills, fantasy, aspiration, open-ended-ness, smart-toys, construction, group / individual etc.
- How they play – Observe children at play, with and without toys. Try to isolate groups of behavior, are there similarities and differences between genders, ages, groups vs individual . Do children play differently in a supervised environment ? Do they use the toys as intended ? what props to they use when toys are not available. Ask them which toys they love most and why. Try to observe as many children as possible in as many situations. Check the literature for observations on children play and development.
- What grownups think – Talk to teachers, parents and scholars (school of education, child psychologists ) what they think the roll of toys is in a child’s development. What educational / developmental / emotional goals should toys address. What toys are good and bad in their perspective. Books / articles/ web sites about toy design and child psychology.