The Brief

Problem Statement: Most parents expect their children to be able to walk, talk, sing, count, and recite their ABC's before they enter elementary school. A growing demand is being placed on infants and toddlers to develop their cognitive abilities and fine motor skills during the first three years of life. As a child approaches one year of age, they are beginning to explore the world around them. Use this curiosity to engage the child and teach developmental skills.

Design Statement: Design, market, and test a multi-use educational toy that teaches a developmental skill.

Target Customer: Parents (Purchasers) and 10-12 month old infants (end users).

Constraints:

- Visually stimulating to a child

- Contains multiple shapes, numbers, and letters

- Meets all health and safety codes

- Weighs less than 4 lbs

- Retail cost under $40

Initial ideation

The first phase of this project consisted of both research and sketching. I had to do extensive research on the existing specifications required of a toy for this age group. In order to ensure the safety of the user, there are regulations on material types, sizes of attachments, adhesives applied, and fillings used. I also needed to educate myself on the abilitys of an infant in this age group, and what activities they are capable of performing, as well as beginning to learn. I was also able to interview parents woth children in this age group. Since the parents are the target purchasers, it is important to understand what they are looking for in toys for their children.