BA Final Project, Toy design - playmate, Logo design

BA Final Project, Toy design - playmate Design concept

Playmate – the nature series

Different series will have different theme. The packaging, the colors and the illustrations will be altered and distinct according to the theme, but the same style will be kept. Target audiences can mix up those series and create their own structures and art works. Nature series is the first theme for the toy.

This series is about plants and animals. Penguin, whale, chick, rabbit, owl, cutlet fish, fish, bird, mushroom and flowers are the illustrations on the mats, magnet stickers and packaging. The detail design concept of the mats, magnet stickers and packaging are as the follows.

Main product – Playmate, The mat

There are different shapes of Playmate in each set. For the nature series, there are 23 mats with 16 different shapes. The shapes are squares, circles and triangles, both are in puzzle forms. Those 3 basic shapes can make the biggest creative space for kids. There are some ‘+’ die-cut on some of the mats. Those die-cuts allow children to have more options to create 3D models or something more creative. By the use of creative thinking and imaginations, children can build their own 2D or 3D structures whoever on their own, with parents, or with friends.

The surface of the mat is for drawing and sticking. There are also some theme illustrations in mono tone on some mats. Children can use the color pens to paint and stick the magnet stickers on both side of the surface, to create or to decorate their 2D/3D structures. The surface of the mat is waterproof. The drawing is removable with water and towel if it is drew from the color pens provided. Furthermore, the surface is magnetized. Kids can stick magnet stickers provided or their own magnet stickers on the mats. The magnet stickers help to inspire them and lead the way for better creative thinking.

Since this is a nature series, light and clean colors have been used for the mat. Those colors create a fresh, clean and natural feeling.

Magnet stickers

There are 10 magnet stickers with different illustrations and 13 blank magnet stickers in the nature series of Playmate. These illustrated magnet stickers help to inspire children’s creative thinking and artistic creativity. These illustrated magnets act as visual inspiration for the users, encouraging them to paint their own art on the blank magnet stickers and the mats. They can create their own magnet stickers by drawing and cutting. Furthermore, the waterproof surface on both illustrated and blank magnet stickers are especially designed for drawing and cleaning. Drawing with the color pens that comes with the package on the magnet stickers also can be cleaned by water and towel.

Color pens

17 color pens are provided with the color gold and silver. Different colors can inspire children’s creative thinking and artistic creativity. Those color pens are non-toxic and can be cleaned by water and towel. Therefore, all the paints with those color pens on waterproof surface also can be cleaned. This is very environmental friendly for use less paper and save the earth.

Packaging

There are 3 packages for the nature series: the main package, the color pens package and the magnet stickers package. They both have waterproof surface, therefore, children can treat them as canvas too! The dots design on/inside the packages is not just for decoration and make them like a set, it also helps to inspire children’s creative thinking visually. The colors of the main package is different from the mats, they are more sharp colors. The main package is very eye-catching which is good for promotion, and, it gives visual inspiration for target audiences.

Instruction menu

The mushroom man is the main character created to be a guiding creature in the instruction manual. The mushroom man, along with simple and big wordings, is used in the manual to allow for easy understanding for children. The surface of the instruction menu, like the Playmates, is waterproof thus can be another form of canvas for users.

Logo design
The brand ‘Playmate’ no only means the product – ‘a mat’, it more importantly represents a ‘mate’. ‘Playmate’ means ‘play with mate’, sharing and communicating with each other. Three basic shapes for the mats – triangle, square and circle, with the main elements from the design – ‘+’ shape and dots pattern – form the emotion and human nature logo. It helps to remind people that this product is not just for single person use, it can be shared, played and created with your friends and family.

Conclusion

Many educators and professionals suggest that creative thinking is very important in helping children’s all-rounded development. It helps children solve problems by themselves and observe and learn from their surroundings. And since children are the future for our society, for long-term investment, creative training can help to improve and make progress for society.

Currently, many children’s toys are electronic or video games. The majority of those games focus most on visual stimulus but lack means of communication between people and creativity inspiration. Playmate is a product which can develop children’s creative thinking and artistic creativity, provide physical training (eyes and hands), as well as encourage children to communicate and share with others. Those are the basic needs for children, not just visual impulse.