There are so many toys on the market and it can be overwhelming for parents to choose which ones they should get. Some toys follow a learning philosophy such as the Montessori method, some follow modern child development principles and research, and some just look really aesthetically pleasing. Our philosophy when it comes to children’s educational materials is simple:
- 1. It must be learning through play
- 2. It should incorporate learning philosophies and modern research without sacrificing aesthetics
- 3. It should be age-appropriate, fun, and safe
The research stage
Even though we have early childhood development experts on our team, we still spend a lot of effort researching current trends in early childhood education. We also comb through scientific literature to ensure we’re up to date with the latest findings and discoveries. Once we have an outline of milestones and objectives for each stage of development, we move on to the toy and storybook conception.
Overall kit objectives
Each kit is designed starting from the learning objectives: what do we want the kit to achieve and how do we achieve it? For example, at around 9 months, most children are ready to practice the pincer grasp. They are also beginning to engage in back-and-forth play, while experimenting with cause and effect relationships. Their language abilities may allow them to understand some common nouns and simple instructions. Taking all these things into account, we can conceptualize what kind of kit to create and what to include in it.
Toy concepts and designs
We consult with experts in different fields including pediatricians, preschool curriculum experts, child development experts, and experienced product designers to create each material. It’s rare to get something perfect on the first try, so we always test with real families to see how we can improve. The first design and final product almost never look alike!
Planning, writing, and illustrating the storybooks
We pride ourselves on our children’s books, written by our in-house creatives who also happen to be experts in child development. Similar to the toys, they plan the objectives of each book and brainstorm storylines, writing styles, and formats. Our in-house illustrator collaborates closely with the writers to ensure a cohesive storytelling experience.
Writing the parent’s guides
Perhaps the most important task is to create a guide that can caregivers can use to play and learn with their children. These guides go through several iterations to ensure they are easy to use, the information is accurate, and that the activities included are suitable and fun. Finally, they are tested with real parents and improved as needed.
The final kit for you and your child
The final kit that is delivered to you is one that has gone through months of deliberation, development, testing, and improvement. Each item is carefully thought out to ensure they stimulate your child’s curiosity and encourage them to explore and learn. We do all the research so that when you get your kit, you and your child can immediately dive in and spend precious time bonding, playing, and learning together.
