Archives for February 2025

The user I choose for my project 2 is my cat. Since I cannot interview him directly, I make some observations to better understand him.

He is a little bit lazy and loves sleeping under the sunshine.

Sometimes he would sit by the window watching the flying insects, showing an interest in movement.

He also likes biting leaves of potted plants to grind his teeth.

The sound of bells could also catch his attention easily. He likes catching teaser stick with bell and feather. However, this requires human interaction.

He likes to play twining yarns, scratching with his claws or biting with his teeth. Yet, yarn poses a safety hazard if ingested.

I used to buy him some toy fish before, but he lost interest in them quickly.

Besides, as a cat, some colors may be more eye-catching for him and he loves the fluffy material.

Based on these observations, I aim to design a toy that will maintain his interest over time, is safe for solo play, and stimulates his natural instincts.

Consequently, here are my drafts for the toy.

1. Soft Plush with a Bell Inside
   • Concept: A soft plush toy with a small bell enclosed inside, making a gentle sound when my cat plays with it.
   • How It Works:
     • Made of soft, fluffy fabric, such as fur, providing a comfortable texture for biting and pedaling.
     • Inside the plush toy is an embedded bell that makes a ringing sound when the cat paws at, or tosses the toy.
     • Designed in interesting shapes, such as a small bird or fish.
2. Bell Ball with Fixed Yarns
   • Concept: A rolling ball with attached short yarn strands, combining sound, texture, and movement to stimulate cat’s play instincts.
   • How It Works:
     • The main structure is a lightweight, durable ball (rubber or plastic) with a small bell inside, making a sound when rolled.
     • Multiple short yarn strands are securely attached to the surface, adding texture for cats to paw and bite safely.
     • The combination of rolling movement, sound, and yarns makes it engaging and attractive.

3. Solar-Powered “Bug Shadow” Tracking Disk

   • Concept: A transparent disk that can be placed by the window, using light refraction to project moving “bug” shadows onto the floor or wall for the cat to chase.
   • How It Works:
     • The transparent disk features reflective surfaces that manipulate sunlight to create dynamic shadow movements.
     • The shadows shift naturally with changes in light, mimicking the crawling motion of insects and encouraging the cat to “catch” them.

 

Here is the link of our slides:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17pXZS9cCpKPggkKJ8ciks_TBtnXfP9luVjgQuN4_znA/edit?usp=sharing

Do you think gender-neutral toy marketing is effective in breaking stereotypes, or do children naturally gravitate toward traditionally “gendered” toys?

• I choose this question because of the inspiration I got from the article about gendered toy. In that article, Elizabeth Sweet’s research on gendered toy marketing highlights that modern toys are actually more gendered than those from 50 years ago. Disney Store also labeled toys as “for boys” or “for girls,” despite many of them being gender-neutral. This suggests that marketing plays a significant role in reinforcing gender norms rather than simply reflecting children’s natural preferences.
• Similarly, the toy sewing machines were used to shape children’s roles in society. Early toy sewing machines were primarily marketed to girls to prepare them for domestic responsibilities or future jobs, while toys associated with building and engineering were targeted at boys. This marketing approach likely influenced children’s toy choices, rather than their choices being purely innate. Even the toy sewing machine now positions itself as the neutral toy, its first impression still remains.
• Gendered marketing has lasting influence. If gender-neutral toy marketing were widely adopted, it could help break down stereotypes and encourage children to explore a wider range of interests. However, it requires consistent effort from all dimensions, like toy companies, parents, and educators.

 

Why “Design For Play” is better than just “Designing Toys” for Cas Holman? What is the difference? Do you agree with this?

• I like the idea of “Design For Play”. From my understanding, “Design For Play” focuses on creating experiences and leaves people more autonomous playing space. On the other hand, “Designing Toys” means creating an object with a specific function and limited users’ creativity. So that the idea of “Design For Play” allows user to create from imaginations rather than simply following instructions, which highlights the process of creativity and innovation.

 

How does Cas Holman’s definitions of toy and play align or differ from what you defined last week?

• Cas Holman defines “toy” as a tool to stimulate creativity and defines “play” as an intuitive process.
• While I thought toy is the object gathering designer’s creative ideas and play is the action allowing recreation.
• Her definition of toy highlights designers’ efforts in encouraging users’ creativity and extends play to an intuitive and continuous learning process rather than a short-time action.

 

Discuss in the concept of “Play Value” as you understand that term from the movie or other resources. Analyze your favorite from this point of view. Are there any skills that this toy allowed you to learn when you played with it?  

• “Play Value” refers to the engagement, creativity, and learning a toy provides. High play value means a toy can be used in multiple ways, encourages skill development, and remains engaging over time.
• From this perspective, jigsaw puzzles have moderate play value because:

1. 1. They help develop skills like problem-solving and pattern recognition.
   2. They offer a clear goal, providing a strong sense of accomplishment.
   3. However, they have only one play method and fixed solution.

• The skills I learned from the puzzle is problem-solving, pattern recognition, patience and focus.

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Why is/was this your favorite toy?

• My favorite toy is jigsaw puzzle, as it is a good way to kill the time especially during the break. The process of assembling pieces is both relaxing and stimulating, allowing me to focus on a task without feeling pushed. Completing a big puzzle gives me a strong sense of accomplishment, as I can see how I gathered pieces into a complete picture.

Do you find any connections between drawing, toys, and playing?

• I think they can be closely connected. Drawing allows me to recall why I start playing the toy and how I play, enabling me to visualize my experience with the toy. They all are kinds of self-expression and self-exploration.

How would you define Toys and Play? 

• From my perspective, toys are the objects that gathered the creativity from the designers. They are usually the physical items, like jigsaw puzzle. While play is the action that you use your idea to recreate the toy, exploring new way and engaging with it.