BRIGHT STARTS LIGHT AND GIGGLE FISH
PROJECT SUMMARY
I will start off by saying that I wanted to call this the Tune-a-Fish but Toys R' Us wasn't buyin it. I loved working at Kids 2 because the funnest ideas were considered the best ideas.
This little fish was inspired by a DJ sound board. In music mode, press the buttons to create a melody just like a DJ would. In learning mode, baby can practice numbers, letters, shapes, and colors.
THE Brief
Design a baby toy aged 6+ months that was both educational and highly entertaining. This wasn't much to go off of but opened the door to a ton of possibilities.
Research
For this product we started with a competitive analysis and market study. We researched 6+ month old baby capabilities and learning milestones.
GATHER INSPIRATION
The inspiration for this product stems from pad controllers often used by DJs to mix sounds.
IDEATION
I sketched dozens of ideas for this concept. We needed something that hadn't been done before. One of the ideas that came out of the sketching exercise was the banana phone (see on main page). I will only show the final sketch because Kids II owns the rights to the concepts that were not chosen.
DEFINE PLAY PATTERN
Press the fish scales for lights, phrases, and music. Easy-to-grasp handle for on-the-go fun. 2 modes for learning and music. 3 language options.
PROVE CONCEPT FEASIBILITY
I CAD modeled the product in Alias, rendered it in Bunkspeed, and 3D printed it in house at Kids II. We explored and tested the features and mechanisms by watching babies play with the prototype behind one way glass.
DESIGN INTENT SPECIFICATION SHEETS
Prior to production, I created Design Intent Specifications. These sheets outline materials, finishes, dimensions, and art. Every pertinent specification is recorded in this document. It ensures a quality end product and mitigates the risk of mistakes in manufacturing.
Final Product
The Light & Giggle fish is a bright and fun toy that is guarantees to grab a babies attention. It combines learning (which parents love) and buttons + lights (which babies love). Babies can mix their own melodies. Next stop Ibiza!
