Sandpits are serious business for toy designer
By Karen Williams
The everyday sandpit could well become a fertile ground for
imagination, cooperation, spatial development and a host of other
motor and social skills if one of UniSA’s industrial design students
has his way.
The fourth year student, Andrew McDougall, has designed a new toy called Build-a-Wall (pictured) a sequence of brightly coloured identical sections which can be stacked in a variety of ways, and he has high hopes the new construction kit will soon become a commercial reality.
The toy was designed to encourage children to develop stronger motor and cognitive skills during their playtime. The wall section penetrates the sand and allows other wall sections to interlock in a series of configurations. Sections can be linked, stacked vertically or offset to create linear and right angle walls, similar to conventional brick walls.
McDougall says his concept for Build-a-Wall emerged when he saw pictures of four-year-olds playing in a sandpit next to a flowing tap.
“They were using random objects, like pieces of wood, to build walls in the sand and create a dam,” McDougall said.
“It made me think that they could be using some sort of plastic toy to help them construct the walls,” McDougall said.
Build-a-Wall encourages hand-eye coordination as well as developing cognitive skills. The prototype is made of flexible, non-toxic, polypropylene plastic which is renowned for being lightweight, strong and durable. Local toy manufacturer Windmill Educational is interested in the product and sees a definite market potential because it is different from any others on the market.
“The toy is quite unique from others in that it is open-ended,” Windmill’s SA manager Jan Sims said.
“There are other canal systems (for sandpits) which have preconceived channels and which require the children to fit them together – a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. But Build-a-Wall is unique because the kids can use their imagination and make of it whatever they want.
“Kids spend hours and hours playing in sandpits so it’s a really beneficial toy for them to play with – it develops their minds and their problem-solving skills as well.
“They learn to interact as a team member. They can even turn different sections upside down and construct shapes like castle walls, and they can play either independently or with others. It has enormous appeal for playgroups and kindergartens.
“Also, it is not limited to the sandpit. On a rainy day, sections can be taken inside and played with on the floor.”