Toys in India have been part of the childhood of many children of this country over the ages. With passing years, they have slowly become indistinct. Different types of technologies from the western world have taken over the Indian toy industry drastically. Toys have struggled in competing with the growing demands of child development due to standardized approaches in forms, colors, materials, and processes. Although the toys are rich in cultural heritage and craft importance, they lack advanced design inputs, consistent growth, and innovative insights, especially educational qualities. It is crucial to figure out the different ways in which toys in India can be educational. It further becomes our responsibility to look for solutions for its revival through design approaches. In the global market, toy design has reached a standard where technologies are merged with the idea of fun and entertainment to make toys more educational and interactive. Design solutions can help revive the disappearing toy industry in India by adding educational values.
TopIntroduction
The most effective way to begin learning for children is through play. Young children like exploring and discovering new things.. The Indian toy industry is rich in all types of materials, varieties, colors, and forms. Although the industry is quite limited in choices, it is considerably large in its cultural influences and forms. With passing generations, children have grown up playing with these toys, so inherent in our Indian culture. Children associate toys with activities like playing, solving puzzles, creating stories, and learning. Many toys in Indian culture are more than just playing elements. People like to preserve them for generations and have stories concerning every toy. Indian toys are preserved and have truly distinctive characteristics concerning culture and craft. They have only struggled to match the market requirements with time. One of these requirements is educational characteristics. Toys can become more involved and long-lasting in children's lives by becoming more knowledge-based and meaningful. Here, we are trying to understand the struggles of Indian toys concerning educational characteristics and design inputs that can help solve them. It is crucial to pinpoint the specific missing attributes required to compete with the growing market. These include aesthetic improvements, educational characteristics, functional aspects, and multi-functional requirements. Toys are objects that children use to entertain themselves while exploring the world around them, learning, role-playing, and expressing their emotions. Toys are frequently utilized as symbols for many other things, thus toys have the most potential for assisting youngsters in grasping larger concepts. (Harkin, 2020). Children's brains are like sponges. They are constantly taking in data from their surroundings. Toys provide a new way for children to learn about science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. No matter how basic or complex a toy is, it plays a crucial role in teaching a child and emphasizing its value in child development. (Harkin, 2020)
In the words of toy historians Athelstan and Kathleen Spilhaus, “A toy's appeal lies in the form and shape, the beauty of line, the color and detail, the charm of miniaturization, and the humor of caricature. Some toys amuse us with their jerky antics; others add beauty to our lives with their grace and rhythm. Many do things we can't do in real life, thereby keeping us in touch with fantasy”
The Scenario of Toys and Education
Educational toys refer to adding human qualities to inanimate objects. Practically, the purpose of toys overall has always been to educate children. In ancient times parents bought toys for their children to educate them as formal education did not exist. Even today when there is a strong existence of formal education, parents prefer toys that are not only designed for leisure or amusement but also education. Toys enhance recreation and are the best sources to develop skills. With increasing competition, parents are concerned about their child's education and growth. They prefer toys to be educational for the extra development of their skills. Although educational toys have been flooding the market, there is a considerable lack of educational characteristics for motivating child growth. (Miller, 2008, 56)
Toys in India
Toys have been around in India since the Indus Valley Civilization, which was about 5,000 years ago. The first toys were bird-shaped whistles, toy monkeys that could slide down a thread, and little carts constructed out of things that could be found in nature, such sticks, clay, and rocks. Modern toy production has increased recently as a result of the development of cutting-edge machinery and technology. India has one of the highest juvenile populations in the world, and as a result, the country's toy market has experienced fast expansion. (IMARC, 2020). The toys have rapidly evolved into varied forms thereafter. Initially, toys were meant only for amusement. These days’ toys are created with more added values to improve a child's growth. The market is flooded with contemporary toys and all of its changing trends, and there has been a transition from traditional toys to cutting-edge, high-tech electronic ones. (Jagwani, 2020).