Iron Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design · 2021
Sensory Guessing Box Mirabu Touch and Guess Game
by Evelina Tumas and Ingrida Bieliauske
- A' Design Award 2021 Iron Winner in Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design
- Awarded April 15, 2021
- CLIENT: Edu2
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 20,676
- Verification code FE2DF054FC · Verify this award
About Sensory Guessing Box Mirabu Touch and Guess Game
Mirabu is a sensory guessing box designed as a touch and guess game for children. Objects are placed inside the box, and a child reaches through covered holes to feel and describe what is hidden without looking. One panel is transparent, so other children can watch the game, give hints, or use the box as a theatre scene. The box is made of wood and plywood for everyday use and measures 225 by 345 by 209 millimetres. Colourful felt balls fill the holes in the lid, which can also support counting and colour recognition. Mirabu is flat-packed so children can assemble it themselves.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- With this beautifully designed Sensory Guessing Box, children touch and feel what they find inside the box and describe without looking. Place different objects inside and invite a child to put hands through the covered holes. When creating playthings for children, multifunctionality is a key. One of the panels is transparent to allow other children to watch the game or create a scene for a theatre play. Cover the lid with felt balls to enhance the sensory experience and give a pop!
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 225x345x209 mm
- Tags
- sensory box, sensory play, sensory experience, toys for kids, educational toys
- Production Technology
- The main goal was to make a touch and guess box that can be used for everyday play. First, it was considered to use sturdy cardboard for a box, however, while testing with children, it turned out that the construction is too weak, so wood and plywood were chosen. A transparent panel was introduced for others to watch the process or made a theatre scene to have more play opportunities and encourage engagement.
- Design Challenge
- Development of new products for children requires many factors to be considered. In this case, visualizing as many play scenarios as possible was crucial. It determined the choice of materials and the aesthetics of the design. MIRABU comes flat-packed so that children can assemble the box themselves. This design decision serves several purposes - first, it saves space and logistics costs, secondly, children feel more engage when they build their own plaything.
- Project Duration
- The project started in April 2019 in Vilnius and finished in August 2020.
- Operation Flow
- Visualizing a play scenario is crucial when designing a product for children. With a sensory guessing box, a teacher or a parent puts some things inside a box and invites a child to put his/her hands through the covered holes. A child tries to guess what is hiding inside only by touching. If a child has a difficult time guessing, others watching from the other side can see an object through the transparent panel and give a hint. Also, a child can push through a colorful felt ball on the top lid and peak what is inside. The holes on the lid can be used for learning to count, recognize colors, and enhance the sensory experience.
- Inspiration
- Children are attracted to secrets and hidden things. Combining the sense of mystery and sensory experience while touching the objects, Mirabu was created to be a fun yet educational game for children.
- Image Credits
- Photographer Karolis Milasevičius