Montessori 2.0
Role: Design Research, Concept Development, Play Strategy and Experience.
2020 I MITID, Pune
Classroom project
Duration: 4 Months
Overview
Kids these days are pretty savvy. Having been raised with iPads and Instagram, you can’t just throw a rubber ducky in their laps and expect them to learn while they play. Technology has somewhat taken over the physicality of entertainment and play which can cause major troubles for kids as they evolve. Children demand a lot from the products they use and love. That’s why it is necessary to come up with a product that helps the kids to learn as they play since they understand the language of play better than the same old learning methods.
This project aims to incorporate different learning experiences and expand their knowledge base towards understanding things through toys or installations while they grow. Childhood is one of the most crucial stages in life which shapes their character and personality to become a better human in later stages of life. So, it is very important to put the kids through a unique way of upbringing which allows them to explore the world by themselves.
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Strategy to achieve the objective
Entertain
Focus on constantly engaging the user.
Imagine
Enhancing imaginative aspects by products as mediums.
Learn
Balance engagement and learning.
Play
Engaging in different physical activities to focus on other aspects.
Art
Engage users, then let their creativity take over.
Design Process
Discover
Building Empathy
Feel
Focus
Imagine
Play
Share and Validate
Warming up
Finding shared values
Combining Ideas
Implementation
The
Problem.
Defining the Problem
Technology oriented world
Kids are influenced by technology from a very early age
Kids lack creativity and so their learning is getting hampered in this process
Need for a tool to help kids
learn and develop themselves through experiences.
Need to develop kids through real-life experiences
Leading to lack of practical and physical knowledge
Initial Brief
MONTESSORI 2.0 - Play and Learn
Designing a physical technology-free tool for kids to help them learn and develop.
Research.
Montessori Teachings
There should be :
Education for our rapidly changing world.
Education for the future.
Education for life.
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There are some principles of Montessori Education
mentioned in the scientific investigation “Montessori
The Science Behind the Genius”
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Movement and Cognition
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Internal rewards
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Learning in context
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Freedom of choice
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Interest
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Teacher-child interaction
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Learning from and with peers
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Order in the environment and in the mind
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Montessori Vs Traditional Schooling
Montessori
Traditional Schooling
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Based on the transfer of national curriculum
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The child is a passive participant in learning
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Learning is based on subjects and is limited to what is given
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The class is teacher-led
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The main emphasis is on intellectual development.
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Based on the transfer of national curriculum
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The child is a passive participant in learning
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Learning is based on subjects and is limited to what is given
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The class is teacher led
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The main emphasis is on intellectual development.
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Vs
Our world doesn’t need
more test-takers,
memorizers or followers.
Child Psychology
Developmental Skills
5 pillars of Child Psychology
1
2
3
4
5
Development
Behaviour
Milestones
Emotions
Socialisation
Cognitive
Social and Emotionl
Speech and Language
Fine Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Play a form of Eduaction
Play is Pleasurable
Children must enjoy the activity or it is not playing.
Play is intrinsically motivated
Children engage in play simply for the satisfaction the behaviour itself brings. It has no extrinsically motivated function or goal.
Play is process-oriented
When children play, the means are more important than the ends.
Play is freely chosen.
Play is actively engaged
Players must be physically and/or mentally involved in the activity.
Play is non-literal
It involves make-believe.
Play contributes to:
1
Reducing
sources of stress
2
Strengthening
core life skills
3
Supporting responsive
relationships
Stages of Play Development
Balance
is the
key
In these play development stages bringing out the balance between Structure and Unstructured
Play is very important.
Co-operative Play
Associate Play
Spectator Behaviour
Solitary Play
Unoccupied Play
Parallel Play
4+ Years
3-4 Years
2-3 Years
2 Years
Birth-2 Years
Birth-3months
Child develops an interest in both others and the activity
Interaction with others during play
Doesn’t play woith others but observes others play
Child starts to observe things around
Child likes to play alone
Empathy.
User Understanding
A typical day in a kid's life
Primary Users
Combining Ideas
Combining Ideas
Secondary Users
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night
Insight Gurus
Play Therapist
Anupama Ganu
"True child emerges
in PLAY "
NGO Volunteer
Ram Bhattad
"Once you learn something it stays with you forever."
Co-Founder of DLRC
Pavan Iyengar
"Journey is as important as the destination."
Ex-Student at Sloka
Mihika Lakdawala
"Experiments lead to experiences."
Skateboarding Coach for Kids
Gautham Kamath
"Experiences teach you memories build you."
Experiments and Activities
Activity 1 - Imagination is everything
This activity was inspired by the work of Prof. A.G. Rao, who is been designed for play for years. The experiment conducted by Prof. A.G. Rao was meant to understand child behaviour with respect to Imagination. The kids were told to draw different animals with their own interpretations of the same.
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Objective
To understand how past experiences and stories lead to visuals and enhance their imagination.
Activity 3 - What do you love the most?
Here, kids from regular schools were told to draw the things that they love the most to understand the way they express themselves.
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Objective
To understand how imagination, creativity and learning work when kids are put in a structured environment and are influenced by what they are told to do.
Activity 2 - Basics are the foundation
Here the kids were given basic shapes and were told to draw whatever they could associate with the shapes.
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Objective
To understand how they use their existing knowledge in given scenarios.
Activity 4 - Complete the stroke
Here, kids from open schooling schools were given incomplete stroke and they had to complete the drawing by their imagination.
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Objective
To understand how imagination, creativity and learning work when they are limited to a specific thing.
Discovery.
Personas Derived
"Play the day away"
Rhea
3Y, Nursery Student
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Rhea doesn't like to study but playing is something which she is fond of. She loves to be with kids around her. She doesn't like to read or write thus her overall growth hampers.
Ayan goes to a kindergarten. He is a very bright and stubborn child. His interest inclination is playing and watching stuff on the iPad. He hates to go out and play with other kids. He is exposed to the screen maximum time of the day as he becomes aggressive if you don't let him use it.
Anagha is a Computer Engineer in MNC. She has a 4-year-old daughter. As she and her husband both are working, she has to keep her daughter with a nanny. The only quality time that she gets with her daughter is on weekends.
Ayan
5Y, Junior KG Student
Anagha
34Y, Computer Engineer
"iPad is my friend"
"Time is my enemy"
"Build Experiences"
Mrs Ghoshal likes to teach kids in practical ways. She thinks experiences can teach kids in the best way. She strongly believes that childhood can make or break your future.
Mrs Ghoshal
33Y, Kindergarten teacher
Insights and Theories Derived
1
Positive
Trigger
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Distractions work in loops and can be good if they are lead by positive triggers
3
What should I do?
I am so bored
Boredom leads to creativity in kids as they find new ways to play.
2
Effortless and modifiable things which can be used in different ways excite kids as it widens their range of freedom.
4
Silhouettes are better mediums for building relations between things than whole objects.
Synthesis
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Technology oriented world
Synthesis
Experimental Goal
Pumping Adrenaline
Family Involvement
Individualising
"HELP ME DO IT MYSELF"
Skills
Free Play
Age Advantage
How can design
be impactful
Designing for play value
Surroundings
Motivations
Need
Redefined Brief
Design
Direction
Product Soul
Children nowadays are developed technically,
academically, and skill-wise but, where is the HUMAN ELEMENT? Aren’t we supposed to learn how to be humane more than being the imitating robots of society?
The soul of the product lies in giving them real-life experiences and channelling their learning curve with the help of these experiences. Designing using material and forms of things that are familiar to them and are a part of the adult world will make it easier for them to adapt to it. The usability should be in a way that they are able to build their own story and origin from it. Manipulation is necessary, but when it is by their own self leads to a whole new learning experience. The soul of the actual product should be an optimistic approach and the belief that imagination is an essential part of childhood. This will enhance their practical learning and make them realize the difference between UNDERSTANDING and KNOWING.
Simple
​
Easy is boring
Focusing on Imagination and Play
No gender-specific
With no boundaries
Integration of senses
Modifiable
Universal
Provide freedom in play
Designing for the relevance of today
Multiple as well as single player
Balancing structured and Unstructured play.
Learning through Play
Experience-based learning
Redefined Brief
Design
Direction
Product Soul
Children nowadays are developed technically,
academically, and skill-wise but, where is the HUMAN ELEMENT? Aren’t we supposed to learn how to be humane more than being the imitating robots of society?
The soul of the product lies in giving them real-life experiences and channelling their learning curve with the help of these experiences. Designing using material and forms of things that are familiar to them and are a part of the adult world will make it easier for them to adapt to it. The usability should be in a way that they are able to build their own story and origin from it. Manipulation is necessary, but when it is by their own self leads to a whole new learning experience. The soul of the actual product should be an optimistic approach and the belief that imagination is an essential part of childhood. This will enhance their practical learning and make them realize the difference between UNDERSTANDING and KNOWING.
Simple
​
Easy is boring
Focusing on Imagination and Play
No gender-specific
With no boundaries
Integration of senses
Modifiable
Universal
Provide freedom in play
Designing for the relevance of today
Multiple as well as single player
Balancing structured and Unstructured play.
Learning through Play
Experience-based learning
Redefined Brief
Building an unconventional open-ended toy for children of 3-7 years of age which will help them to develop social, emotional, cognitive and physical aspects of life through their imagination and experiences when in a natural play state, making them smart and ready for the real world.
Design
Direction
Product Soul
Children nowadays are developed technically,
academically, and skill-wise but, where is the HUMAN ELEMENT? Aren’t we supposed to learn how to be humane more than being the imitating robots of society?
The soul of the product lies in giving them real-life experiences and channelling their learning curve with the help of these experiences. Designing using material and forms of things that are familiar to them and are a part of the adult world will make it easier for them to adapt to it. The usability should be in a way that they are able to build their own story and origin from it. Manipulation is necessary, but when it is by their own self leads to a whole new learning experience. The soul of the actual product should be an optimistic approach and the belief that imagination is an essential part of childhood. This will enhance their practical learning and make them realize the difference between UNDERSTANDING and KNOWING.
Simple
​
Easy is boring
Focusing on Imagination and Play
No gender-specific
With no boundaries
Integration of senses
Modifiable
Universal
Provide freedom in play
Designing for the relevance of today
Multiple as well as single player
Balancing structured and Unstructured play.
Learning through Play
Experience-based learning
Development.
Sprint
The less we do, the more things they have to learn and explore.
Brainstorming
Ideation
Concepts
1
3
2
Versatile Slide
Fix Play
Activity Kit
Concept Usability
1
2
Insert different shapes
into the grid.
Make design through your imagination.
3
Activity1:
Roll a dice
Activity 2:
Half Halves
Activity 3:
Interactive storybook
Activity 4:
Building set
Final Concept.
Unlike most toys which are repetitive, CREATOZ is can truly be kids’ best friends as they can move on to a different activity if they want to try something new. It is a great way to have fun as the main moto of the kit is to PLAY and also learn essential life skills at the same time. There will always be unending things to learn through this as you grow into it and with it.
4 Activities responsible for developing 4 Developmental skills while you play
Half Halves
#1
Half and half is a fun game to move around in the surroundings to find the second half of the piece you have chosen. This can be directed play as well, as parents can decide a theme and tell the kids to find the other halves with respect to the themes
Learnings
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The product helps the kid to widen the scope of imagination.
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It is also responsible for learning and understanding the relations between things.
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Kids start to learn about things in the surrounding by actually visualising them through imagination and then implementing them with the help of the product.
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The creative skills are polished because of the mix-matching of the quality of halves.
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There is no limit to learning.
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Strengthening the observation skills.
Usage
#2
Roll the Dice
This concept allows the kids to play in themes while learning to relate things. It consists of three pre-made sets of dice:
Here whatever colour you get on the die, you have to relate that colour to the thing that you have got on the other die.
1. Colours + Things Eg. Yellow + Flower =? ( Sunflower, Rose, etc.)
2. Actions + Emotions Eg. Run + Happy= Run happily ( so you act as if you are happy and running)
3. Sounds + Alphabet. Whatever alphabets come once you roll the die, you have to tell how those alphabets sound (Eg. A says aa, etc.)
Colours + Things
Actions + Emotions
Sounds + Alphabets
Learnings
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Development of physical skills because of the activity structure.
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Cognitive growth because of the topics covered on dice.
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Indirect learning about emotions.
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Building experiences results in experience-based learning.
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Learning about the sounds and pronunciations of alphabets.
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Enhances memory powers.
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Critical thinking.
Usage
#3
Storybook
Let your imagination take a flight and make thousands of stories with drawings. An activity to enjoy with friends, family or by yourself. Use at home, in the classrooms or at play houses. The storybook consists of pages which are shufflable and can be drawn on. the kids can build their own bed time stories by sticking shapes on the papers and drawing scenarios around it. Every page has a particular element on it which becomes the driving force for developing a frame on that page.
Learnings
Usage
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Hones interpersonal skills.
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Enhances critical thinking.
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Improves the translation of visual perception.
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Boosts imagination and creativity.
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Learning to portray complex objects into simpler shapes.
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Understanding shapes w.r.t. context
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Enhances thinking abilities.
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Manifests the expression that they feel.
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Mental workout at the end of the day.
Building Set
#4
Building set consists of different subsets providing different learning outcomes and learning.
2D+3D set, 2D set, 3D set, Shapes and Sticks, Bendable stick Spiral.
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Learnings
Usage
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Encourages self-development.
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Develops differentiation ability.
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Makes them understand Spatial orientation.
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Trains dexterity.
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Fosters creativity and imagination.
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Develops a sense of decision making.
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Helps them perceive differences in sizes and shapes.
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Develops their fine motor and gross motor skills.
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Nurtures their physical and mental growth.
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Teaches them to work in limitation with an open-ended mindset.
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Boosts interactive and social play.
Mock ups
Product Interaction
Be a kid & you’ll start seeing the world with different eyes.
Reflection
Toys are the heart and soul of kids and to use them as a learning tool makes it effortless for kids to gain knowledge. CREATOZ as an entire set fosters skill development at an early stage. If the product is introduced in the market in the near future, it will be an amazing set to be put in schools, households as well as it can be used by a number of therapists to examine the child.
The product can be more refined in areas such as manufacturing and materials, whereas the proposed solution can too give out a major impact but refining it to a stage where the cost of manufacturing and material is also thought, can help increase the customer base hence reaching to more and more kids. There is a need for funky and eye-catchy packaging that will get people attracted to the CREATOZ.
In the future, there can be different versions of CREATOZ which will be like a modified range of the primary product to make it more interesting increasing the scope of the product in the toy industry.