Lego

Since looking at Montessori education I have been thinking about delving more into the relationship between education and play -  how play aids or limits creativity and have been getting more fascinated with these big ideas. Just been having a conversation with Dan about Lego and how good it used to be and it actually made me think that the way Lego is sold now takes all the brilliance out of the original product which was so clever. As an example you used to get this which could then be built into almost anything imagination permitting:

Now you can barely find the plain sets of the building blocks and are more likely to see this when you go to the toy section:

(not that Hogwarts Lego is that bad as I am a massive harry potter fan but it doesn't really promote creativity if it tells you what your supposed to build in the picture on the outside of the box...)

More toys I like

Hide and seek

http://www.hideandseek.net/home/who-we-are/

Found this interesting design studio that is all about play and inventing games which is something i realy want to explore in my project next year.  They are based in London so might be a good place to try and get some work experience if they have any projects they need help with.

They did this project

David Weeks

http://www.davidweeksstudio.com/products/types/product
Really nice toys which cross over into the design project market and are just really beautiful objects as well as fun to play with.

Rsa Animate

Montessori

Montessori is a term used to describe a particular type of childrens education invented but Maria Montessori.
It is based around these basic functions:

• self-preservation
• orientation to the environment
• order
• exploration
• communication
• work, also described as "purposeful activity"
• manipulation of the environment
• exactness
• repetition
• abstraction
• self-perfection
• the “mathematical mind”

Maria Montessori

 Some Montessori toys.

Article

An interesting article about David Hopkins Exhibition at The Edinburgh Fruitmarket Gallery called 'Childish Things' here: http://news.scotsman.com/arts/Visual-Art-Childish-Things-curator.6616180.jp

'The exhibition Childish Things, curated by Professor David Hopkins of Glasgow University, will reveal that toys are neither simple nor simply child's play. In the hands of contemporary artists they have become a means to explore a vast range of issues, from our attitudes to our own growing up to the adult ideas and fears we project on to children. Infused with a certain sense of nostalgia, and at times with downright sinister connotations, the artworks in the show touch on both ancient and modern myths, dolls and puppets, simple pleasures and dark secrets.'

Eike Konig

Interesting interview with Eike Konig who set up Hort, a german design company. The description they have on thier website about themselves and thier work is really inspiring:

http://www.hort.org.uk/1

"A creative playground. A place where 'work and play' can be said in the same sentence."

I am more interested directly in design for children but it is interesting to look at how someone like Eike has managed to hold on to the creativity you have as a child and bring it into his adult working practice. I think this is probably essential if you are making work for children.

Plikums Sarunas / 010 – Eike König from Plikums on Vimeo.