SenseMate
Using picture books and tools, I stimulate children’s five senses with parents to foster brain development and reduce the risk of autism.
Background
Among children aged 1-3 years old, the five senses – taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing – are crucial pathways for them to recognize things and explore the world.
“Clinical studies reveal that infants in long-term hospital care can experience developmental delays due to a lack of environmental stimulation,”
———says occupational therapist Chieh Chih. “
A study in China finds that 45.21% of children are at risk of ‘nature deficit disorder’, with potential impacts on emotional intelligence, cognition, and imagination due to poor sensory development.
Children’s brain development plays a crucial role in their future social skills, career prospects, and creativity, yet research suggests that this is often underestimated by many parents.
Interview
Kindergarten teachers from China and the UK use enjoyable games to teach children about food’s look, taste, and texture, unanimously emphasizing the importance of five-sense education in boosting cognitive development.
The interview revealed that five-sense education should employ child-friendly methods, fostering a sense of security with parental involvement, to effectively achieve training goals.
Design Purpose
Design Strategy
Explore food with your parents using picture books and tool kits, utilizing various tools as guided by the picture book to train your child’s five senses.
User Test
A total of five children tried the toy set, and their parents all said it was a good educational toy.The kids said it was a kind of toy they’d never played with before.
Feedback
1.”5 children had a blast with it as a toy.”
2.”3 parents consider it a worthwhile toy for quality playtime with their children.”
3.”4 parents mentioned that their children seldom encounter a similar experience in kindergarten.”
Improvements
There can be more types of toys to create richer gameplay.
Users recommend allowing multiple children to create together at the same time to cultivate cooperation skills.
Add a reward mechanism to encourage children to try their hands.
Users recommend upgrading to storage boxes that are not easily damaged but are environmentally friendly.