Tag Archives: Children

Hobbit Hole Inspired Children’s Playhouse

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Hobbit Holes: everybody wants to live in one. That, or an Ewok village treehouse. And while building your own Hobbit hole home might be out of the question right now on account of adult responsibilities, maybe you can live vicariously through your children with this $1,000 Discovery Nature Play Hideaway from Plum. I can already imagine myself trying to contort my body into it when I think the neighbors aren’t looking.

Not to be confused with these previously seen Hobbit Holes, the playhouse measures 78″ long, 51″ wide, and x 49″ tall when assembled, and has it all: a fabric door covering, wooden letterbox, a curved roof with artificial turf (and liner for adding real turf), screen window that can be painted, a functional bamboo gutter system and planter, exterior arts & crafts/prep table, and bamboo wind chime, making the whole thing significantly nicer than my apartment.

Pretty cool, right? Unfortunately, like so many things designed for children, it’s a shame they don’t make an adult-size version as well. I mean this thing is legitimately Hobbit-sized. Because Hobbits are small. Smurfs too, but they’re even smaller. This would be like a mansion to Smurfs, but a lot of lower back pain and a trip to the chiropractor for me.

[via TheGreenHead]

Milo x LEICA children’s camera introduces kids to photography in a fun, intuitive way!

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Children are curious. I genuinely believe kids learn more from copying everything we do rather than what we say. And they want to copy us by using the same gadgets we do. For example, my husband picked up his passion for photography from his dad. His dad’s love of tinkering with cameras and picture taking converted this into a lifelong of passion for his son. Understanding this inherent need to pass on our love to our children in a constructive way, Milo x LEICA is a camera that encourages fun, intuitive exploration in children of all ages.

LEICA is known for creating bespoke cameras that are almost collectible. While this clashes with the idea of handing them over to a kid, the quality of the output they deliver are sure to encourage the kids into taking up this hobby with increased frequency. The form of the camera is designed to encourage exploration – with soft rounded edges and a viewfinder that resembles a donut. The design names the viewfinder the visual inspection tool – letting the kid peek through it to discover the world they want to click a picture of. The aesthetics use a soothing yet vibrant white-yellow combination, sparking joy in all they do. Functionality-wise, the camera has a viewfinder, a button to click, a battery level indicator, and a lot that shoots the printed paper out once we click the photo.

Instant cameras are the gatekeepers of our memories. In a world going quickly digital, each printed picture is a gateway into a memory that we can cherish more often. The Milo x LEICA lets us do just that, making photography a fun activity and allowing your child to click pictures that go on and decorate your fridge every day!

Designer: Yang Lei with Yifeeling Design

Cartoon Shark Wall Desk: You’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat

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Remember the first time you saw Jaws? How long did it take before you felt safe going back to the beach? Because I saw it thirty years ago and still haven’t been back. Enter the whimsical shark desk from Cilek, a much less menacing-looking shark than Bruce (the shark from Jaws, named by Steven Spielberg after his lawyer, Bruce Ramer).

The Shark desk costs $540 on Amazon (affiliate link), measures 40″W x 62″H x 24″D, has eyes that can roll around in their sockets, and an upper set of teeth illuminated with LEDs inside. You know, just like a real shark.

So now the next time you tell your teacher your pet shark ate your homework you can both have a good laugh about it before she fails you and you have to go to summer school. I can’t even remember how many times I went to fifth grade, but it was more than third grade, I know that.

[via GeeksAreSexy]

Magnus, A Modular, Magnetic Children’s Sofa for Making Furniture Forts

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Remember making pillow forts as a kid? Those were the days, weren’t they? The only thing missing? Magnus, the magnetic play couch. It can be assembled as a children’s sofa or disassembled and built into various fort configurations using its integrated magnet system. Don’t worry. I already emailed demanding an adult-size version.

Each cushion has dozens of magnets inside for connecting to other pieces, and the covers are all removable and machine washable in case somebody pees on them. Ahem, Ellie! Ellie’s my dog, just so we’re clear. Currently a Kickstarter project, the 14-piece Magnus set costs $199 but will increase to $320 after all the early-bird rewards have been fulfilled.

Looks fun, doesn’t it? I just wish there were even more pieces for more building possibilities. Because if we’re being honest, I still make the occasional pillow and blanket fort as an adult, and I don’t even have kids. I do have a bunch of people at IKEA pointing and staring at me, though.

[via DudeIWantThat]

Google Play Books update brings audio narration to kids titles

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Google has been trying to make ebooks accessible to a wider global audience including those who are learning to read. The web giant is continuing its focus on youngsters by launching a set of audio resource tools for children's titles on Google P...

A school-desk that turns into a safety shelter during an earthquake

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You never really know what sort of curveballs the year 2020 can throw at you. I mean we’ve had forest fires, a pandemic, murder hornets, there was a massive fireball spotted in the sky in Japan yesterday… so a mindset of preparedness is really our best shot at this point.

In that very vein, the Life Triangle Desk gives children the instant shelter they need in the event of a natural disaster at school. The desk looks and functions like any writing desk, but in the event of a quake or tremor (or honestly, even an attack on a school in a war-torn area), the desk converts into a secure triangle-shaped shelter against falling debris or shrapnel. In the event of a calamity, the desk surface can be lifted up to unlock it, allowing it to slide down, creating a triangular space underneath. Given that triangles are a naturally stable shape, the desk helps protect children from any large falling items by deflecting them. The desk also helps rescue teams who will instinctively know to check underneath them for victims and survivors.

The Life Triangle Desk is a winner of the Golden Pin Design Award for the year 2020.

Designers: Rui Sun, Wen Zhang, Guan-Chen Zhang, Er-Xuan Liu & Yu-Chao Li

This aromatherapy diffuser’s interchangeable magnetic ears transform it into different animals!

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You can call me a fan of Fulden Dehneli’s work because everything she has designed so far always has a personal story or deeper meaning apart from improved functionality. Her designs, be it TV or a face mask, always leave you feeling good and the latest one to evoke that emotion is BOOP – an aromatherapy oil diffuser that has been specifically made for kids!

When you hear the word ‘boop’ you would usually associate it with a gentle, swift touch on the nose. The oil diffuser was called so because Dehneli wanted it to embody that ‘boop’ feeling in a physical product that made you feel as if someone gave you a loving pat. Aromatherapy is a proven natural solution to create a healthy environment while enhancing the mood. It adds to the ambiance while soothing the nervous system with the essential oil blend. Aromatherapy is known to induce calm, reduce discomfort, and promote good sleep for every user but usually, the diffusers’ aesthetics are chosen for grown-ups. This product combines an oil diffuser with a white noise machine for a more multidimensional effect.

The oil diffuser features interchangeable magnetic ear and nose parts so children can easily transform it into a cuddly bear, a sweet bunny, or a playful fox within seconds. This little modular detail lets little ones come up with their own stories and form a bond with a product – it’s as simple as “This is mine, this stays in my room, this is not my mom’s thing,” which inculcates a sense of personal space as well. Its friendly form, calming sound selections, and the gentle glowing light in the belly add to the warmth of the product. BOOP aims to make kids feel comfortable and protected by giving them something that kickstarts their own self-care routine early on.

Designer: Fulden Dehneli

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This Award-Winning Furniture’s transforming design stays with your child from birth to teenage!

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Tutti Bambini, a UK-based brand devoted to manufacturing products for children and babies of expectant parents, has officially outdone their 2017 CoZee Bedside Crib with the latest award-winning crib that lasts long after your toddler outgrows it. European Product Design Award recognized CoZee XL, designed by Michael Samuel, as 2020’s Top Design Winner for Children and Baby Products. CoZee XL is four pieces of furniture in one, growing alongside your toddler and providing everlasting comfort and familiarity for years to come.

CoZee XL initially functions as the beloved Bedside Crib, which allows your baby to sleep in their own separate bed right at your side so you can develop that special, physical bond early on in childhood. The Bedside Crib can be used for co-sleeping or as a stand-alone crib, thanks to a hinge mechanism that unlocks one side of your baby’s bed to position it next to yours for sound sleeping and ’round-the-clock monitoring. Once your baby outgrows the size of their crib, CoZee expands into a Cot. The Cot is specifically designed for babies and toddlers from 6 months to two years of age. Thanks to the Bedside Crib’s frame’s hinge features, the Cot also allows for easy access and reasonable supervision throughout the night.

Then, two years will go by before you know it and your youngster will feel ready for their first “big bed,” so CoZee XL’s Cot transforms into their Junior Bed. The Junior Bed is a simple bed frame with a cushioned headboard and base, perfect for a toddler between the ages of two and four. Finally, this toddler-style transformer assumes its final shape as a sofa, which makes for an exciting, first interior addition to your child’s bedroom and social space for friends during playdates. In addition to the multi-faceted, impressive changeability of CoZee XL, it is completely foldable and portable, coming with a traveling case, so you’ll never have to worry about sleeping arrangements for your baby, no matter the age or space available.

Purchasing reliable furniture for your children is preferable over cheaper options, but it can get expensive quickly. That’s what’s so exciting about CoZee XL – this single piece of furniture is long-lasting and provides a sense of familiarity for youngsters so that the growing pains that typically accompany adjustment periods regarding discomfort over new furniture can be diminished, but you and your child’s comfort will never be compromised.

Designer: Michael Samuel

Google pulls popular Android apps that collected kids’ device data

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It’s not always easy for app creators to avoid violating kids’ privacy, and a few of those developers are learning this first-hand. TechCrunch reports that Google has removed Princess Salon, Number Coloring and Cats & Cosplay, Android apps with a...