This tactile building toy is a great way to enhance creativity for kids and adults alike

Posted on 14/09/2022 by JC Torres

Kids’ familiarity with technology is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they are able to easily learn and adapt to the tools and systems that make today’s world go round. On the other hand, they’re also more easily exposed to addictive behavior when using smartphones and tablets at the expense of learning some of the essential skills that would help them later on. As with anything in life, there needs to be some balance, especially at that early age, between digital and physical experiences. Physical and tactile toys can give learning a massive boost in more ways than one, and the Clixo Designer Pack building toy offers a novel way to accomplish that, with a pinch of sustainability thrown in the mix.

Designer: Assaf Eshet (Clixo)

When people hear “building toy,” most probably will think of the LEGO system. It is, by far, the most popular kind of toy that lets your imagination go wild, building anything from recreations of historical landmarks to robots. LEGO has also been used as the foundation for many scientific and technological learning systems for kids, but it’s definitely not the only kind of fun learning experience in town.

Clixo has made a new building toy system that offers more challenges to the mind with even more impressive results compared to stacking blocks together. Instead of just forcing a form to appear by combining rectangular blocks, this tactile toy requires a bit more outside-the-box thinking and creativity to create shapes that resemble objects, animals, and anything in between. Rather than starting with the end result in mind, the toy encourages some exploration and experimentation to create different kinds of shapes, even those that don’t have any counterparts in the real world.

The secret to Clixo is the strong magnets at the ends of the X-shaped pieces that you can connect to other pieces whichever way you want. The pieces themselves are flexible, so they can be bent and curved to the desired shape. That also means they can be laid flat and stored away neatly when not in use or simply stacked up together to quickly clean up. Kids don’t have to force pieces together and are not at risk of getting their skin pinched in the process.

The new Designer Pack brings those learning and inspiring benefits to kids at heart and adults. Opting for more earthy and muted colors, this new version focus on trying to massage one’s brain into creating solutions. It’s the perfect way to take a break from current problems by giving your mind the freedom to explore. You might even find the solution to your work problem by creating some fantastic piece of art from Clixo.

Unlike the millions of mass-produced LEGO bricks, Clixo is made from recyclable and durable synthetic paper. Even the packaging is made from recycled bamboo and is sustainably manufactured. It’s the perfect introduction to sustainability for kids, showing how their long-lasting and fun new toy not only helps them learn but also helps protect their future.

The post This tactile building toy is a great way to enhance creativity for kids and adults alike first appeared on Yanko Design.

This DIY flatpack van conversion kit makes it easy to transform your van in a mobile camper overnight!

Posted on 23/08/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

VanLab creates high-quality, flatpack DIY van conversion kits just like IKEA furniture kits so anyone can turn their van into a mobile camper.

You just finished Nomadland and you’re looking for a way to turn your car into a fully-equipped camper like Fern’s, but getting the job done is no easy feat. It can get costly and knowing which materials are worth splurging on usually requires an expert’s eye. Nowadays it feels like we’re all considering a mobile lifestyle and New Zealand-based company VanLab is making that possible. Turning each of us into expert camper van outfitters, VanLab constructs DIY flatpack van conversion kits à la IKEA so anyone can transform their vans into mobile homes.

Now available for shipping in the US, VanLab’s flatpack van conversion kits require only two electric screwdrivers and can be assembled inside your van between three and six hours, then all that’s left to do is configure the wiring. Like IKEA furniture, VanLab’s conversion kits can be built by anyone; no carpentry experience is necessary. Speaking to the ease of assembly, VanLab founders note, “Absolutely anyone can build this kit. All the holes are pre-drilled and the panels are pre-cut. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions in the manual provided and screw the panels together.” Constructed from Baltic Birch plywood, the wooden panels come pre-finished and are designed to fit together like puzzle pieces so anyone can give rise to their van outfittings with ease.

VanLab’s conversion kit dedicates space in each camper for a full-size bed with integrated storage and an ergonomic kitchen with a countertop or worktop space. Each kit can be customized for your preferred size and spatial needs. For instance, the kitchen can either remain as an open countertop or be outfitted with cut-outs for a sink, cooler, and refrigerator. Since each kit includes all the tools, instructions, wood panels, hinges, screws, door magnets, and hatches necessary to turn your van into a mobile home, you’ll only need to take care of extra amenities like a portable toilet and leisure batteries for things like laptop and smartphone charging.

Designer: VanLab

Each kit can be customized to fit your van’s size and spatial requirements.

With integrated shelving and storage, VanLab makes van conversion kits to maximize available space in your van!

Each kit comes with pre-finished wooden panels and pre-drilled holes so each piece fits together like a puzzle.

The kits think of everything you might to make your mobile lifestyle feel like home.

The kits come with countertops that can either remain open for extra countertop space or come with pre-cut holes for sinks and refrigerators.

Just like IKEA furniture packs, VanLab’s conversion kits come in flatpack designs.

This unique joinery toy lets kid connect with nature and utilize their creativity to build engaging structures!

Posted on 20/06/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

Connecting with nature as a young kid brings out some of the most imaginative and tactile experiences the world has to offer. Each one of us can think back on afternoons spent blazing through our grandmother’s forested backyard or early morning swims at our favorite beach. While being in nature by itself is an experience that brings out our most creative and peaceful potential, collective global design house Studio 5.5 takes afternoons spent in nature one step further with a new collection called The Things To Make.

Primarily composed of a series of odds and ends that connect different items found in nature together to create items like kites, magnifying glasses, tents, and any other item our imagination allows, The Things To Make is a collection of accessories that help guide creative building processes for little kids. Complete with end sockets, fabric, and string, kids find the rest of the building materials, like twigs, branches, and leaves, in their backyard or nearby forest.

The kite’s building kit comes with end sockets that can connect tree twigs and branches to form a cross that can then be covered with the included kite fabric. Similarly, the 3D shape building kit comes with a collection of end sockets that children can get creative with and connect twigs to form 3D geometric structures like cubes or pyramids. To literally bring kids even closer to nature, Studio 5.5 includes a deconstructed magnifying glass that kids can put together and use sticks for the handle. Studio 5.5 then completes the collection with a tent-building kit, which includes end sockets and a camouflage tarp to be overlaid on top of the tent’s frame, giving kids a nature-made hideout.

Designer: Studio 5.5