"What the hand does, the mind remembers." - Maria Montessori
A toddler-friendly, culturally-inspired toy set designed for roleplay and sensory engagement. This 5-piece playset was inspired by my love for matcha - not just as a drink, but also as a ritual; the process is meditative.
By incorporating Montessori principles, the Matcha is an attempt to translate these actions into a toy that supports a child's motor development skills, cognitive development, and cultural curiosity.
Software used: Autodesk Fusion360, Cinema 4D, Maxon Redshift, Adobe Illustrator
Components
Chawan
Cup
Chasen
Kusenaoshi
Inspiration & Research
Montessori Principles
The playset incorporates the following Montessori principles:
i) The playset encourages interaction through real-life actions such as pouring, scooping, and whisking. This is perfect for reinforcing fine motor skills.
ii) It is encouraged to have a beginning, middle, and end for activities. It helps children learn order and sequencing, thus, aiding their memory.
iii) Introduces children to new cultures and rituals in an age-appropriate way.
iv) The set uses simplified forms of their real-life counterparts, which is needed for learning through imitation.
Sketching & Ideation
Focused on small, quick sketches without getting caught up in details to identify different components. Helped explore different shapes and proportions for each component. The goal was to translate traditional forms with slight modifications. These sketches represent early ideas and variations that helped balance functionality, aesthetic, and cultural storytelling.
Chawan (tea bowl)
Chasen (whisk)
Chasen Bristles and Chashaku (scoop)
Cups
Kusenaoshi (whisk shaper)
Milk pitcher
Component Design & Technical Sketches
Chawan
Cup
Chasen and Kusenaoshi
Note: The initial ideation process included a milk pitcher and a mochi tray. However, while refining the core concept decided to remove it. Traditional matcha preparation doesn't involve milk. This ensures the set is culturally appropriate and avoids unnecessary complications.
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
Material & Color Exploration
FSC-certified wood painted using non-toxic colors and further coated with EN71-3 standards. The playset features muted colors inspired by earthy and natural tones of the objects in real life.
Final Renders
Branding & Assets
[Coming Soon]
