Abstract

In the era of iPad kids and screenagers, toys are struggling to engage children. The modern toy industry prioritizes eye-catching designs over meaningful stimulation, choosing to profit off of media franchising rather than encourage creative expression. Toys are too often designed in a way that limits the scope of play, forcing kids down a specific path rather than opening a world of creative possibilities. This narrow scope prevents imagination and decreases the overall lifespan of the product by encouraging product turnover. All of this contributes to an abundance of toys in the home, a reality linked to negative development outcomes. Open play concepts and systems of play encourage productive and sustained engagement by allowing the user to put effort into the product, thus establishing a level of emotional investment known as the “Ikea Effect”. By designing a product or system in a way that allows the user to dictate the scope of play and manipulate the world around them, toys can take on a new more sustainable life, breaking down existing standards and limitations of the toy industry. Asobi accomplishes this mission.

Publication Date

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Industrial Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

Design, School of

College

College of Art and Design

Advisor

Stan Rickel

Advisor/Committee Member

Marissa Tirone

Advisor/Committee Member

Juan Noguera

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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