Toy Design
&
Prototyping


Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Project 2
Week 8
Week9
Project 3
Week 11
Project 4

©2024 Mag-Ex

Project 2

Back
Part 1


My project is called SleepButter—a toy whose design fuses the forms of a butterfly and a cat, created especially for my sister, Demi. As a fifth grader, Demi has long struggled with the fear of sleeping alone at night; she wants to have a plush companion that can offer her a sense of security. With that in mind, I aimed to design a toy that, when Demi hugs it, can, to some extent, reciprocate the embrace, thereby delivering mutual warmth and comfort. This required the toy to be large and long enough. Lacking in-depth knowledge of mechanical transmission structures, I wasn’t able to precisely achieve my original idea. Instead, I reimagined the design by enlarging the butterfly’s wings and integrating a button at the center—sized just right for Demi to easily slip her hand inside. Based on this design, SleepButter offers several modes of play:h

  1. Keep both wings so that Demi can wrap her arms around SleepButter from the front or back.
  2. Keep both wings but unfasten the central button, allowing her to insert her hand while falling asleep.
  3. Remove one wing to create a one-handed hug option, suitable for times like doing homework.
  4. Remove both side rods so that the plush body can serve as a backrest.
  5. Remove both side and use the body to hit other people like having a pillow fight.


Google drive:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1brLn-MQjXnftU0kpac_wgXCt6HK_MJC1?usp=drive_link
I did not rehearse anything with her; everything she said was entirely her own. I first let her play freely with the toy for about half an hour. After that time, I recorded this video where I asked her how she thought the toy could be played with. The most fascinating part was that she came up with the idea of using the cat's body to hit people, like in a pillow fight—it was really amusing.


I believe that the most important value of a plush toy lies in its ability to convey emotions and facilitate interactive experiences—engaging in role-play and interacting with the toy itself can evoke a strong emotional resonance. In contrast to conventional plush toys with static appearances, I was inspired by Cass Holman’s work. Her designs often incorporate interactive elements like buttons, enabling dynamic connectivity and allowing users to actively participate. For instance, her Geemo toy features multiple ways to connect and assemble, encouraging users to combine elements as they see fit. I didn’t want my plush toy to be merely a passive companion; I wanted it to offer interactive potential as well. Hence, I designed the wings to be detachable with buttons (choosing buttons over Velcro because my sister dislikes the sound Velcro makes).

In Homo Ludens, Huizinga posits that play is not a continuation of ordinary life but rather an independent world—a "magic circle"—into which players voluntarily enter, defined by specific temporal and spatial boundaries. Within this space, the usual rules of reality no longer apply; instead, the rules intrinsic to the game govern behavior. This “order independent of reality” is the very source of the unique meaning that play brings to life. I found this concept immensely inspiring, as the charm of a plush toy largely stems from its capacity to interact with the user’s inner world, much like stepping into a magic circle that is distinct from the outside world. To me, this magic circle resembles a comfort zone. Thus, I set out to create a toy that, through interaction, helps my sister enter that cozy, imaginative space—a magic circle that sparks creativity. As I previously described, “The essence of play is to experiment, create narratives, and understand things in an open-ended way. It is not necessarily constrained by rules or structure, but driven by curiosity and imagination.” This sentiment is perfectly embodied in SleepButter.

I believe I have indeed designed the toy according to the “design for play” philosophy articulated by Cass Holman. Throughout the design process, my focus was on maximizing the ways in which my sister can engage with the toy and creating an inviting atmosphere. As Cass Holman expresses in the documentary, “Design is not just about aesthetics but about creating engaging experiences that invite active participation.” This principle deeply inspired me and guided many of the design decisions in the SleepButter project. By introducing detachable wings and a button mechanism, I aimed to construct a “magic circle of safety” where a child can freely choose how to hug and interact with the toy, breaking the limitations of a static plush and enabling emotional fulfillment and creative enjoyment.

Overall, I consider the project a success. During the presentation, Professor Marcela suggested enhancing interactivity by offering a variety of wings so that my sister could mix and match them at will. I found this idea exceptionally clever and plan to produce additional wings in different colors and even from different species (such as unicorn, dragonfly, or dragon wings) for my sister to choose from, thereby expanding the toy’s interactive potential—a refinement I would pursue if time permits. I’m particularly proud of successfully completing such a large-scale toy, and I also received positive feedback on the color and fur combinations. I spent considerable time deliberating over the type of fur to use. Since this toy is meant to be hugged by my sister, comfort was paramount. After researching and testing various fur types, I finally settled on a simulated otter rabbit fur that proved to be the most comfortable for her.

Part 2Project




Poster





My measurements and the Sewing Patterns:
https://freight.cargo.site/m/N2275246555247973229446381668630/Measurements.pdf、


Deciding which kind of wing ⬇️