Tactile Cat (MET TTP 2018)

2. Cat

The Cat was designed to develop sensory awareness in children with visual impairment. The tactile qualities of the different materials which make up the different parts is important in identifying different parts of the body. The simplicity of design made it achievable in the project timescale but also provided the possibility of translation for manufacture on a larger scale.

The team also considered the idea of balance within the body and weighted the legs using marbles in the feet, this would communicate the natural grounding of feet as weight-bearing. From researching touch and colour in child development, it was discovered that interactiveness was a key aspect that appealed to children, giving a sense of shaping their own playtime through role play and storytelling.

As a result of this it was felt that if, like Mr Potato Head, parts of the anatomy were changeable, then our toy would become an integral part of the child's development. The velcro tail can be taken off and replaced by alternative tails, each one would have a different shaker, with different sounds to explore this sense.