TOTS!
A Set of Inclusive Toys for Visually Impaired Children
Final Year Degree Project
2021
"TOTS" is a collection of sensory-rich playsets designed to encourage children with visual impairments (VI) to explore food with curiosity and playfulness. By leveraging tactile cues and sensory feedback, TOTS introduces an innovative approach to mealtime, addressing two critical challenges identified through research and interviews:
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VI children are often less engaged during meals, relying solely on hunger due to limited visual and gustatory stimulation.
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The absence of visual cues delays motor skill development, making self-feeding and basic food-handling tasks difficult.
TOTS empowers VI children to develop essential motor skills—such as scooping, smashing, and stirring—through playful, inclusive design, fostering independence and joyful mealtime experiences.
Features
Bridging Food and Play
While many parents discourage their children from playing with food, TOTS embraces food play as a tool for learning. Research shows that engaging with food through play helps children build familiarity and acceptance. Creating a stress-free environment allows them to explore new tastes and textures safely.
The toys are designed for intuitive use, with ergonomics based on toddlers' natural power grips: spherical and cylindrical grips.
The Smasher
The Smasher provides clicking auditory feedback when pressed, helping children understand the cause-and-effect relationship between their actions and outcomes. VI children often lack interest or motivation in interacting with objects they cannot see. To encourage exploration and play, the toy incorporates sensory elements like sounds and textures.
The Stirrer
Circular grooves at the bowl’s base guide the stirring motion. This design helps children move their hands in circles, mimicking the concept of "trailing" shared by Ms. Cheryl, a mobility and orientation specialist.
The Spoon
Visually impaired children often find it hard to perceive their environment in 3D, which makes tasks like scooping or self-feeding difficult. They may struggle with directional concepts like scooping from "left to right" and vice versa, and the second groove in the bowl helps guide them through this motion. The silicone flap on the bowl helps remove excess food from the spoon before the child places it in their mouth.
Interviews and User Testings
Interviewed various stakeholders from National University Hospital Eye Centre, Guide Dogs Singapore, AWWA, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, Dialogue in the Dark and children with Visual Impairment.
