Stacked up: Designers unveil social network for toddlers

Helsinki – Finnish design studio Passi Ripatti has created a social network for toddlers.

IOBR is a children’s toy created from recycled Brio Shape Sorting boxes, allowing toddlers to update their status to a friend.

The child can choose shaped blocks to place on a designated area on the black box, and their selections are then communicated to a friend’s unit. For instance, an ‘eating’ update is sent by placing the ‘plate, spoon, fork’ block on the corresponding shape on top of the box.

This is a great example of how digital concepts can be translated into real life. Another example is Pas a Pas by designer Ishac Bertran, which consists of physical blocks and an old-fashioned digital display.