Humor and play are known to be the best teachers for kids. The most challenging moments with a child can be bridged by either of these concepts. Now more than ever, the generation gives importance to gentle parenting, emotional stability, and prioritizing the needs of the child. This insight comes from a mother who is raising a five-year-old with utmost honesty. Isha Gopal learned the importance of these practices when she started working at a public school in Mumbai. Her experience deepened her understanding, and she became captivated by the concept of 'play' as the ultimate teacher. This journey of discovery and reflection ultimately laid the foundation of her sustainable toy company, Bloon Toys. Products that meet at the intersection of design and learning.
Before founding Bloon Toys, Isha had hopped around quite a bit. She graduated in mathematics, conducted research in the Nicobar Islands, worked in market research, pursued post-grad education, delved into branding and marketing, and explored private equity and systems design. It was during an entrepreneurship class at ISB that the idea of transforming the education industry from information absorption to experiential learning first emerged. More from her about her vision for her company below.
Humans develop multiple skills in their early years, which are crucial during the teenage years. How does Bloon Toys support this learning process in the context of the Pikler climber product?
As humans, we develop all sorts of skills (often ones that can’t be “taught”) in our early years – things like confidence, empathy, determination, grit, imagination – all have their origins in this period. These skills become our arsenal as people, as human beings, not just in our teenage years but in all of life later.
So many of these skills are things that children learn all by themselves as they play. For example, in the context of the Pikler – all kids have an instinct to climb. They do this to get to a higher vantage point, to push themselves physically, and to explor as they climb even though they’re scared. But something, probably the instinct to play, keeps them going and pushing themselves a little further each time, overcoming that fear and coming out more confident and capable at the other end. So apart from building all sorts of physical motor skills, they’re also building a sense of confidence and self-reliance that will stay with them for life.
Isha Gopal
What is your vision for your company?
While we see so many kids being “passive” recipients of education – either in school or in front of screens – we’d like for kids to follow that natural instinct of play that’s inside them. To do this, we need to create irresistible opportunities for play that are right under their noses. Through these products, we hope to raise a generation of kids who are self-reliant, confident, empathetic, perseverant and well-rounded human beings.
Walk us through the process of creating a toy, where does the idea come from and then what are the different stages of evolution does the design go through?
We have a big board of ideas in our studio. Almost every day someone has an idea and up they go on the board! Once we pick an idea to work on – it then goes through our design process, changing re-changing many times before it emerges as a Bloon Toys. We’re constantly designing > prototyping > testing which includes a panel of toy testers! Bloon Toys is all about that intuitive simplicity and holistic play value.
Tell me about how ‘Bloon toys meets at the intersection of design and learning.’ Also where did that name come from?
We believe that learning is the ultimate goal, and design is the method to achieve it. As a company, we are dedicated to incorporating design into the learning experience. As for our name, when brainstorming ideas, we reflected on our fondest childhood memories. Someone brought up the simple joy of a balloon, which resonated with all of us. We then thought, "how would a child say 'balloon'?" And that's how Bloon Toys came to be!
You also keenly see making your products sustainable and friendly for the environment by using natural materials, how challenging has it been to keep up with that?
The concept of using natural materials has been central from the start. They are safe for kids, create a warm and comforting environment for long periods of time, and are environmentally friendly. I believe that it doesn't make sense to start a company in today's world where sustainability is not just a selling point but simply a given.
It's not always easy. While it's sometimes a fun challenge, we have developed a lot of expertise in areas such as sourcing and finishing of woods using beeswax, natural dyes, wool, and more. We have also found reliable partners for materials like packaging and paper tape. However, it can be really tricky at times, especially when trying to find sustainable materials that are as convenient and affordable as non-sustainable ones. But with enough effort, there's usually a solution waiting to be found. The advantage of being a design-led company is that we can always design our way out of challenges.
Words Hansika Lohani
Date 18.10.2024