Part of the project ‘shoe？toys’, 2016.
It is an association of toys and Japanese Geta, which teach children how to finish their shoes independently along with make lacing and stimulate children do more creative works. When complete the puzzle part, they can establish their confidence and feeling of achievement. Similarly, that trains children’s finger control, brain sensitivity and spatial ideology. I use discrete geometric figures to make the Geta heels which can exercise children to identify different shapes.
In this master project, I developed a collection of footwear-as-toys that explores the relationship between footwear and children’s toys. This project’s primary research question asks how to connect children’s toys to footwear to create a new playful context. My project focuses on traditional wooden toys, children’s psychology and activities, educational significance and fusion among them. The final products are interactive, playful and educational toys that inspire children’s cognitive, physical and social skills.
Materials: rubber woodrope and painted finish.
© Jinhua Gao
