SQUEEK

Tuesday Blog Post 

Author: Pip Hancock, Director/Inventor at SQUEEK.

This has been a long time coming – but definitely worth the wait!!

In January 2025, with the expert assistance of our US Partner, Design Edge, we will bring our first ANIMATING toy to market!

..inspired by the optical-illusion devices from the 1800s e.g. Zoetropes, Praxinoscopes, Phenakistoscopes, Mutoscopes – and numerous others! – these curiosities for adults were the precursor to cinema.   

In our toys, the pictures are spun manually by the child – the animation simply comes from picture panels moving at the right speed, together with a person’s “persistence of vision”.

Using this low-tech to show mini ‘movies’ is a significant innovation and novelty in the early years’ market.  Plus the toys really appeal to SEN children because they are mesmerising, relaxing and not quiet.

Daisy, a highchair toy, will be the first toy to launch in the US & UK.   In Daisy’s case, the moving pictures show a bee buzzing around the centre of the flower.  She has loads of character and promotes hand-eye co-ordination, motor skills, cause & effect understanding, sensory development and cognition.    

We look forward to welcoming you to GZ21 (close to the café) to meet Daisy for yourself!  And to learn what other toys are planned.

Here’s a bit of industry recognition so far:

“One of the best new toy concepts I have seen in the last few years. This concept has significant commercial potential in the toy market”

Steve Reece, Kids Brand Insight (Steve sees approximately 2000 concepts a year)

The concepts were awarded the Seedling Accreditation by The Good Play Guide.