Remember those awesome Fisher-Price playsets that the iconic company put out for the last half century or so? Well, they’re back, and now they’re app-enhanced.
While some may scoff at the idea that a child’s imagination may need to be augmented with a touch screen or tablet, the new products are combined with apps that interact with the child and the playset in interesting and fun ways, as revealed at CES 2013.
The most interesting example of Fisher-Price’s is a re-imagining of their ubiquitous Little People Barnyard Playset, now with a built in iPad dock. The included little people figurines come with an attached capacitive nub on their bottoms, meaning they will interact with the iPad as well as a user’s finger.
Fisher-Price is also releasing other app-enhanced toys and playsets, like an updated version of their castle set, and interactive storybooks that speak and turn pages for the user.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- App-enhanced Toys
- Integrating mobile apps into traditional toys to enhance play experiences.
- Interactive Playsets
- Developing playsets that interact with touch screen devices, creating an immersive and dynamic play environment.
- Augmented Imagination
- Combining physical play with digital elements to stimulate children's creativity and engagement.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Toy Manufacturing
- Opportunity for toy manufacturers to embrace app integration and create innovative and engaging products.
- Technology
- Tech companies can collaborate with toy manufacturers to develop interactive playsets and apps for a seamless digital-physical play experience.
- Educational Technology
- Educational tech companies can leverage app-enhanced toys to develop interactive learning experiences for children.
