Stacking Musical Baby Toy by Patrick Kim
by Abigail Doan, 06/01/09
There is no doubt that once your baby or toddler starts to accumulate a medley of toys, the possibilities for interactive play begin to shapeshift right before your very eyes. But how cool is it when one or more toys can be artfully combined into a one-stop band of musical stackability? Enter the Stacking Rhythm Band – a clever wooden toy that combines the engagement of ’stacking’ with the makings of a portable musical band. Designed by recent Pratt graduate, Patrick Kim, this is a super fun way of introducing your budding musician to a range of percussive instruments, while also serving as a pyramidal tower of colorful geometry too.
We were thrilled to come across the Stacking Rhythm Band while testing many of the great product designs at the Pratt Graduate Design show here in NYC this month. The concept is a great one, and the eco-friendly materials that this toy boasts make it a hands-on winner. The band consists of 5 xylophone rings, one maraca, 1 mallet and 1 guiro. Crafted from FSC certified mahogany, finished with 100% flaxseed oil, the rings are gorgeously smooth and color-coded with powder coated aluminum. All of the parts fit neatly on top of one another, creating a 2-for-1 interactive experience, not to mention an engaging exercise in form building.
The Stacking Rhythm Band is easy to tote around, as well as looking chic on any playroom’s bookcase or shelving unit. This was an amazing find amongst graduating student designs. We want to extend our congratulations to all of the up-and-coming Pratt product designers with whom we chatted. Their novel approaches to eco-friendly design really makes the future look bright and positively green.
+ Patrick Kim Design
+ Stacking Rhythm Band
I am uber impressed with Pratt students these days…between the ICFF show and this. They are mindful in their implementation and thoughtful in their approach; not sacrificing style/scale/general “sweet”ness with either.
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