Toddlers may barely grasp the concept of cleanup time, but designer Tzung-Yu Lu’s “monster on wheels” could go a long way to making it seem more play than work. Although his Toy Guardian is only a concept at this point (alas!), it’s already received an IDEA Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America for its ingenuity.
Anyone who’s faced the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is a two-year-old’s playroom will easily see why. Not only is the Guardian a snarling, gnashing beast that is hungry for toys, but it also includes wheels, a handle, and a seat so that it doubles as a pull- and ride-along toy.
Your child puts his toys away by feeding the Guardian through its large maw, which is bordered with soft EVA teeth that are gentle on toys. Toys can also be accessed by lifting the top to reveal the Guardian’s “stomach.” If space is tight, the Guardian can be propped up on its end for the night, preferably on a full belly.
3 Responses to “My Toy Guardian: A Ride-Along Storage Unit That Encourages Cleanup”
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This thing looks awesome! I’d buy it for my niece’s 2nd birthday next June if it’s out in time. I do hope they produce this thing as she’s already got toys strewn all over the house and needs something like this.
It’s totally cute and a decent idea…but it doesn’t fully solve the problem – someone still has to take the toys from the belly of the beast, and put them in their proper place. And that someone is *still* not going to be the toddler. (sigh) It may even be teaching a bad habit – shoving stuff under the rug… (joking, and yet -)
This is definitely something I would buy and use. All 3 of my boys would go nuts for it and I believe it would help encourage them to pick their toys up.