Most toys seemed designed to first excite, then quickly bore, paving the way for the next purchase, which will invariably do the same. Contrary to this standard toy marketing logic, Takara Tomy has created a baby toy that is designed to last, and interest, discerning tots from 9 months up to 3 years old.
The Nobi Nobi Ball Tower (nobi nobi is a cute way of saying stretching) starts as a toy for infants just mastering sitting, who can drop balls in holes to create sounds effects, then stretches to a tower for toddlers, to practice standing and send the balls racing down the shoot.
The toy, which retails for ¥6,279, is being marketed as having both intellectual and physical training benefits and its implied longevity fits in nicely with the new wave of reuse, reduce, recycle thinking. The nursing school at Ochanomizu Women’s College consulted on the plans, while Disney lends the character appeal.
While of a different sort, the Nobi Nobi does resemble Takara Tomy and Bandai’s top-selling toy kitchen appliances released in the past year, as part of a noteworthy strain of practical toys.
As someone who has just become a parent in Japan I have been looking a lot more at childrens toys and clothes of late. While I like the idea of a toy that stays usable as baby grows, I’ve noticed that it’s difficult to find baby products of any sort (clothes/toys/nappies etc)WITHOUT a disney character somewhere on them! Very sad.