totsBox
packaging design
Design Team
Lead Designer: Morgan Lynch
Assistant Designer: Anri Fujiki
the story
Kids: lovable creatures full of destructive intent. Most people give kids what they want: brightly colored toys that make a lot of noise and annoy their parents half to death. The rambunctious little rascals are occupied with their new toys for a period of time, but more often than not shortly thereafter become preoccupied with a completely different “toy;” the box that the actual toy came in. Much to gift-givers chagrin, kids love boxes. Boxes they can rip apart, boxes they can color all over, boxes that they can make into other things. For kids, imagination is the best toy ever.
So then, at a baby shower or a toddler’s birthday, what is a parent to do with 50 different boxes, when one is fun enough? Bags that are destined to be re-gifted until the pastel colors and infant adored giraffes are outgrown pile up in closets and trash cans across the nation; a burgeoning dilemma with no end in sight. If only there was a solution to all of the extra bags and boxes! If only there was something that was guaranteed to please giver, receiver, and parent!
project synopsis
totsBox is an innovative approach to another problem in the packaging design world: holiday and event waste. This package is meant to rethink the common giftbox, transforming into another gift with zero waste. Gone are the days of hoarding shoeboxes and party bags just to regift them or throw them away. totsBox offers a solution to the waste of the holidays by transforming into a toy for the little love of your life. With our diversified age groups the tiniest of tots to the wisest of grandparents can all enjoy the gift-giving season just a little more. At a production cost of roughly 68 cents per box, this eco-friendly option is saving you money at the same time as it saves you the hassle of having to buy more useless boxes just for them to end up in landfills.
The focus of this project was developing toys for toddlers and babies to play with. Our youngest clients can play with an interactive twist on the popular “button box” game with the totsBox: Mini Series; fitting shapes through slots, learning shape association, and color association. When these kiddos age up a little bit, they can graduate to our totsBox: Cityscapes. These play sets come with cutouts that turn into your favorite city heroes and are perfect for playing with on their own, or with the additional gift of a firetruck, police car, or other local role model. Turn the cutouts into stencils and color in the outlines for extra fun. Included are custom designed stickers and handy instruction booklets, making the playtime even more effortless for the parent on-the-go.
The totsBox mini series is intended for infants and toddlers. It is designed to fit a small gift for the little one, such as a new onesie or stuffed animal. The box is similar to the well-received “Button Box,” in that it has small shapes that pop out of the sides and can be placed back into their holes, or through slots on the top. For the more cerebral youngsters, these shapes and the box are easy to color with markers, and can be used to learn color association.
This box is designed to grow with its user, however is affordable enough that when it is worn from use the buyer won’t feel any dismay at its disposal. The product was designed large enough so as not to be a choking hazard, and with baby safe materials. Watch your little love grow and play with hours of endless fun, and watch your wallet grow as you get a bargain deal on a gift box and toy in one go.