Will teddy bears and toy guns give way to desi play things as a new line of thinking takes over the world of toys? The industry is set for change as the first ever National Toy Fair begins next month
Paramapadam, aadu puli aatam, solah seedi, ashta chemma, pallankuzhi….do these sound familiar? These are all names of traditional games that Chennai-based Vinita Sidhartha began to resurrect 18 years ago, through her ‘concept toys’ venture Kreeda.
As she continues to bring out toys based on indigenous cultural and value systems, Vinita says the response has changed from doubt to “wow”. She champions learning through play and points out that aadu puli aatam is all about strategising and critical thinking, while pallanguzhi teaches counting and distribution.
National Toy Fair
This emphasis on tradition seems to be the foundation for Toycathon 2021, a Government initiative to create innovative toys and game concepts. Open to students, toy creators, and start-ups, the…