What is it?
a multifunctional toy for children, ages 1-7

What makes this design different or better?
The design of Uagadugu is based on extensive research into the playing behaviour of preschool children, into the way they treat found objects and use their imagination to create a world of their own.

Unlike most current toy products it does not rely on flashy electronics which often merely entertain the children on a superficial level. Uagadugu encourages the child to use its own imagination, to become active and invent new ways of using the shell. Instead of imposing a specific play pattern, Uagadugu is open for very different interpretations and wants to be discovered by the children.

Playfully the child is training its coordination and balance when rocking and spinning in the shells or walking across them. Like puzzle pieces two shells are joined to form a sphere, a friendly face with a broad smile. Hand-eye coordination is further trained when the children try to stack the pieces in different ways. The shell also acts as a prop in role-playing, turning the child into a turtle, being used as a cradle, or a little mountain with tunnels for the toy train or Michael's hamster.

Outdoors the shells are wonderful accessories when playing e.g. at the beach with natural elements like water and sand, or when playing in the snow in winter.

Uagadugu appeals to a very broad age group. A child of 2 years will approach and use it in a very different way than a child of 6 years who has a well developped coordination and different interests - but both will be stimulated by the elementary friendly shape and strong colours of Uagadugu and invent their own games - indoors and outdoors - all year round.

Its versatility, size and stacking possibilities make Uagadugu an ideal product for home and private use as well as for kindergarten, playgroups, nurseries, ergotherapists etc.

Uagadugu is stacking at high densitiy (approx. 60 pieces/meter) reducing storage and transportation costs considerably.

Being out of just one material it can easily be recycled at the end of its lifetime.

----- http://www.alex-hochstrasser.ch/design/products/toys.html