Katelyn Wolowiec
Industrial Designer
Playful Measuring Set
Level
Sophomore
Duration
6 weeks
Class
Human Centered Design
Description
The Playful Measuring Set is a set of untensils designed for children ages 3 to 5 that like the help adults with cooking and baking. This set pays special attention to the grasp, motor skills, and interests of children.
Each cup and spoon was modeled in Rhino7 and 3D printed with an FDM printer in PVB filament. Visuals were rendered in Keyshot and Blender and edited in Photoshop.
Softwares
Mary Bombardo
Mother of 3 young children
"Isabelle (5 years old) wants to help with baking desserts but the bowls are too heavy for her to lift. The stirring and scooping motions are hard too. Caroline (1 year old) isn’t old enough to help in the kitchen.”
Buffy Anderson
Daycare owner
“The kids love to help in the kitchen but it can be hard sometimes. They help me measure ingredients and mix things together but the stirring motion can be hard for them to do.”
Research
KEY CONCERNS: weight, size, and motor skills
Problem Statement
Kitchen utensils are not designed for children, despite their eagerness to help in the kitchen.
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There is a lack of measuring utensils designed specifically for children between the ages of 3 and 5.
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Existing measuring utensils do not accommodate the grasp and motor skills of young children.
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Current designs fail to consider the anatomical size and proportions of children, making them difficult to use effectively.
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Many measuring tools do not align with the cognitive and motor skill development levels of children, leading to frustration and difficulty in use.
Design
The Levelers are removable for measuring liquids or cleaning. The insertion point for the leveler penetrates the entire utensil for easier cleaning and drying.
The Levelers
The handles are specifically designed to accommodate the grip capabilities of children between the ages of 3 and 5. They also support the function of the utensil.
The text on each handle features a fraction bar instead of a slash and full measurement names instead of abbreviations for easy understanding.
The Handles & Text
Each cup features a different texture. Not only does this make the cups fun to look at, it also functions as a tool to add texture to sugar cookies.
The Texture
Details
Prototypes
Prototypes were 3D printed in PVB filament and spray painted to match color board and renders. PVB filament was chosen because it can be smoothed with rubbing alcohol.
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