Fix me up, doc!

Call it `learn while you play' or `play while you learn'. Toys have always fascinated children and none have learnt that better than toy manufacturers.

No one completely knows how the toy manufacturers do their research work but they certainly bring out innovative products that not only catch the eyes of children but, at times, even stump educationists by their ingenuity.

Based on the games that kids (between three and six years) prefer to play, Funskool India has launched a product - `Fix me up doctor', targeted at the select audience, explaining the human physiology.

The child can play a `doctor' and, at the same time, understand the human organs. Non-toxic even if swallowed, the play dough is of wheat and maida.

As products require back-up service such as `in-house promotion', the toy company's marketing executives pitched camp at Odyssey on Saturday afternoon.

A sales promotion officer of Funskool, Mr. Vineet Arvind, doubled up as the `duty doctor' of `a casualty ward', attending on a `patient' (part of the kit). The `moulded body' was spread on a table. The `fixing' process started as soon as seven-year- old Ishaan looked quizzically at the display.

The doctor `cut open' the abdominal skin to bare the plastic- moulded organs inside. Initially, the child found it difficult to identify the dough-made intestines, stomach, lungs and the oesophagus - not his mistake in total, as the coloured material and shape did have something to do with it. However, he made amends much before the executive could lift a `spare heart' in the pan for the `replacement surgery'. Ishaan blurted `it's the heart', bringing smiles all around.

Apart from the patient's mould, the play-kit packs other tools for the use of the `young doctors' during playtime. A scalpel, syringe, tweezers, stitching and wooden rollers for making the dough pliable - the complete accessories.

The wheat and maida dough, besides being non-toxic, is salty too. ``A child which swallows it once will never again do it,'' says Mr. Arvind. Of course, permitted colours and resins too have been used, though sparingly, to make the product safe.

By S. Shanker

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Next     : A tale of two pubs