Moodboard
Sophie was invited to participate in an interactive moodboard activity, where she selected images that resonated with her preferences and explained her choices. This process helped us gain deeper insight into her aesthetic values and functional needs as a parent. Sophie also gravitated toward toys and environments made of natural materials, especially wood, favoring their warm, calming appearance and tactile quality. Her feedback guided the team toward a more minimalist, nature-inspired design direction.
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In the next co-design activity, we used a “black box” brainstorming method where Sophie could freely express her ideas, needs, and wishes for the product on sticky notes without being limited by technical constraints. This open ended approach encouraged her to think creatively and intuitively about how the product could support her and her baby’s daily life. The result was a wide range of valuable inputs, from functional ideas like "extendable sides" and "attached toys (maybe elastic?)" to sensory preferences such as "fluffy fabrics" and "brighter colors." To complement this, we also photographed Liam’s existing toys to understand their sizes, forms, and how they are typically interacted with. This helped us explore ways to design a modular attachment system for the gym one that could adapt to different toy types and allow easy switching, making the product versatile, engaging, and personalised for Sophie and Liam’s needs.
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Ideation
During the ideation phase, we explored a wide range of possibilities without yet knowing what the final product would be. This stage was all about divergent thinking, using sketches and rough concepts to generate ideas that could respond to Sophie and Liam’s needs. The directions varied greatly from tummy time gyms and climbing frames to modular toy holders, walkers, and even storage solutions. Many ideas focused on versatility and growth, aiming to create something that could adapt to different developmental stages. We also experimented with toy attachment systems, foldable elements, and playful features like a ball collector, blending function with fun. While the concept of GrowGym hadn’t been defined yet, these early sketches laid the foundation for combining multiple functions into one coherent product, driven by insights from our co-design sessions and observations of Liam’s daily play.
Ball Collector
Concepts
Concept B
Concept A
Concept A is a multifunctional baby play mat with an adjustable play arch and a double-sided design, supporting sensory, cognitive, and physical development.
The mat features multiple holes for adjusting the height and width of the arch, adapting to different stages of your baby’s growth. A mirror can be placed at the top to encourage self-recognition, and toys can be hung using strings to promote visual and hand coordination.
One side of the mat is made of soft, cozy fabric for everyday comfort, while the reverse side includes playful activities that stimulate sensory learning and cognitive skills.
Concept B will made of wood and has wheels that can be added or removed. When the wheels are off, it works like a stable play gym. When the wheels are on, it becomes a baby walker that parents can use to help their child take first steps.
The top bar can hold different sensory toys. Parents can hang toys with strings to help babies reach, grab, and explore. This helps with hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
The design is modular, which means parts can be changed as the baby grows. It can be used for sitting, standing, and walking stages. The handle height can also be adjusted to fit different needs.