Kokeroo
A mobile play space for babies 0-3.
The Kokeroo is a mobile learning space that encourages parents to bring their babies to the library to discover books. The project aimed to create a playful, intimate space that encouraged parents and young children to explore books and connected objects. The Etterbeek Flemish Library in Brussels commissioned this project. The library was looking for a way to encourage parents to bring their babies to the library to discover books.
To DiscoverBooks with Babies
The dutch word for a cardboard tube is a koker, so I came up with the name Kokeroo as sort of a play on how a kangaroo mother’s hold their babies within.
Kokeroo comprised of six cardboard tubes of varying sizes, the largest having a dual purpose of a storage unit and light table. Each tube is designed around a specific theme, such as colours, shapes, animals, and letters, and is filled with books and related found objects that encourage exploration and discovery. The books are carefully chosen to be age-appropriate for children under three and their parents. At the end of the play workshop, it is all stored inside each other and put away until the next time.
The design of the Kokeroo is simple yet effective. The cardboard tubes are lightweight and easy to move around, making it easy to set up and store the mobile learning space. The themes are marked on each tube, making it easy for parents to choose which one they want to explore with their child. The largest tube, a storage unit and a light table is designed to be a workspace for parents and children.
Me and You
Long tube children could crawl and peek through with a lighted cable, related books and objects that can be put inside each other.
The Kokeroo is a playful and interactive space that encourages parents to bring their babies to the library to discover books. By providing a space where parents and children can explore books and related objects together, the project aims to promote a love of reading and learning from an early age. At the end of each play workshop, the books and objects are stored back inside each other and put away until the next time, making them easy to use and maintain. Overall, the Kokeroo is a creative and innovative design project that will inspire young children and their parents to explore the wonderful world of books.
Combining reading books with physical objects connected to the book concept can benefit both the library and parents.
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Attract a new audience and increase foot traffic
Promote library resources and position the library as a leader in early childhood education and literacy development
Enhance the library's reputation as a community resource for learning and education
Showcase innovative and creative design
Cost-effective solution for libraries with limited budgets
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Encourage active engagement and multisensory learning for children
Increase comprehension and retention of information
Foster imagination and creativity in children
Enhance parent-child bonding through shared learning experiences
Promote early language, cognitive, and social-emotional development in children.
