What happens when an emotion becomes a toy?
In this design workshop, children create their own abstract object inspired by an emotion, using a variety of materials that stimulate sensory processing: textures, sounds, colors, and movement. Invisible toys emerge from within, from a feeling that may not have a name but can take shape. These are not traditional functional toys but undefined objects of open meaning, created by children through their personal perception.
The workshop is designed within the framework of neurodesign, which views design as a tool to activate sensory systems and express inner experiences. The emphasis is on the creative process through touch, movement, and play, where the child integrates senses and gives physical form to something invisible, an emotion.
The workshop is intended for children aged 4 to 8 and lasts 60–90 minutes. After a brief introduction, children name emotions and choose one to “transform” into a toy. This is followed by sensory activation, toy creation focused on sensory characteristics, and finally, children present their toys and link them to the emotion they experienced.
The workshop encourages sensory awareness, creativity, expression, and understanding of emotions through design, without the need for verbalization or predefined solutions. Emotion becomes the spark for creation, and the child becomes the designer.