ContentIntroduction

3Child development

5Toys 9Use of toys in therapy 12Safety

15Conclusion 18Illustrations 20Bibliography

26Appendices 29

2

Introduction

Some toys or stuffed animals give children a secure feeling. Can toys be integrated in children's wear in a way to ensure a feeling of security in a child in western society between the ages of four and eight years old? How can this be done?

Playing and playtime help children develop their social skills, motor skills and many other capabilities. Toys and games help direct playtime and often encourage children to be creative. Besides, toys can have an emotional value as well. There is a reason our youngest relatives refuse to go to sleep without their favorite stuffed animal, these beloved toys have just the right smells, form and texture to make them feel safe and secure.

But would it be possible to give these youthful individuals the same feelings of safety by simply wearing their everyday clothes? Would doing so, for instance, help them to overcome emotional issues? And could we spark further development during times when there are no toys around by incorporating toys into children's clothing? These questions could be very interesting, because they could bring an extra dimension into children's fashion and provide an element of fun and emotional comfort for the child.

Before focusing on children's clothing, however, it is important to understand the relationship between the emotional development of children and the use of toys and play first. Their relationship with toys and playtime is also important to pay attention to. In order to obtain a better understanding of that relationship, the emotional development of normal four to eight year-olds and what influences said development must be studied. Besides, what types of toys are most benificial to a child's emotional development should also be considered.

3

To investigate whether children will actually want to wear clothes with toys incorporated in them, research needs to be done to know what toys and what types of toys are most popular among children and what kind of toys ensure feelings of safety. Toys' popularity, however, fluctuates heavily and is sometimes dictated by fads as opposed to trends. To acquire more knowledge on the matter, studies of popular toys must be considered. It is also important to then examine whether these most popular toys are also the most suitable for a child's emotional growth.

Toys and playtime are used in children's therapy as well. Sandplay therapy is a good example of this, where a sandbox and multiple toys are used. To further identify what toys are most fitting to integrate with children's wear, the role and reason of toys and playtime in these therapies need to be investigated.

The concept of combining toys and children's wear is not new, but quite rare. Think about light up shoes and heelys (shoes with wheels). The origin of light up shoes, later known as Skechers, dates back to the 1980's. Heelys, though a newer idea, is already fifteen years old. The purpose and safety of these combinations need to be taken into account, as safety regulations are of the essence in children's wear.

In this thesis the focus group of children is comprised of children around the age of 4 to 8. The function of toys in a child’s development has been evaluated and there has been a search for the perfect toy in terms of comfort and a soothing aspect. A manner to incorporate toys into children's wear to ensure that the child wearing the clothes feels secure and is, in fact, safe has also be pursued.

In order to obtain a wide range of knowledge on the research subject several publications were studied and multiple interviews were taken with parents and children. The interviews' intention was to acquire knowledge on the opinions of children about toys and to

4

find out what their parents' views are on the subject of toys and toys in combination with children's wear.

At first, this thesis will focus on child development, namely, the emotional development of children between the ages four and eight. Next it will discuss toys and their popularity. Then the third part will zoom in on the use of toys in therapy and different kinds of therapy that make use of toys as therapeutical tools. The final chapter will be about safety regulations and safety in combining toys with clothing, completed by a recommendation for future children's wear collections.

Child developmentBefore diving headfirst into combining children's clothing and toys, it is important to understand how a child between the ages four and eight develops emotionally and what influences this development. This way the best type of toy can be selected to integrate into children's clothing to spur emotional development and make children feel safe while wearing them.

ParentsParents influence their child's development by the way they raise them. There are four types of parents: auroritarian parents, permissive parents, supporting parents and indifferent parents. Autoritarian and supporting parents demand a lot from their children. Whereas permissive and indifferent parents don't ask much of their offspring. However, where autoritarian parents are rigid in their rules and punishment, supporting parents explain to the child what he or she did to deserve said punishment. Permissive and indifferent parents are inconsistent in their rules. In extreme cases, indifferent parents even neglect their children, which is a

5

form of child abuse. Children with autoritarian and permissive parents grow insecure and have difficulty socialising with other children. Girls tend to become dependent on their parents, whereas boys usually become very hostile towards their parents. Supporting parents produce more independent, social and assertive children. These children are better off than the offspring of the other parent types as they are usually succesful and likeable. Children with indifferent parents grow up lacking the feeling that their parents love them, thus growing up with a great disadvantage in their emotional development. Their physical and cognitive development also slows down as a result of this parenting style.1

Around the age of four, a child should be able to have a constructive relationship with his or her peers and communicate fairly well2. Between the ages of 5 and 12 decentration of the ego takes place in the child's mind, the child now takes others' opinions into consideration. Acceptance by their peers in this age group grows more important to the child as it gets older. This fact makes it so that a child's peers have a lot of influence on how a child behaves and expresses him- or herself.

TeachersTeachers have a kind of parenting role in a child's life as well, as most children in Europe spend a large amount of time at school starting at the age of 4. The traditional view on a teachers role is that the teacher has a solely educational value. Home- and school-life are clearly seperated. However, a study suggests that it may be better for a child's development if parents and teachers work together.3 1 R.S. Feldman, Ontwikkelingspsychologie, (Amsterdam: Pearson Education Benelux, 2007). pp.311-312 (also for the three following paragraphs)

2 T. van Yperen, Overzicht van opvoedzorgen, (Utrecht, Nederlands Jeugd Instituut, 2009) p.1

3 C.R. Keyes, Parent-Teacher Partnerships: A Theoretical Approach for Teachers, (New York: Pace University, 2000) (also used in the following

6

The most important emotional factor a teacher can influence a child in collaboration with the parents is discipline. If the teacher has sufficient classroom management skills and the parent does not have a permissive parenting style, they can work together to assure the child grows up respecting the rules.

ToysToys are very important to support a child's emotional development as well. An essential type of toy to support emotional development in children is the doll, which provides the child with an image of a human being. The child identifies him or herself with the doll while playing with it, (re)enacting experiences and people or characters from his or her favorite stories. This way, the child expresses him or herself while asking the doll questions and answering these questions for the doll. By applying his or her own feelings to the doll, the doll becomes a great way to communicate and relativize past experiences for the child. It also helps children develop their inner dialog4.

However, one should be careful to not make a toy that is too biased by adult views. A child learns the difference between good, bad, pretty and ugly from his or her toys. Dolls become a type of role model for the child, slightly copying their appearance and behaving in a way the doll may suggest is the right way. As E.O. Smirnova, Doctor in Psychology and Director of the Center of Play and Toys, states:

" A good toy should primarily be open to the different actions and emotions of the child. "

Lastly, a toy should be attractive to the child. The more paragraph)4 E.O. Smirnova, Psychological and educational evaluation of toys in Moscow Center of Play and Toys, PsyJournals.ru, http://psyjournals.ru/en/articles/d44299.shtml (accessed 26 Oct 2015). (also for the three following paragraphs)

7

familiar the toy seems to the child, the more likely it is that the child will find it attractive. The best toys couple familiarity with something new.

Reviewing these criteria, however attractive Barbie and the increasingly popular Bratz dolls are, they seem to be good examples of how not to design dolls that are unbiased. Discussions about the unrealistic body image represented in these dolls have been a hot topic for quite a while. The lead designer of Barbie claims that it is not Barbie that influences a girls view on her own body, but her peers and parents are the real cause. His claim is backed by Dr. Leslie Sim, clinical director of Mayo Clinic’s eating disorders program and a child psychologist, who blames their mother's fault in particular5:

'Moms are probably the most important influence on a daughter’s body image. Even if a mom says to the daughter, ‘You look so beautiful, but I’m so fat,’ it can be detrimental.'

According to Dr. Sharon Lamb, chair of University of Massachusetts Boston’s School of Psychology and specialized in the sexualization of children, however, these claims are just: ' ...a marketing strategy… I think that just because parents influence children too doesn’t mean that Barbie doesn’t. It’s not an either or.' Dr. Deborah Tolman, professor of psychology and social welfare at City University of New York, agrees with Dr. Lamb, but she does say that mothers can help their children realize how un-realistic the body images in Barbies and Bratz dolls are.

5 L. Stampler, 'Barbie Lead Designer Blames Moms, Not Doll’s Crazy Proportions, for Girls’ Body Issues', Time <http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/02/06/barbie-lead-designer-blames-moms-not-dolls-crazy-proportions-for-girls-body-issues/> (accessed 5 Dec 2015) (also used in the two following paragraphs)

8

ToysAs stated before, toys are important to a child's emotional development. Besides, it is of the essence to pick the right toy that a child finds attractive and is suitable for their emotional progress. A growing part of our lives takes place online and movies are big business nowadays. Children's choice of toys is greatly influenced by these factors, since a significant amount of their time is also

9

spent online and watching movies or videos. To achieve a better understanding of fluctuations in toys'

popularity, the definitions of a trend and a fad are important to consider. A trend is ageneral development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving.6 Whereas a fad is a style, activity, or interest that is very popular for a short period of time.'7

Some toys' popularity, such as loom bands (fig. 2) that were wildly popular in the Netherlands during the summer of 2014, are short-lived, as they end up in the closet after a few months. This makes them a fad8. But fads and trends alike always have some key elements in common; they are either collectable, or something can be made out of them.

According to Duracell in 'The top ten toys in Europe', the most popular toys in Europe between 1995 and 2005 were: a mini race track, a karaoke machine, a football table, two make-up related toys, a game boy model, two remote controlled cars, a magnetic building set and a small robot (appendix 1. and appendix 2.). Some of these toys, such as the make-up doll and the karaoke machine, relate to activities children observe in their parents (their mothers putting on make-up, for example) or on television. Others relate to technology. In other words, it seems that, besides wishing to be able to build and collect, children were, and are, very much attracted to technology and activities that mirror those of the adults around them9. 6 Anon., 'Meaning of "trend" in the English Dictionary', Cambridge Dictionaries Online, <http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/trend> (accessed 4 Dec 2015)7 Anon., 'Meaning of "fad" in the English Dictionary', Cambridge Dictionaries Online, <http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fad> (accessed 4 Dec 2015)8 R. Baars, 'Mr. Loom is niet bezorgd om dip in bandjeshype', AD.nl, <http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3757801/2014/09/27/Mr-Loom-is-niet-bezorgd-om-dip-in-bandjeshype.dhtml> (accessed 5 Dec 2015)9 Duracell, ‘The top ten toys in Europe’, Young Consumers, 3 (2005) 44-49

10

This same effect can be seen in the trend analysis by Toys 'R' Us. According to Toys 'R' Us this years' (2015) holiday purchases will abide by four trends: 'Age of the Dinosaurs', 'Full STEAM Ahead', 'Lil’ Sous Chefs in Training' and 'Pets with Personality'. The trends were devised by the company after tracking toy purchases worldwide for one year. 10

The 'Age of the dinosaurs' trend was spurred on, as many toy trends, by popular movies, such as Jurassic World. Products based on this trend include the movie inspired Jurassic World Hero Mashers Ultimate TRex from Hasbro® (fig. 3) with a customizable body and the ability to fire projectiles.

STEAM, short for: science, technology, engeneering, arts and math, was the inspiration for the 'Full STEAM Ahead' trend. Examples of toys in this category are Project Mc2 Dolls from MGA Entertainment (fig. 4). There are four Project Mc2 Dolls, each doll comes with its' own DIY-project; a lavalamp, a volcano, a skateboard and a glowstick necklace.

'Lil' Sous Chefs in Training' is a trend founded in the culinary aspects of life triggered by pictures on social media and star chefs. Some of these toys are actually edible and, apparently, tasty. Yummy Nummies Mini Kitchen Party Sets from Blip (fig. 5) has a wide array of sweet and salty treats children can make themselves.

The last trend, 'Pets with Personality', seems to have evolved out of stuffed animals. According to Toys 'R' Us children still seek out stuffed animals or animal shaped toys, but they also want the toys to interact with them. That's why Moose Toys™ created Clever Keet (fig. 6), it can talk, sing, dance and play.

But most of these toys do not seem to be appropriate to spur emotional growth as they seem to dictate certain actions and behavior. Most of these toys do, however, to have the potential to 10 Wayne, ‘Toys ‘R’ Us predicts top 2015 holiday toy trends’ Press Releases of Toys ‘R’ Us, 1 (2015), <http://www.toysrusinc.com/press-room/releases/general/2015/toysrus-predicts-top-2015-holiday-toy-trends/> (accessed 1 Oct 2015). (also used in the four following paragraphs)

11

make children feel safe. The best kind of toy that gives children feelings of security is the soft toy, either a likeness of a human or a likeness of an animal. When a child enters a new and therefore scary environment, children refuse to part with their favorite soft toy. The more uncomfortable the children feel, the longer they will hold on to their toy for support. This makes them feel safe and protected. Because three out of four of the examples given in the previous paragraph are a doll and two animal-like toys, they are likely to be suitable to give a feeling of safety.

New environments are not the only examples where children cling to their favorite toy; children tend to hold on to their beloved companion when they go to sleep, eat or get dressed as well.

As soon as the new or uncomfortable situation has been familiarized and proven to be safe, children no longer need their toy to support them in such cases11.

To put this newfound information to the test, a small survey was conducted with children and their parents. Interestingly, one of the children questioned said that she has fewer nightmares when she sleeps with her favorite stuffed animal. One of the parents even went as far as to say that a stuffed animal makes her child feel safe. 12

Apart from stuffed animals, the children were also very interested in Lego and Minecraft, because it allowed them to use their imagination and build things. Make-up, though only mentioned once, seems to have a similar appeal.

Furthermore, several children announced their interest in having a toy attached to their clothes. One of them thought it would be funny to have a Lego-block attached to his shirt. The other preffered havind a stuffed animal sewn on their clothes, as it would be nice and soft. The fact that most surveyed children already 11 E.O. Smirnova, Psychological and educational evaluation of toys in Moscow Center of Play and Toys, PsyJournals.ru, http://psyjournals.ru/en/articles/d44299.shtml (accesed 26 Oct 2015).12 For more detailed information, please take a look at the appendices. (also used in the two following paragraphs)

12

expressed their interest in children's wear with toys integrated into it, it seem like a promising project to design children's apparel with just that.

Use of toys in therapyThere are several types of therapies that utilize toys and playtime to promote healing or socialization. These therapies can be subdivided into three groups: play therapy with family members, play therapy with other children and play therapy where the child is alone with the therapist. Art therapy, although another type of therapy, will also be considered a type of play therapy, as it requires the child to be creative and arts and crafts is also considered a form of play13.

During family play therapy sessions clients get the opportunity to create metaphors of what bothers them in family life. The first image that may come to mind is a comical visage of two stressed people talking about each other through hand puppets, eventually attacking each others' hands while the discussion escalates. This is, however, not how a typical session is supposed to go. Even if discussion may get heated sometimes, the role of the therapist in these discussions is to recognize these metaphors and encourage families to reflect on their feelings and the feelings of other family members. Which is not to say that the use of hand puppets is not an option. Clients may choose or create their medium themselves.

Yet, no matter how intense the session may get, through playing with each other bonds are established or strenghtened and good memories are created. Clients also realise that interaction does not need to be negative, as they have had a positive experience together, making them more willing to be together.

The goal of group play therapy is to battle the fear of loneliness in children. Due to a certain trauma, children may end up 13 C.E. Schaefer, Foundations of Play Therapy, (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2011) and J.M. Gibbs, 'Group Play Therapy', British Journal of Medical Psychology, 3 (1945) 244-254. (also used in the three following paragraphs)

13

feeling isolated from their family and peers. This feeling of isolation can become a significant problem in the child's personal development. Group play therapy is also used to treat nervous disorders or undesirable behaviors or habits. Through group play therapy children learn that uniqueness and cooperation are appreciated. It is the therapists' job to praise creativity and accept the children fully, while still setting clear boundaries for the children. Group play therapy is a great learning experience for children, as they learn to help and be helped, appreciate and be appreciated. This way they can explore who they are and who they will become without the fear of being excluded.

Sand Play (fig. 7) is a therapy where children (and adults) get the opportunity to communicate with their therapist through creation. It is a non-verbal and symbolic technique. Using the, sometimes differently colored, sand in a sand box the children have the chance to recreate traumatic events to promote healing. It also gives children that have trouble communicating verbally the opportunity to communicate with adults in another way.14

Art therapy, like sand play therapy, is non-verbal and symbolic, making it a suitable therapy method for children that have trouble expressing themselves or that have been through such a traumatic event that they can not express their thoughts and feelings in words. 15

Therapies in which the client creates also have three dimensions that makes them interesting: "Firstly imaginative material is given form; secondly, it 'works back' on the maker and is experienced; and thirdly, one feels more alive."

In the aforementioned therapy methods, a lot of different types of toys are used, from arts & crafts items to hand puppets to

14 D. Zhou, A Review of Sandplay Therapy, 1 (2009) 69-71.15 C. Case and T. Dalley, Working with children in art therapy, (London: Routledge, 1999). (also used in the following paragraph)

14

clay, sand and water. The only types of toys that are not utilized in these therapy methods are puzzles, video games and board games.

Children's wearThis leaves a lot of different types of toys used in therapy, or elements of the toys, that can be integrated into children's wear. An interesting example of such an element is a small sand bag, as long as it does not become too heavy for the child to wear it.

A more literal leap to make is the one from hand puppets and finger puppets to gloves with finger puppets at the end of each finger and mittens with eyes and a mouth. Likewise, scarves can be a suitable item to combine with hand puppets, by giving them pockets with faces, for example. These puppets, or puppetlike features, can then be used as a medium for the child to communicate with others, much like a doll or soft toy would. Thus helping them in their emotional growth and being a source of comfort where needed.

Pockets made of silicone or another soft and stretchy material where children can keep their art & crafts supplies without breaking them would also be an interesting way to integrate toys and play therapy into children's wear. Similarly to the hand- or finger puppets in on gloves, these arts & crafts supplies can help the children communicat and relativise past experiences. The options are endless, but are they functional and safe?

15

Safety

So far, toys and children's clothes have not been combined in that many different ways. At the moment there are five existing examples of children's wear: Heelys, shoes with lights, squeeky shoes, clothes with dolls integrated in the pockets and pyjamas with animal features in them.

The purpose for the combinations are not always clearly stated, however, it is safe to assume that the element of fun for the children is important in all cases to the products. But in some cases the purpose is quite clear. Good examples of this fact are light up shoes and squeeky shoes.

Light up shoes (fig. 8) were initially created to make children more visible while playing on the streets. The shoes made it safer for them to play outside in the first place, but also made it more fun for them as they could show off their awesome footwear to their friends.

Squeeky shoes (fig. 9) are mainly for children who are learning to walk. Apart from encouraging the children to keep practicing by

16

rewarding them with a sound that keeps entertaining them, the squeeky element in the shoes also makes them more comfortable to walk in for the little ones. The toy softens the impact of each step. The soles are also soft and flexible, making them extra comfortable. The fact that these shoes make a sound every time the child takes a step also supports the development of cause and effect reasoning, as toys that make a sound are meant to do.

Heelys (fig. 10) have been found to be hazardous for childrens' health. 67 Children were treated for injuries sustained while wearing Heelys or similar footwear at the University Hospital in Dublin in a span of ten weeks in 2007. The reason given for this is the fact that, because the wheels in these shoes are located in the heels, the balance needed to navigate in them makes it more likely for children to fall backwards. Thus resulting in fractures and sprains. However, as stated by Heelys Inc., the shoes themselves aren't the problem, but the fact that parents and their children tend to neglect the use of protective gear is the cause of their injuries. While study authors concur that children should, in fact, wear protective gear while rolling with the shoes, pediatrician Micheal Wasserman of the Ochsner Health System in New Orleans says:

"I believe it more likely that the inherent design of being able to rapidly shift from [walking] to enhanced skating will virtually eliminate the usage of any protective gear. It's a great consumer design for fun, but scary from an accident prevention perspective."16

In 1994, L.A. Gears shoes that lit up were banned by environmental regulators in Minnesota, as the shoes contained liquid mercury. Mercury is toxic, but it was very well suited for the shoes otherwise, as it is liquid at room temperature, allowing it to move and make contact, causing the shoes to light up every time it 16 D. Childs, ‘Heelys Hazardous for Kids, Study Finds’, ABC News, http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Exercise/story?id=3242181&page=1 (accessed 2 Oct 2015).

17

did so, like a switch. Using this technique, L.A. Gear assured that the battery would last longer than in older models, but it was considered a hazard nonetheless. The shoes were taken off the market and L.A. Gear paid for the disposal of the shoes that had already been sold, this amounted up to about 20.000 pairs of shoes. Soon thereafter, however, a new technique was developed, making for much safer shoes. Their new switch, called an inertial switch. The switch was made out of a metal spring that would touch the metal contact at the other end every time the shoe hit the ground. Using a simple chip, the shoe then emitted electrical pulses to the lights in the shoes, causing them to light up. This technique is still used in light up shoes today and is deemed very safe.17

In the case of the clothes by Linenkids, with the doll integrated in the pocket (fig. 11), the feet of a doll are attached to cords. Decorative cords on clothing for children until the age of seven can be no longer than 7,5 cm in Europe. For children older than 7 years of age, cords can be fourteen cm, as long as they do not stick out under the hem or are three cm in width. In the event that the cord is three cm wide, the maximum lenght of the cord is 36 cm. As long as these safety regulations are followed, no problems should occur with these creations18.

Soft toys, or elements thereof, can be integrated into clothing fairly easily by adding ears on hats of animal feet in pyjamas. They can also be combined into clothing in the same or similar manner as the clothes with dolls integrated in the pockets by Linenkids. A more therapy driven idea to combine children's wear and toys, would be

17 H. Fountain, 'Inside the Flashy Shoe That Encourages Children to Step on It', The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/07/technology/inside-the-flashy-shoe-that-encourages-children-to-step-on-it.html (accessed 1 Dec 2015).

18 E. Guldemond, 'Controles op veiligheid van kinderkleding verwacht', Textilia, http://www.textilia.nl/Nieuws/controles_op_veiligheid_van_kinderkleding_verwacht-120703151900#.Vlr--0JYzao (accessed 28 Nov 2015)

18

gloves with finger puppets at the end of each finger and mittens or scarves with a face, as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

As soft toys can function as a medium for speech, because the child will talk to the toy on the child's own level. Arts & crafts could do the same for writing. This makes it advisable to find a way to combine arts & crafts into children's wear as well.

Children's wear could also be made more interactive by bringing a puzzle element into them. This way children can pick the toys they find most appealing and wear them on their clothes. Fastening these toys onto the clothing can be accomplished several techniques can be considered; one could use zips, (shoe)laces or (push) buttons. As long as the safety regulations are considered.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best kind of toy to support emotional development in children is the soft toy, namely the humanoid doll. If the doll looks like a human, the child will relate to it and use the doll as a medium to communicate with others, process past events and eventually develop an inner dialogue. The best toy combines novelty with familiarity and does not dictate any course of action to the child and is an 'open' toy.

19

Soft toys are also the type of toys that give the most secure feelings to children. The toy needs to be familiar to the child in some degree in order to be attractive to play with. This toy does not necesseraly hold the likeness of a human being. The child clings to this toy when in uncomfortable situations, when the child knows a situation is safe, he or she will no longer need the toy for comfort in that particular case.

There are a lot of different types of play therapy at the moment, all with their own benefits and goal. But their main objective is always communication and heeling. Tools and toys used in these therapies can be integrated into childrens' fashion in multiple ways. There are few toys that can not be combined with clothing. But as soft toys give the most powerful feeling of security, they are most likely to be the best option to integrate into children's wear.

Research has shown that, although combining childrens' clothing with toys can sometimes be hazardous to the child's health, this does not always have to be the case. Heelys, for example, are mainly dangerous due to unsatisfactory safety measures taken by the children wearing them and their parents. And light up shoes, though once considered hazardous, are now produced with a liquid-mercury-free switch, while still retaining the movement based element.

Children's wear could be made more fun for the children and bring them emotional comfort by mixing toys and playtime, or elements thereof, into their designs. Giving a child a choice in what toy they want to wear on or in their clothes is important, as they can choose the toy they find most attractive to play with. Bringing this element of interactivity into children's wear can be achieved by several techniques, be it zips, shoelaces or (push) buttons. For those who wish to bring toys into children's wear the options are endless, all as long as the safety regulations are considered and followed.

20

After all, safety, whether physical or emotional, is what children's wear should be all about.

The results from the questionnairies are not conclusive, as the survey was executed on too small a scale. The reason for the small scale research was the fact that the survey could not be conducted on a larger scale in the little time available. However, as four out of five children have expressed their interest in having actual toys attached to their clothes, it seems like a promising subject for further research.

In the event that this study will get a follow-up, it would be wise to broaden the scale of the research and to interview children and their parents instead of handing out questionnaires, as this will ensure that questions are less easily misunderstood. Furthermore, it would be advisable to interview children with different demographics as well, as this will provide a broader view on the subject.

21

Illustrations

Fig. 1http://www.stylehive.com/browse/girls/kids

Fig. 2 Loombands and their designated looming rackhttp://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/loom-bands

22

Fig. 3 Jurassic World Hero Mashers Ultimate TRex from Hasbro®

http://www.toys4kidsonline.com.au/products/jurassic-world-hero-mashers-t-rex-dino-pack-dinosaur-figure

Fig. 4 Project Mc2 Dolls from MGA Entertainmenthttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/08/07/project-mc2-stem-dolls_n_7955666.html

23

Fig. 5 Yummy Nummies Mini Kitchen Party Sets from Bliphttp://www.toysrus.com/buy/kits-sets/yummy-nummies-make-a-meal-fun-set-funetti-spaghetti-maker-13420-55700156

Fig. 6 Clever Keet by Moose Toys™

24

http://www.x1071atlanta.com/photo/lifestyles/holiday/toy-trends/pCrNnn/

Fig. 7 Sand Play Therapy in practicehttp://www.pennlive.com/bodyandmind/index.ssf/2010/06/therapy_can_be_found_in_childs.html

25

Fig. 8 A current pair of skechers.http://www.taearts.com/page/225/

Fig. 9 A current pair of squeeky shoes.http://weesqueak.com

26

Fig. 10 A current pair of heelys.http://rolsue.com/heelys-girls-x1flash.html?___store=english&___from_store=srpski

27

Fig. 11 Pair of pants with doll elements by Linenkids.http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/linen-pants-for-girls-2750-luxury-linens-for-kids-custom-clothing-handmade-toys-for-children-622167

28

BibliographyAnon., 'Meaning of "trend" in the English Dictionary', Cambridge Dictionaries Online, http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/trend (accessed 4 Dec 2015)

Anon., 'Meaning of "fad" in the English Dictionary', Cambridge Dictionaries Online, http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fad (accessed 4 Dec 2015)

R. Baars, 'Mr. Loom is niet bezorgd om dip in bandjeshype', AD.nl, <http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3757801/2014/09/27/Mr-Loom-is-niet-bezorgd-om-dip-in-bandjeshype.dhtml> (accessed 5 Dec 2015)

J. Bassant and others, Methoden voor sociaal-pedagogisch hulpverleners (Bussum: Uitgeverij Coutinho, 2003).

C. Case and T. Dalley, Working with children in art therapy, (London: Routledge, 1999)

D. Childs, ‘Heelys Hazardous for Kids, Study Finds’, ABC News, <http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Exercise/story?id=3242181&page=1> (accessed 2 Oct 2015).

Duracell, ‘The top ten toys in Europe’, Young Consumers, 3 (2005) 44-49

R.S. Feldman, Ontwikkelingspsychologie, (Amsterdam: Pearson Education Benelux, 2007).

29

H. Fountain, 'Inside the Flashy Shoe That Encourages Children to Step on It', The New York Times, <http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/07/technology/inside-the-flashy-shoe-that-encourages-children-to-step-on-it.html> (accessed 1 Dec 2015).

E. Guldemond, 'Controles op veiligheid van kinderkleding verwacht', Textilia, http://www.textilia.nl/Nieuws/controles_op_veiligheid_van_kinderkleding_verwacht-120703151900#.Vlr--0JYzao (accessed 28 Nov 2015)

H.G. Kaduson, Short-Term Play Therapy for Children, (New York: The Guilford Press, 2006)

C.R. Keyes, Parent-Teacher Partnerships: A Theoretical Approach for Teachers, (New York: Pace University, 2000)

M.F. Russo, ‘Sandplay and storytelling: Social constructivism and cognitive development in child counseling’, Elsevier - The Arts in Psychotherapy, 3 (2006) 229-237

C.E. Schaefer, Foundations of Play Therapy, (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2011)

E.O. Smirnova, Psychological and educational evaluation of toys in Moscow Center of Play and Toys, PsyJournals.ru, http://psyjournals.ru/en/articles/d44299.shtml (accesed 26 Oct 2015).

L. Stampler, 'Barbie Lead Designer Blames Moms, Not Doll’s Crazy Proportions, for Girls’ Body Issues', Time <http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/02/06/barbie-lead-designer-

30

blames-moms-not-dolls-crazy-proportions-for-girls-body-issues/> (accessed 5 Dec 2015)

Wayne, ‘Toys ‘R’ Us predicts top 2015 holiday toy trends’ Press Releases of Toys ‘R’ Us, 1 (2015), <http://www.toysrusinc.com/press-room/releases/general/2015/toysrus-predicts-top-2015-holiday-toy-trends/> (accessed 1 Oct 2015).

T. van Yperen, Overzicht van opvoedzorgen, (Utrecht, Nederlands Jeugd Instituut, 2009)

D. Zhou, A Review of Sandplay Therapy, 1 (2009) 69-71

31

Appendices

32

Appendix 1. An overview of the top ten toys in Europe acoording to Duracell in 2005.

33

Appendix 2. An overview of the top ten toys in Europe acoording to Duracell in 2005. Interview - Speelgoed in kinderkleding integreren Naam: PurlenLeeftijd: 7meisje

Heb jij een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed waar je heel graag mee speelt?Ja (make-up).

Wat vind je zo leuk aan het speelgoed dat je net noemde? Waarom vind je dat?Omdat ik er zo van houd, van de kleding en de make-up. Je voelt je vrij om je eigen smaak te laten zien.

Wat is je lievelingskleur?Turkoise, goud en zilver.

Heeft je lievelingsspeelgoed die kleur?Ja.

Als jij een stuk speelgoed mocht kiezen dat vast zit aan je kleding, wat zou je dan kiezen? Waarom zou je dat kiezen?Een foto van kinder make-up erop, met potjes, kwastjes en blush etc. in een beetje softlens achtige tinten en foto.

34

Interview - Speelgoed in kinderkleding integreren Naam: AnoukLeeftijd: 7meisje

Heb jij een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed waar je heel graag mee speelt?Ja (knuffel).

Wat vind je zo leuk aan het speelgoed dat je net noemde? Waarom vind je dat?Om mee te slapen is heel fijn, het is mijn geboorteknuffel en daardoor krijg ik niet zo snel nachtmerries.

Wat is je lievelingskleur?Goud, blauw, roze en zilver.

Heeft je lievelingsspeelgoed die kleur?Nee.

Als jij een stuk speelgoed mocht kiezen dat vast zit aan je kleding, wat zou je dan kiezen? Waarom zou je dat kiezen?Een teddybeer aan mijn kleding!

35

Interview - Speelgoed in kinderkleding integreren Naam: TimLeeftijd: 8jongen

Heb jij een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed waar je heel graag mee speelt?Lego, geen favoriete knuffel.

Wat vind je zo leuk aan het speelgoed dat je net noemde? Waarom vind je dat?Het is leuk om er gebouwen mee te bouwen en dan mee te spelen.

Wat is je lievelingskleur?Groen.

Heeft je lievelingsspeelgoed die kleur?Soms wel.

Als jij een stuk speelgoed mocht kiezen dat vast zit aan je kleding, wat zou je dan kiezen? Waarom zou je dat kiezen?Een legoblokje, omdat dat grappig is.

36

Interview - Speelgoed in kinderkleding integreren Naam: BramLeeftijd: 9 (net)jongen

Heb jij een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed waar je heel graag mee speelt?Een knuffel, grote Pieppiep (dat is een hele grote muis) en een bootje waar je echt in kan varen.

Wat vind je zo leuk aan het speelgoed dat je net noemde? Waarom vind je dat?Hij is groot en je kunt lekker met hem knuffelen.

Wat is je lievelingskleur?Licht-groen.

Heeft je lievelingsspeelgoed die kleur?Nee.

Als jij een stuk speelgoed mocht kiezen dat vast zit aan je kleding, wat zou je dan kiezen? Waarom zou je dat kiezen?Een knuffeltje, omdat dat lekker zacht is en niet zo groot en zwaar als grote Pieppiep.

37

Interview - Speelgoed in kinderkleding integreren Naam: LiekeLeeftijd: 8 jaarmeisje

Heb jij een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed waar je heel graag mee speelt?Ja, dat is een hondje en een stokpaardje met geluid.

Wat vind je zo leuk aan het speelgoed dat je net noemde? Waarom vind je dat?Ik houd van paarden en ik speel dat ik kan paardrijden.

Wat is je lievelingskleur?Roze.

Heeft je lievelingsspeelgoed die kleur?Nee

Als jij een stuk speelgoed mocht kiezen dat vast zit aan je kleding, wat zou je dan kiezen? Waarom zou je dat kiezen?Lego firiends en een stokpaard, want dan kan ik er makkelijk bij.

38

Appendix 3. Results of the interviews per question by children.  Enquête - speelgoed in kinder kleding integrerenLeeftijd van uw kinderen: 8 en 9Geslacht van uw kinderen: beiden jongens

Heeft uw zoon of dochter een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed?8-jarige; Lego en tablet.9-jarige; Bootje en grote Pieppiep (knuffelmuis), kapla en tekenen.

Wat denkt u dat dit speelgoed zo aantrekkelijk maakt voor uw zoon of dochter?Lego om eigen creaties mee te maken en mee te spelen (fantasie gebruiken). Het bootje is een eigen vervoermiddel, geeft vrijheid en zelfstandigheid.Knuffels geven veiligheid en geborgenheid.

Is dit dezelfde knuffel/hetzelfde stuk speelgoed waar uw kind mee gaat slapen? Zo niet, welke knuffel/welk stuk speelgoed slaapt uw kind het liefst mee? En waarom?8-jarige; Nee, die slaapt met een klein zacht popje, Dribbel (een hondje) en een grote beer. 9-jarige: Slaapt met grote Pieppiep.

Met wat voor speelgoed speelt uw kind het liefst? Zie vraag 1.

Wisselt uw kind vaak van speelgoed? Of heeft hij/zij een duidelijke voorkeur? Van hoe lange duur is die voorkeur? Ja, veel wisseling. De 8-jarige speelt graag met minecraft het tablet (het tablet heeft de voorkeur, maar is gelimiteerd in tijd), als dat niet kan/mag dan speelt hij veel met lego. Tablet mag max. 30 minuten, lego kan uren duren. Ze spelen ook veel buiten.

39

De 9-jarige wisselt ook veel, hij speelt buiten met zijn bootje, vaak langer dan 1 uur en hij tekent veel, vooral veel ski-liften.

Stel dat ontwerpers speelgoed gaan verwerken in kleding. Welke kleding zou daarvoor in aanmerking moeten komen? En waarom?Een trui, de is binnen handbereik van het kind (shirt/t-shirt kan ook) en accessoires zoals een muts, handschoenen en pantoffels, dit maak het anders dan gewone kleding.

Enquête - speelgoed in kinderkleding integrerenLeeftijd van uw kind: 8 jaarGeslacht van uw kind: meisje

Heeft uw zoon of dochter een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed?Ja, als knuffel een hondje en als speelgoed Lego Friends.

Wat denkt u dat dit speelgoed zo aantrekkelijk maakt voor uw zoon of dochter?Knuffel is lekker zacht en de lego is speciaal voor meisjes, heeft leuke kleuren, je kunt meerdere keren bouwen en er steeds wat anders van maken. Is dit dezelfde knuffel/hetzelfde stuk speelgoed waar uw kind mee gaat slapen? Zo niet, welke knuffel/welk stuk speelgoed slaapt uw kind het liefst? En waarom?Ja.

Met wat voor speelgoed speelt uw kind het liefst? Lego.

Wisselt uw kind vaak van speelgoed? Of heeft hij/zij een duidelijke voorkeur? Van hoe lange duur is die voorkeur? Ja, wisselt regelmatig, het wisselt van dag tot dag.

Stel dat ontwerpers speelgoed gaan verwerken in kleding. Welke kleding zou daarvoor in aanmerking moeten komen? En waarom?Misschien een jas of een trui, dat lijkt mij het meest praktisch.

40

Enquête - speelgoed in kinderkleding integrerenLeeftijd van uw kind: 8 jaarGeslacht van uw kind: meisje

Heeft uw zoon of dochter een favoriete knuffel of ander speelgoed?Lego friends.

Wat denkt u dat dit speelgoed zo aantrekkelijk maakt voor uw zoon of dochter?Lego speciaal voor meisjes.

Is dit dezelfde knuffel/hetzelfde stuk speelgoed waar uw kind mee gaat slapen? Zo niet, welke knuffel/welk stuk speelgoed slaapt uw kind het liefst? En waarom?Ja.

Met wat voor speelgoed speelt uw kind het liefst? Lego Friends.

Wisselt uw kind vaak van speelgoed? Of heeft hij/zij een duidelijke voorkeur? Van hoe lange duur is die voorkeur? Duidelijke voorkeur, ik weet niet hoe lang.

Stel dat ontwerpers speelgoed gaan verwerken in kleding. Welke kleding zou daarvoor in aanmerking moeten komen? En waarom?Jas of schoenen, dat hebben ze dagelijks aan.

41

Appendix 3. Results of the interviews per question by parents.

42