Hanzi Storytelling Box
Block Toy for Zhejiang University
The Hanzi Storytelling Box is an innovative toy block that makes learning Chinese characters fun and interactive for young children. It uses the pictographic nature of characters, along with visual and auditory elements, to help learners recognize and remember them better. The accompanying app provides additional learning resources, such as words, sentences, writing strokes, and associative drawing, children can also record their own Chinese character stories to upload to blocks.
Download Press Kit № 149040
Download Press Kit № 149040 Block Toy for Zhejiang University by Jiayu Yao to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.
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Hanzi Storytelling Box by Jiayu Yao
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Block Toy by Jiayu Yao
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Jiayu Yao Hanzi Storytelling Box
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Jiayu Yao Block Toy
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Zhejiang UniversityBrand Logo
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Jiayu Yao Interview
Enhance Your Reporting: Use our interview with Jiayu Yao, about 98 words long, in your articles at no extra cost. Immediate download available. Access Jiayu Yao Interview Now.
Hanzi Storytelling Box Block Toy Press Releases
Press resources for Hanzi Storytelling Box are offered in several languages: English.
Hanzi Storytelling Box Block Toy Translations
Hanzi Storytelling Box in your language: we provide project translations across multiple languages: Block Toy EN, Blok Speelgoed AF, Lodra Bllok SQ, ብሎክ መጫወቻ AM, لعبة المكعبات AR, Բլոկ Խաղալիքը HY, Blok Oyuncaq AZ, Bloke Jostailua EU, Блок Цацка BE, ব্লক খেলনা BN, Blok Igračka BS, Блок Играчка BG, ဘလောက်အရုပ် MY, Bloc De Joguina CA, Block Dulaan CEB, Block Toy NY, 積木玩具 ZY, 积木玩具 ZH, U Ghjocu Di Bloccu CO, Blok Igračka HR, Bloková Hračka CS, Bloklegetøj DA, Blokspeelgoed NL, Blokludilo EO, Plokkmänguasi ET, Lohkolelu FI, Le Jouet En Bloc FR, Bloc Dèideag GD, O Xoguete De Bloque GL, ბლოკის სათამაშო KA, Blockspielzeug DE, Το Μπλοκ Παιχνίδι EL, બ્લોક ટોય GU, Blòk Jwèt HT, Toy Toy Nau'in Ilimi Ne HA, Ka Pāʻani Poloka HAW, צעצוע בלוק HE, ब्लॉक खिलौना HI, Thaiv Cov Khoom Ua Si HMN, A Blokkjáték HU, Blokk Leikfang IS, Ngọngọ Egwuregwu Ụmụaka IG, Mainan Balok ID, Bréagán Bloc GA, Il Giocattolo A Blocchi IT, ブロックおもちゃは JA, Dolanan Blok JV, ಬ್ಲಾಕ್ ಆಟಿಕೆ KN, Блокты Ойыншық KK, ប្លុកប្រដាប់ក្មេងលេង KM, Guhagarika Igikinisho RW, 블록 장난감은 KO, Pêlîstoka Blokê KU, Блоктук Оюнчук KY, Block Toy LO, Obstructionum Toy LA, Kluču Rotaļlieta LV, Blokinis Žaislas LT, Block Spillsaachen LB, Блок Играчка MK, Ny Kilalao Block MG, Mainan Blok MS, ബ്ലോക്ക് കളിപ്പാട്ടം ML, Ġugarell Blokk MT, Ko Te Taakaro Poraka MI, ब्लॉक टॉय MR, Блок Тоглоом MN, ब्लक खेलौना NE, Blokkleketøy NO, ବ୍ଲକ୍ ଖେଳନା OR, بلاک ټای PS, اسباب بازی بلوک FA, Zabawka Klockowa PL, Brinquedo De Bloco PT, ਬਲਾਕ ਖਿਡੌਣਾ PA, Jucăria Bloc RO, Блок-Игрушка RU, Poloka Meataalo SM, Блок Играчка SR, Block Toy SN, بلاڪ رانديڪا SD, Block Toy SI, Bloková Hračka SK, Blok Igrača SL, Block Toy SO, Block Toy ST, Bloque De Juguete ES, Kaulinan Blok SU, Block Toy SW, Blockleksak SV, Ang Block Toy TL, Блоки Бозича TG, தொகுதி பொம்மை TA, Уенчык Блок TT, బ్లాక్ బొమ్మ TE, ของเล่นบล็อก TH, Blok Oyuncak TR, Blok Oýnawaç TK, Блокова Іграшка UK, بلاک کھلونا UR, توساق ئويۇنچۇق UG, Blokli O'yinchoq UZ, Khối Đồ Chơi VI, Tegan Bloc CY, Blok Boartersguod FY, I-Block Toy XH, בלאָק צאַצקע YI, Block Isere YO, I-Block Toy ZU.
Hanzi Storytelling Box Block Toy Media Articles
Utilize our prepared articles to feature Hanzi Storytelling Box, available in the languages: Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Arabic (Standard), English, French, Dutch, Turkish, German, Indonesian, Hindi, Italian and Portuguese.
Unique Properties
Hanzi Storytelling Box is a meaningful block toy that supports young children to engage with Chinese characters in a more friendly way. The toy kit uses the pictographic nature of characters, blending visual and auditory to help learners recognize and remember them. The toy divides characters into three categories by theme: nature (yellow), people (blue), and artifacts (red). Young children are encouraged to appreciate the beauty of Chinese characters, explore their mysteries, and find learning fun and engaging.
Tags
Education, Young children, Block toy, Chinese characters, Electronic toys
Production Technology
TECHNOLOGY: UX design process, Rhinoceros, Keyshot, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Arduino, Electronic circuit technology MATERIALS: Wooden
Design Challenge
The first challenge was to categorize and classify the Chinese characters that preschoolers need to learn. The toy divided these characters into three categories based on their meanings and used different colors to show the distinction. The second challenge was to visualize the characters by creating easy-to-understand patterns that fit their meanings. To do this, the toy described the meaning of each character through a one-sentence story in relation to its pattern.
Project Duration
The project started in March 2022 and finished in October 2022 in Ningbo.
Operation Flow
First, the child can freely play with the character blocks. They can place a single block or combine two blocks to form a specific character on the Storytelling Box. After pushing the box button, the description of the Chinese characters and the related fable will be broadcasted by the box. Secondly, the accompanying app allows users to record their own Chinese character stories and play them with the physical toy. The app also provides additional learning resources, such as words, sentences, writing strokes, associative drawing, and review. These resources can help children learn Chinese characters holistically and easily.
Research
By combining Montessori's sensitive period for senses and Piaget's constructivism theories, and conducting a user study with children aged 3-6 years, the toy uses common objects in daily life as visual representations of Chinese characters. The existing knowledge of the children was utilized to assimilate new knowledge of Chinese characters. The radicals are key to learning Chinese characters, and the Hanzi Storytelling Box allows for free combinations between radical blocks to form different Chinese characters with clear visual elements that present the role of different radicals in the overall Chinese character.
Inspiration
Children often consider Chinese characters to be complex, boring, and irregular, which leads to children's anxiety about learning Chinese characters. By analyzing the cognitive characteristics, age characteristics, and literacy rules of lower-grade students, the Hanzi Storytelling Box is designed based on the "child-oriented" design principle.
Image Credits
Jiayu Yao、Jiayi Ma、Jing Zhang，2022
Project Overview
Hanzi Storytelling Box Block Toy has been a Iron winner in the Education, Teaching Aid and Training Content Design award category in the year 2022 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
Iron Recognition
Jiayu Yao was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2023, a testament to excellence of their work Hanzi Storytelling Box Block Toy.
Jiayu Yao Press Releases
Explore the world of Jiayu Yao through our press releases, designed for media members to use freely and enrich your content. Now available: Immediate access to 1 press releases for journalists.
Introducing the Hanzi Storytelling Box: A Revolutionary Approach to Learning Chinese Characters for Young Children
An Innovative Block Toy Designed to Make Learning Chinese Characters Fun and Engaging for Young Children
Jiayu Yao Newsroom
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