OMO

Part of

Engage

Creativity comes from truly play

MA 2023

Keywords

Child, Play, Playground, Creativity, Art

Overview

OMO is a service that helps children spread their creativity during play. It builds a creative ecosystem connecting the community with children's creativity.

OMO’s service is split into three stages: 1. Collect 2. Collaborate 3. Spread. The service first collects the creative artwork that children create during play. Then uses it to collaborate with other playgrounds and the communities. Lastly, it would spread this idea and connection to a wider audience, such as industries.

Through this service we aim to encourage children’s creativity during play while using this creativity as a tool for social cohesion.

Collaboration

London Play works to ensure children have the space, time and freedom to play. They want every child in London to have high quality, free play opportunities, near to where they live. And we have also partnered with Service Futures Lab, whose goal is to explore design futures inspired by the big shifts that shape new ways of living.

We worked closely with them and Pearson Adventure Playground and discovered a future of play, as well as created a new vision of play services.

SECTION ONE SECTION TWO STATEMENT SECTION THREE SECTION FOUR

INSIGHTS

1. Children have unlimited imaginations, and these are fostered and flourished at the playground.

In Pearson’s playground, we met a girl called Sutan who told us a game that she plays at the playground. She is able to imagine the slides and tiles in the playground as portals and keyboards, which could take her to different imaginary worlds. We were inspired by the power of creativity that children have during play.

2. The majority of creative play stays within the playgrounds and creates bonds within the playgrounds. Children lack the opportunity to share their creativity.

The majority of creative play stays within the playgrounds and creates bonds within the playgrounds. But from our research through talking with the children, they want to play with more playmates and share their games.

3. Low frequency of creativity events, which is not enough to build strong bonds between communities using creativity.

Children’s creations would be sold at specific times, such as the Christmas Market or shown at the Movie Ceremony. But the frequency of events is very low, usually once a year, which is not enough to build strong bonds between communities using creativity.

So what if we introduced a service that would allow children to bring the creativity that is fostered at the playground out. This could strengthen the bond between children, playgrounds and the communities while encouraging and fulfilling children’s need in sharing their ideas and creative thoughts during play.

MISSION

How can we build an ecosystem that would collect and branch children’s creativity, reinforcing their self value of creativity and using this as a tool for collaboration between stakeholders?

An ecosystem that would branch children’s creativity to emphasise creative value in futuristic play

DELIVER

Our service is split into three stages:

1. Collect

2. Collaborate

3. Spread

1. Collect

The monster inbox is a machine with a screen that enables camera and a scanning function. This inbox would be placed in playgrounds where children can easily find it after creating creative work. Children can log in to their OMO account and scan or upload their work. Their work can be artworks such as paintings, sketches; stories; games that they play or anything that comes up during play. After uploading it through the monster inbox it would be upload automatically to OMO’s platform

2. Collaborate

Every week London play will publish a poster to show talented creative work produced by children during play at the playgrounds. These would give children feelings of accomplishment and be encouraged. Children are also able to see what other children are playing at other playgrounds, and even replicate them. Moreover, online and in-person events would be held between the playgrounds using the work that is uploaded on OMO. These can foster the growth of interactions between playgrounds and communities.

3.Spread

As the monster collection inbox has a scan and share function, children’s artwork and creative ideas are uploaded to a platform. Where the concept of spread is reinforced. Children, parents, schools and industries can check out children’s work, interact with them and connect with the playground through OMO.

Video

SPECIAL
THANKS

Exceptionally thanks to our tutor Nicolas Rebolledo for his guidance and support throughout the project; to Kay O'Brien and other play-workers at Pearson's Playground for their insights and continuous help; and to all workshop participants and interviewees.