Child's play inspires a new way of thinking to produce IKEA/PS range

Simultaneous with the launch at IKEA stores in more than 30 countries around the world, the range will be available at IKEA stores in Jeddah and Riyadh by early September. The Kingdom has an estimated population of more than 6 million children under the age of 9 and the new IKEA PS children's range is expected to fill a gap in the market. With this in mind, Saudi children were invited to take part in a programme to test the products, and gave the new range full marks for fun and functionality.

The launch of this new range is an innovation by itself as it represents a new way of thinking when making children's furniture. And for the first time, the concept of entertainment and fun has been addressed from as early as the design stage of the product range, with the result that play has been built into the design from the start giving children the freedom to play in their own way - because that's how they learn for life.

"We are thrilled to be taking part in this worldwide event to introduce an exciting range of children's furniture that is the latest breakthrough in design at IKEA," said Jules Van Gestel, Country Furniture Range Manager, who went on to say "Children's IKEA PS is a reflection of the new times we live in. Children are spending more and more time sitting still, the age of people with stress related illnesses is getting younger and younger and children enter the adult world at an early age sometimes without enjoying their childhood. That is why we are committed to inspiring more play activity in the home.

Children's basic needs are just the same as they were 20, 50 and 100 years ago. The first seven years form the basis of how children develop socially, physically and mentally and it is through play that children develop the most. The challenge with the new Children's IKEA PS range was to build play into the design bearing in mind a child's development, imagination and sense of adventure. The children's IKEA PS range isn't about designing objects for children, it is about design for unlimited play in all its possible forms.

The result of this new way of thinking is an exciting and colourful range that is unique and different, yet complements, the other types children's furniture that IKEA produces

"Children need to jump, clamber and climb, rest and hide. Our designers have taken all of these things on board and incorporated them into products designed to be simple. Adults might find it difficult to understand how these products work or even what they are. Children, however understand them immediately and start playing on them straight away. This is their way of life and development," said Mr. Van Gestel.

Like all other IKEA products, Children's IKEA/PS was to have good design and function. The range had to be built with children in mind. For these reasons IKEA collaborated with a group of real experts with a vast experience of children's' play. One group was made up of academics and psychologist; the other of children. In June 2002 the first Children's IKEA/PS prototypes were tested. Sixteen children, aged from four to seven and from different countries played uninterrupted for two days. The aim of this was to study how children played with the products which in turn made it easier to predict how they would be used in the home. IKEA/PS for children is also based on work done by independent experts on stress, play and child development. This work along with the furnishing expertise of IKEA has lead to new ideas for interior design and home furnishing for children and families.