BRIEF REPORT OF SURVEY

NAME: RUPESH KUMAR

CLASS: MSW 2ND SEM

SUB: ECD ( Early childhood care and development)

SUBMITTED TO : DR. IKANSHI KHANNA

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC: SURVEY ON TECH AND NON-TECH TOYS

OBJECTIVE OF THE SURVEY

 To understand how often parents buy the toys for their children.
 To measure the productivity and competitiveness of the toy shops in the market.
 To understand the impact of different kind of toys on child’s development.
 To understand the difference between technical and non-technical toys.
 To understand the perception of parents about the floating of new kind of technology
based toys in the market.
 To understand the preferences and decisions around new kind of toys.

HISTORY OF TOYS
History of Toys is as old as human civilization. Early humans made toys from materials found in
nature such as rocks, sticks and clay. In the modern era, toys are made from a wide range of
materials such as plastic, metal, clay, glass, cloth, woods etc. Toys excavated from the Indus
valley civilization (3000-1500 BC) include small-carts, whistles shaped like birds and toy
monkeys which could slide down a string. Use of new materials and technologies have added
value to a variety of toys. Selling a toy often involves selling to three individuals simultaneously,
namely the child, who will use the toy, the mother, who is concerned about safety, space to play,
etc., and the father who controls the purse strings. The target market for the toy selling firms is
middle class and upper income group.
TYPES OF TOYS
According to Dale Hoiberg and Indu Ramchandani, (2000) Indian toys can be categorized into
four groups:
1. Toys developed and produced by craftspeople
2. Mela toys, dynamic folk toys developed and produced by the artisans (skilled and semi-skilled
person)
3. Toys developed by the layperson or invented by children themselves
4. Factory made toys mainly technical and non technical toys

Researches based on toy safety standards

Safety Regulations Safe toys must be well designed and age appropriate, durable, and non-
toxic. Always read labels to make sure a toy is appropriate for a child's age. Many studies have
reported that environmental hazards are caused by the toxic contents of toys which are mostly
made in China. Therefore, quality measures are required to be set and inspected on regular basis.
In India, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has clearly formulated the standards relating to toy
safety in terms of their physical form and toxicity. Child's temperament, habits and behavior also
need to be considered before buying a new toy. Moreover, age levels for toys are determined by
safety factors, not intelligence or maturity of the child. Here are some age-specific guidelines
with respect to toy products:

For Infants, Toddlers and Pre-schoolers

• Toys should be large enough at least 1¼ inches (3 centimeters) in diameter and 2¼ inches (6
centimeters) in length so that they can't be swallowed or lodged in the windpipe. A small-parts
tester, or choke tube, can determine if a toy is too small. These tubes are designed to be about the
same diameter as a child's windpipe.
• Avoid marbles, coins, balls and games with balls that are 1.75 inches (4.4 centimeters) in
diameter or less because they can become lodged in the throat above the windpipe and restrict
breathing.
• Battery-operated toys should have battery cases that secure with screws so that kids cannot
open. Batteries and battery fluid pose serious risks including choking, internal bleeding and
chemical burns.
• When checking a toy for a baby or toddler, make sure it's unbreakable and strong enough to
withstand chewing. Also, make sure it doesn't have: Sharp ends or small parts like eyes, wheels
or buttons that can be pulled loose.
 Small ends that can extend into the back of the mouth, Strings longer than 7 inches (18
centimeters) Parts that could become pinch points for small fingers.
 Most riding toys can be used once a child is able to sit up well while unsupported - but check
with the manufacturer's recommendation

BACKGROUND OF TOYS
According to my survey, most of the family prefers soft animal, audio visual and building block
toys. When you see an infant loving on their favorite stuffed animal, it may not look
like play. However, the truth is that these types of toys help lay the groundwork for
fundamental social skills. Experts say that 12 to 18 months is the optimal time to
start using toys like stuffed animals and dolls to encourage pretend play. Building
blocks or unit blocks encourage kids to cooperate with others who play with them and this
inculcates a feeling of sharing and friendship. These also help them to develop their problem
solving skills and enable them to be comfortable in groups. To play with building blocks,
children are required to reach for them, pick them up, stack them together and this helps to build
hand-eye coordination and agility. This also helps children to improve their hand and finger
strength and thus prove useful physically. Building blocks also prove amazing for kindergarten
kids as they learn to develop skills in design, balance, stability and representation. Building
blocks also help kids to develop their creative skills since to build different designs, one need to
use their creative thinking. Blocks can also be used for pretend play which too stimulates
creative thinking among the children.

ABOUT THE SURVEY PROCESS

PRIMARY RESEARCH
There are very less secondary data available on the customer profiling relevant to this So I
visited 2 stores for collecting primary data. I interviewed customers & observed purchase
behaviour of buyers.

I went to the toy store which is situated nearby college and I asked to manager to take an
interview. Firstly he was not willing to give but I convinced him and I started asking questions
which was given in a format and I got lot of information about the toys and how the toys help in
the development of toys. He also told that most of the family are now purchasing technology
based toys which are something costly but new innovative toys are more attractive then old one
as they can be used in multiple ways.

He also told me that demand of technology based toys is increasing and according to the demand
they finalize their stock. He also told the durability of toys depend upon the quality and brand of
toys if the cost of toys is less so the durability of toys will be less. Basically the uses of toys in
the house are much more dependent.

I also interviewed five parents and also asked variety of questions related to the child’s toys.
They also told that they prefer technology based toys and they also told that durability of toys is
not so longer because child doesn’t play carefully they destroy the toys very easily because the
material of toys is not that much strong. They also told about how much amount they spend on
toys.
ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY AND INSIGHTS BASED ON
INTERVIEW
Insights on customer purchase behaviours & customer interviews

Parents
 Cost is one of the most significant factor in terms of selection.
 Usually have a perception of repeated purchase and unwilling to invest more based on the
notion that toys never last long.
 Purchase behaviour is greatly influenced by child’s presence.
 Without child’s presence, most preferred games are puzzles or any other board games because
of the perceived educational value attached with them.
 With their presence, the selection is primarily motivated by the child’s preferences.
 Action figures are primary attraction for kids & decline for traditional favourites like Hot
wheels & Barbie.
 No preference between Indian & Chinese toys
 When informed about the negative effects regarding the poor material quality of Chinese toys,
they were skeptical about buying Chinese toys.
 For parents who are not price conscious, they prefer branded toys over unbranded once

Gift Purchases
 Cost is definitely one of the significant factors for selection
 Usually ask the salesperson for preference while choosing
 Maximum time opt of the bestselling one as communicated by the salesperson provided that is
within his budget
 No preference between Indian & Chinese toys
 Occasional purchase

CONSUMER DECISION MAKING CRITERIA – BASED ON

DEMOGRAPHY
The customer decision making criteria varies widely based on the age of the children. Thus,
buyers (parents & gift purchasers) are primary customers while the children act as consumer of
the product. Thus, their decision making for section depends on the age of the children.

PRE-SCHOOL KIDS:
The age group of this segment is 2-5 years. The primary factors which are considered before
buying:
 The dimension of the toys should be comparatively larger. Child belonging to this age
have a tendency to engulf items.
 Focus more on the audio-visual aspect of the toy. As it acts like attention seeking feature
of the toy.
 Toy should be colourful, aesthetically appealing & sound producing.
 Educational toys which are bigger in dimension are also preferred. Like alphabet,
number, animal & fruits
  Non-toxic paints & no sharp edges are also concerned as safety factors while buying.

PRIMARY SCHOOL GOING KIDS

 The age group of this segment is 5-10. They occasionally accompany the buyer and
influence in the act of buying. The primary factors which are considered before buying:
 Educational toys specially puzzles are majorly preferred by parents for this segment.
 Huge contrast in terms of toys size, shape & colour based on the sex of the child
 Pop culture figure like cartoon characters are hugely popular in this segment
 The electronic toys are also preferred by this segment. Like remote controlled cars 
Audio producing toys are still considered by this segment.
 Action figure are also preferred by this segment.
 Board games are also introduced to this segment.
 Toys like building blocks or logo are also considered by parents.

SECONDARY SCHOOL GOING TEENAGERS

The age group of this segment is 10 & above. They act as decision maker or main influence in
most of the purchase. The primary factors which are considered before buying:
 Preference shifts towards outdoor games
 Action figure based on popular comic characters are majorly preferred
 Expensive toys are also bought for this segment
 Audio toys have very less appeal to this segment

TOXICITY & SAFETY OF TOYS

Introduction Toy Safety is the practice of ensuring that toys made for children are safe, usually
through the application of a set of safety standards. Toxicity and Safety aspects have become a
major concern among parents all over the world while buying toy products for children. Toys are
supposed to be fun and are an important part of any child's development. However, each year
scores of kids are treated for toy-related injuries. Choking is a major risk for kids in the age
group of 3 years or younger, because they tend to put objects in their mouths. Toy manufacturers
follow certain guidelines and label most new toys for specific age groups. But perhaps the most
important thing a parent can do is to supervise play. Here are some general guidelines to be
checked while shopping for toys:
• Toys made of fabric should be labelled as flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Stuffed toys should be washable.
• Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint.
• Art materials should be nontoxic.
• Look for the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) seal on electrical toys.

CONCLUSION

Play is not synonymous with toys. The use of appropriate toys or teaching aids is essential to
engage kids constructively. Children vary in their types of play and toy preferences depending
on their physical and mental age levels. Toys need to be safe, simple, user friendly, washable,
age-appropriate and above all ‘teaching-task’ oriented. They need not be expensive to be
engaging. Of course, toys entertain kids. But, they should also educate. Further, precautions
need to be taken to clean and disinfect the toys, avoid purchase or use of toys for purposes that
intend to harm or hurt others, such as those illustrated by toys which serve as chokers, impellers,
hit-backs, defenders, crushers, burners, and head injurers.

REFRENCES

 http://www.npcindia.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Research-Report-Toy-Industry-ES-
HQ.pdf
 https://www.slideshare.net/nizarito22/domestic-toy-industry?next_slideshow=2
 https://www.slideshare.net/akshaymalgi7/state-of-indian-toy-industry-vis-a-via-
china?next_slideshow=1

Toy store visit