Out of the box

It is not unusual to see a three-year-old help her father with the tough stage in the online Temple Run game. With children learning computers even before they learn to walk, gadgets are often their favourite companions.

Small Brown Box hopes to introduce children to a vibrant play environment that does not involve joysticks and TV screens

Perhaps, this was the thought that inspired 24-year old Payal Bhojnagarwala and her sister Puja (28) to create Small Brown Box recently -- a subscription-based website that not only educates children but also involves parents and helps in parent-child bonding. "We wanted to provide open-ended, creative learning for kids and parents as well. We also realised that while parents wanted to do activities with their kids, many did not have the time, knowledge, or resources to do them. The DIY (do-it-yourself) kit found in stores were typically colouring activities. We wanted to give them a radically different experience," says Payal.

The duo has been very careful about the research that goes into each box. "We did market research on how toys are currently designed by toy companies to see what parents' needs are. We also did a tradeshow where we presented our ideas/products to people and get a feedback," says Payal. The activities follow a four-stage process, which involves theme selection, ground research, expert consultation with psychologists and child testing. Says Payal, "Each box is based on a theme and contains all materials and instruction sheets for open- ended innovative activities."

So far, they have got a very good response from children as well as parents. "We've got positive feedback from parents so far and we have seen amazing growth month-on-month. We hope to continue this in the future. We also wish to build our brand and innovate," she concludes.

Log on to www.smallbrownbox.com.
Call: 9833712837 Prices start from R 699 per boxu00a0