“Nifty Elderly: Toys and Home Décor to Foster Relationships Between Young Children and the Elderly” Wins a Gold at an Innovation Contest in Hong Kong 

Nifty Elderly: Toys and Home Décor to Foster Relationships Between Young Children and the Elderly, a project developed by Associate Professor Pornthep Lerttevasiri, a special lecturer in the Art Education Division, Department of Art, Music, and Dance Education at the Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, has won a Gold Medal and a Special Prize on Stage from the Taiwan Invention Association. These prestigious awards were presented at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong, held on December 5–6, 2024, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong SAR, China.   

About Nifty Elderly   

Nifty Elderly is a creative collection of toys and home décor items designed to strengthen relationships between young children and the elderly, particularly in families where grandparents often care for children while parents are at work. The project introduces three innovative products:   

1. Sum Pole Counting   

Aimed at engaging both young children and the elderly, this tool facilitates mental arithmetic practice and answer verification using a Sum Pole. Elderly caregivers or adults guide the process, encouraging numerical reasoning and maintaining cognitive sharpness, particularly in calculations and problem-solving.   

2. Storytelling Doll House   

This toy serves as a medium for cultural and moral education, allowing grandparents to share traditions, values, and social norms with children. It fosters empathy, kindness, discipline, and emotional intelligence, aligning with educational competencies in the Affective Domain.   

3. Marble Track Construction 

A fun yet challenging toy that promotes collaborative planning between generations, this set allows users to build marble tracks using modular blocks. These include power-transfer units and various track types such as curves, U-turns, and different lengths. Lack of proper planning can lead to marbles halting mid-track, teaching problem-solving while enhancing cognitive and psychomotor skills.   

This award-winning project not only underscores the potential of design in fostering intergenerational bonding but also showcases Chulalongkorn University’s dedication to innovative and practical educational contributions with far-reaching social benefits.   

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