Revolutionizing Creativity: The Makedo Toolkit

Paul Justin's Cardboard Construction System Empowers Young Minds

The inspiration behind the Makedo Toolkit came from Justin's own experiences as a designer working from home. His children's requests for props to fuel their imaginative play led him to create a tool that would allow them to bring their ideas to life. The Makedo Toolkit is more than just a set of tools; it is a gateway to a world where children can learn by making and doing, fostering their natural inclination towards creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

What sets the Makedo Toolkit apart from other design tools is its simplicity and versatility. It consists of just three customised tools: the Safe-saw, Scru, and Scrudriver. These tools allow children as young as four to safely cut, punch holes in, and securely connect layers of cardboard. The toolkit is designed for everyone, regardless of age or skill level, encouraging individuals and groups to create anything they can imagine out of found cardboard.

The Makedo Toolkit is not just a product, but an interactive experience. Children learn by doing, creating, experimenting, and even failing. The creations they make then become the setting for imaginative play, where they are the protagonists in a world of their own making. This toolkit comes to life in collaborative creative environments such as classrooms, maker spaces, museums, and homes.

Creating the Makedo Toolkit was not without its challenges. Using cardboard as a creative material is not a new idea, but standard tools like scissors, blades, and tape pose safety risks and functional limitations. Justin's focus was on developing tools that would empower young makers to work with cardboard safely and intuitively, allowing them to bring their ideas to life independently.

The Makedo Toolkit has been recognized for its innovative design, winning the Platinum A' Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design Award in 2017. This award recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that contribute to societal wellbeing and make the world a better place. The Makedo Toolkit is truly a testament to the power of design in fostering creativity and learning.