The first step in my journey was made when I began learning physical education and swimming tutoring. Throughout the years, I've always searched for interesting toys that I could use in my swimming lessons. Unfortunately, I found the water-toys field to be mostly lacking: most toys were poorly manufactured and were designed with disregard to esthetics.

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I've decided to utilize my experience in teaching sports to bring an old love of mine to light, and went to Shenkar College to learn textile design. As I was working on my final-year project, I realized I finally have the chance to combine the two worlds to create the water-toys I imagined. Toys that will be functionally useful for my teachings, but also fun for my students to use.

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One of the beautiful things I've adopted from teaching sports is the importance of teaching through games. Games allow us, both children and adults, to learn complicated concepts indirectly; in a way that is fun and memorable. A child who's learning how to swim is experiencing an entire range of new movements. He's floating and diving, all while constantly surrounded by water; this experience alone can be new and exciting, sometimes even scary.

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BLUP's fabric movements create an illusion of a living crerature. Playing with a toy which is seemingly an animal that can dive, gives the child the confidence to feel like he can do the same. With this textile toy, the child will be able to learn while imitating the fish, and make his way through the water while taking advantage of the unique physical properties of his body when it's surrounded by liquid.

This motoric imitation allows him to control his movement and direction in the water, and gives him confidence towards learning how to swim.

 

That's how "BLUP" came to life.