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Using observation, questioning, and creative methods to understand children’s playful engagement with a DIY nature‑inspired toy to potentially sell in the proposed Ditchling park visitor center shop. The aim is to utilize local resources and promote sustainable products alongside environmental awareness, aligned with the park ethos.

Ditching Beacon in the South Downs. A design project for  toy to sell in the proposed UK national park visitors centre shop.

Vicky Lines

Introduction

Ditching Beacon in the South Downs.

The proposal draws directly from my design exploration, user research, and configuration development, resulting in a product that is low‑impact, affordable, and rich in imaginative potential.

At its core, the kit uses locally sourced willow, chosen for its safety, and tactile warmth.

User research showed that children and families respond positively to natural textures and materials that feel “alive” and open‑ended.

From a manufacturing perspective, the kit is efficient and sustainable. Willow can be harvested responsibly, dried, and processed with minimal energy.

The construction process requires only simple machine or hand cutting, and drilling, making it suitable for small‑batch production or community‑based making. Packaging is compact and recyclable, using card and paper rather than plastics. This positions the product as environmentally responsible, an important value for visitors seeking meaningful, ethical souvenirs.

Photograph of the area from Ditchling Beacon showing fields and gorse.
Composite image showing a box with cut twigs, paint, feathers, raffia and other natural materials, a mock up booklet of craft ideas and instructions, and image of the kit in use, a mock up of the branded box lid and an insert picture of some twiglet people.

The Open University experiences have increased my confidence in developing a tactile, analogue, ecologically grounded practice. As I prepare to move to the Open College of the Arts, I feel grateful for the academic and reflective grounding my OU studies have given me.

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