Bilibo is a magic toy

Toy

A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...

. It is a shell

Seashell

A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...

-shaped hard-wearing piece of plastic

Plastic

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...

, produced in six different colors. It was developed in 2001 by Swiss designer Alex Hochstrasser in consultation with experts for child development

Child development

Child development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativist theories....

.

The form has been designed for children of various ages to sit comfortably in the shell whilst controlling their movements by touching the ground with their hands and feet.

According to a child's age and interests Bilibo is used as an accessory for role- and fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

-play, it can be filled with objects, sand or water and emptied again or stacked. Rocking, spinning and balancing in or on the shell helps develop motor skills and the child's sense of balance.
The shells are also used in physiotherapy to stimulate the vestibular

Vestibular system

The vestibular system, which contributes to balance in most mammals and to the sense of spatial orientation, is the sensory system that provides the leading contribution about movement and sense of balance. Together with the cochlea, a part of the auditory system, it constitutes the labyrinth of...

 and proprioceptive

Proprioception

Proprioception , from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and perception, is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement...

 systems.

Bilibo has received several international awards, including Spiel Gut in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, the Swiss Product Design Award in 2002 and Toy of the Year – UK Good Toy Awards in 2006.

External links

• Bilibo Website
• Website of distributor
• Bilibo on the Richard & Judy Show, Channel 4, 14 July 2006
• "50 great ideas for the 21st century", The Independent, 6 August 2006