The “teacher” is a perennial character of childhood memories. Almost for everyone, memories of the teacher (with the attached variables) are stitched with shyness, candor and attachment. Very nice. It was not the case with me though, as out of these three things I can only confirm shyness. However, I remember very well her stories about her childhood spent in a sad, poor village in Sălaj county. I don’t know how sad it really was, but I couldn’t imagine otherwise a place where a little girl has got a handful of husks wrapped in rags for a doll…
Nobody had mountains of toys in the early 1990s, but we had more than the doll made of husks that stuck in my mind, and I often thought of materials I could create toys from, at times of need. In my grandparents’ time toys were a luxury, and a few sticks could impersonate many characters, urging children to use their imagination. Today, instead, toys are super detailed, video games are super realistic, Pacman or Mario are fossils. I don’t know why toy industry relies so much on toys mimicking reality, toys that perhaps bring too much of the adult world into the world of children when, in fact, it should be the other way around.
And then, how can one not rejoice upon seeing simple toys, making room for imagination? No way! Wooden toys, assembled with pieces of textile, with simple and clear shapes… like Pojga Toys!
The name Pojga comes from the expression “flushed cheeks” and is used in Hungarian to describe the cheeks of children after a good run, a thorough playtime. We chose this expression due to the dynamism it involves, marking an active period of time, and our goal is to make our toys part of that process.
It’s not easy to find a suitable logo when dealing with toys… The Pojga team designed the identity of their brand which is still somewhat under construction. In a sense, Pojga identity is closely related to the people who bring these toys to life. At least we are trying to build this identity based on our own values, hoping to create an honest image for our toys thus. The logo was designed by Réka Szabó.
What kind of people want to create toys with a certain message in 2019? What motivates them?
The basic idea comes from a small observation: there are very few toys on the market trying to combine wood and textile, although these are two natural materials, pleasant to the touch. Closely related to this is the belief that anyone who is surrounded by natural objects in childhood, later in life will instinctively keep clear of materials harmful to one’s health or the environment. Upon these two cornerstones we later built the educational effect of the shapes and colors we use.
We can say in short: we let the creativity of the child freely unfold while playing. Among other things, this is precisely why we only paint the eyes of Pojga figurines. Children are free to project their own emotional state of the moment, be it joyful or sad, so they get that sense of freedom coming from the pleasant experience of play.
If your children ask, you should know what to say: Pojga toys are sold by several merchants in Romania, both in stores and on-line, but we are happy to answer all questions through the Pojga Toys Facebook page.
Hassium by Anca B.
