The Storyball on Kickstarter will get kids moving and learning without a screen

The toys of today are a bit different from the ones kids played with years ago, even in the ’90s. Sure, action figures, stuffed animals, and LEGO sets are still popular, but they just can’t seem to hold the attention of children the way they used to. (Hmmm, wonder why?)

For the modern child, their “toys” of choice are, of course, now usually smart devices and gaming systems. And playing mostly with screens means having a more sedentary life. A study from Childwise, published in 2014/2015, showed that children ages five to 16 spent an average of six and a half hours per day in front of a screen. Those hours include playing video games, watching TV and films, and constantly being on smart devices. And one can imagine that number has only gone up since then.

This is where Storyball comes into play. The toy company is currently seeking funds on Kickstarter to launch a toy that will get kids away from screens and out in the yard.

Watch here to get started:

The idea of Storyball is to offer a toy that combines physical, digital, and even educational play into a small toy perfect for kids ages 4 to 10. According to CEO Chen Lev, the inspiration for the Storyball came from playing “with the old versions of the Bop it! and Simon (Hasbro) and being really inspired by their great rhythm and skills development.” 

“We are bringing something new to this market, a product that is more than another smart toy. A platform for content, and a new way to experience content using more senses and abilities like sound, voice, and motion. With Storyball children can take an active part in the game and get an immersive experience,” Lev says.

The activities and games available, while based on building physical skills, also provide an avenue to supplement a child’s education, including quizzes and activities that build language skills, teach history, and help develop STEM skills.

Your child isn’t limited to the activities that come with the product. You can download new programs to the Storyball and let your kids get back to playing.

And Storyball isn’t going to rest on its laurels with the current model. There are still many ideas being floated that could go into either the current model or into the Storyball 2.0. When asked about what this entails, Chen Lev said, “We don’t want to reveal all of our plans but can share that we plan location-based games, user content generation, communication between balls and online play.”

The company, which started in Israel and has since expanded to London, is headed up by Chen Lev and Adi Maimon Geffen. Chen Lev has a background in children’s entertainment, working as a magician and entertainer for kids around the Storyball’s target age range. Adi Maimon Geffen compliments that experience with over 20 years in product development for companies like TinyLove, which produces activity gyms for toddlers. 

The campaign will remain up on Kickstarter until August 8, and you can support it with as little as $2. But higher tiers come with perks, like extra Storyballs, new skins for the Storyball, and compatible books from HarperCollins. So if this is the sort of toy you’d like your child to have, back Storyball today.