![\"toy-design\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/11\/toy-design.png\")
<\/figure>\u2714<\/strong> CAD Design & 3D Modeling Services<\/a><\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Prototyping <\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Patenting (if needed)<\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Pitching your toy<\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Market research<\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Manufacturing DFM (Design for Manufacturability<\/a>)<\/p> \u2714<\/strong> Children’s safety testing<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div> There can be many pitfalls along the way and things that can be easily missed. A lot of these stages also have costs involved, although Cad Crowd\u2019s CAD services<\/a> and freelance design engineers<\/a> can help you keep a lid on some of the money you\u2019re going to spend.<\/p> Forewarned is forearmed, so in this guide, we will be covering some of the significant pitfalls as we talk you through the process.<\/p> Designing a toy well is going to be the key to all of the other steps working out. Once you\u2019ve had your idea, you need to refine it by asking yourself some of the following questions:<\/p> Once you have the idea developed in your mind, the next step is to get it down on paper. Unless you\u2019re a great artist with training in using design software, you are best contracting this part to a professional.<\/p> The first real step to making your toy design a reality is to have someone design it. Having a model drawn up by a toy design freelancer<\/a> will show you what your possibilities are. At this point, you can finesse your ideas and play with them too.<\/p> Be as clear as possible with the designer you commission. They\u2019re responsible for bringing your idea to life but also need guidance to produce what you want from them. When searching for a toy designer, make sure you ask for samples of previous work so that you know their style. <\/p> Things such as materials, colors, and a general idea of how it will fit together will be considered during the toy design process too. You can start to understand the components, whether it\u2019s how many panels of fabric your teddy bear is going to need or how many ball hinges for robot arms are going to be required. Getting this information into the design is going to make prototyping easier and is a necessity for a patent, which we\u2019ll go through next.<\/p> This is probably the point where you\u2019ll first spend a chunk of money. It\u2019s worth doing your research to get a good toy designer. Being tight on cash at this point isn\u2019t going to make your journey through to prototyping and manufacturing any easier \u2013 it\u2019ll likely make it more robust.<\/p> Once you have your idea down on paper – and stored on your computer, hard drive, and cloud service \u2013 it\u2019s the ideal time to look at patenting your idea<\/a>. By patenting your toy design, it means no one else is going to be able to copy your idea. <\/p> You can be sure that your design is safe during the design process with Cad Crowd. All of our freelancers are bound by a non-disclosure agreement. However, the more people you share your idea with, the more risk that someone will try and take your idea.<\/p> A lot of big toy companies won\u2019t even meet with you if you\u2019ve not sought a patent. This is for their and your protection \u2013 no one wants to be worried about ideas being stolen. Cad Crowd has a patenting service available, making the process much smoother and more straightforward.<\/p> Patenting your idea is another investment into your idea. You could choose not to do it, but if your toy design is going to make you money, you need to make sure only you can profit from it. <\/p> Commissioning someone to do this work for you isn\u2019t the only option, but it will make things easier. There are strict requirements that need to be met, and your detailed design will need to be submitted.<\/p> The general guideline with your design is that a skilled craftsperson should be able to make it without looking at anything else \u2013 this is the standard you need to look for from your designer.<\/p> Making a prototype of your toy is when it will come to life. This is the point when you will see how your chosen materials look and feel and if your moving parts work in the way you expect.<\/p> Another interesting thing about a prototype is that you can put it into the hands of children. You can see how they respond, how long they play with it, and whether it\u2019s engaging for them.<\/p> Taking time to allow children to play with your toy is going to be invaluable. It will let you know if things need to be improved or altered. You will see how intuitive it is to be played with and maybe even spot ways to make it more engaging. The feedback you get direct from children will be of massive benefit, and a prototype is a great chance to be able to have this conversation with them.<\/p> A well thought through idea that’s coupled with a great design should make the toy prototyping stage much more accessible. It\u2019s ok to go through two or three different prototypes \u2013 this is the stage where your toy design can evolve, and unforeseen issues can be resolved. <\/p> If you\u2019ve decided to patent before having the prototype made, you\u2019ll need to be careful not to stray too far from your original design when making any adjustments. By suddenly deciding you want your alien toy to have six arms rather than eight, for example, you will be making something very different from your patent application.<\/p> In the days before the internet, getting the toy your designed and into the shops would be a challenge. Now, things aren\u2019t quite so difficult since you can market your product directly to consumers in various ways.<\/p> Having your toy manufactured can be costly, so it can help to have orders in place. Some of the ways you can fund the manufacturing process include:<\/p> Whichever way you decide to go, you should research the manufacturing process needed for your toy so that you\u2019re ready to go. Cad Crowd has a range of consumer product designers<\/a> available to help, for example, if you need a mold or die designed and cut for your product. <\/p> You can seek out mass toy manufacturers from the USA trade association for the toy industry, The Toy Association<\/a>. Cost per unit will be lower the more you order; it will be worth investigating the point at which your prices will go down, so you know what type of order size to aim for when pitching to retailers or setting your Kickstarter targets.<\/p> Factories all over the world should be able to help you get your toy into production. Choosing to manufacture in the USA could be a great marketing tool, but your costs are going to be much higher so you might make less profit. <\/p> China is a popular place to have things such as toys manufactured. You do need to be careful in choosing a toy factory so that you have reasonable quality control and someone who knows the industry. Any factory you select as your manufacturer should have a good knowledge base of your industry.<\/p> They should be able to answer your questions with ease, already have the standard tools you\u2019ll need, be willing to offer help in supplying the raw materials you require and have up to date safety and audit certificates.<\/p> Be aware of any critical issues you could face; this is something else your factory may be familiar with or can at least point you in the right direction to get help understanding the rules you need to abide by. For more detail on how to get the manufacturing process started, Cad Crowd has a product manufacturing guide<\/a> ready for you. <\/p> To sell toys aimed at children 12-years old and younger, you must have it tested for safety. The testing must be done on a finished product rather than your prototype. Fortunately, there are lots of approved labs all over the world that you can commission to undertake the necessary safety steps.<\/p> The United States Consumer Protection Safety Commission<\/a> collates all of the standards that need to be passed. It\u2019s worth noting that the standards for testing toys can and do change reasonably often. Make sure that you check the most up to date information. The time lapsed between your initial research and getting your toy manufactured can be up to two years \u2013 plenty of time for new rules to be published.<\/p> Different types of toys will need to meet different standards, factors that can affect the testing required include:<\/p> According to the CPSC, there may be a range of tests that need to be done on your toy to make sure it gets all of the necessary safety certificates. You must use an independent laboratory to complete the testing on the first batch that you have manufactured.<\/p> Once your toy has passed the tests and been awarded all the necessary certificates, you shouldn\u2019t need to test again if you are doing short production runs. If your toy ends up in continuous production there will need to be periodic testing, as outlined in a guide from the CPSC<\/a>.<\/p> The CPSC also has a list of over 400 labs around the world that can do the testing, and they recommend that you find one that can do all of the tests in one go. This should make things much more cost-effective and speed up the whole process.<\/p> Along with designing the actual toy and everything that goes into the process, you\u2019ll need to figure out what the packaging will look like. There is a swing towards the demand for sustainable packaging and using recyclable materials to package consumer items now. As long as it won\u2019t directly damage or compromise the toy, consider avoiding plastics in the packaging stage.<\/p> Thinking About Your Design<\/h2>
![\"thinking-about-new-toy-designs-for-kids\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/11\/thinking-about-new-toy-designs-for-kids.png\")
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What\u2019s your price point?<\/strong> Spend some time in independent retailers, large chain stores, and online to see what\u2019s available at different prices. The size of your toy and the materials you use are going to affect how much you can sell it for. The margins in toy retailing are generally smaller than the x3 \u2013 x5 seen in most other sectors.<\/li><\/ul> Find a Professional Toy Designer<\/h2>
![\"Find](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/11\/toy-guide-image.png\")
<\/figure> Protect Your Intellectual Property <\/h2>
Time to See What It Looks and Feels Like<\/h2>
![\"example-new-toy-product-design\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/11\/example-new-toy-product-design.png\")
<\/figure> Get Your Toy into the Shops<\/h2>
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy-and-game-design-for-kids-shelf-design.jpg\")
<\/figure> Find a Factory<\/h2>
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy-and-game-design-find-a-factory.jpg\")
<\/figure> Does Your Toy Design Meet Product Safety Standards?<\/h2>
![\"new-toy-design-and-product-safety-safe\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/11\/new-toy-design-and-product-safety-safe.png\")
<\/figure> Putting Your Toy on the Shelf<\/h2>
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy-and-game-design-packaging.jpg\")
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