The Build-A-Song
A construction-based musical toy designed to bridge the gender gap in STEM play for children ages 3–5, combining creativity, problem-solving, and inclusivity in one engaging experience
Skills:
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​User Research
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Human-Cantered Design
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Market Research
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Prototyping
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​Interactive User Testing
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Toy Design Strategy
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and more
Master's Thesis at Northwestern University
Problem
Children ages 3-5 face a significant gender gap in access to STEM toys. Boys are overwhelmingly given STEM-focused products, while girls often receive toys that reinforce stereotypes. This imbalance contributes to the broader gender gap in STEM careers.
The challenge: design a STEM toy that appeals to all children equally, shrinks this gap, and promotes curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
"Representation of the child's gender the toy was bought for. The results indicate a decline of 5% in purchase STEM related toys for the girl child in 2018 as compared to 2014." - American Society for Engineering Education, 2020
Secondary Research
I reviewed academic literature and market reports to understand the roots of gender disparity in STEM toys. Three key themes stood out:
It’s All About Play Time
“[Our research] suggests that exposing students to STEM at a young age goes a long way in capturing their imagination and keeping them interested in science, technology, engineering, and math jobs in the early stages of their career.” - LittleBits
It’s All About The Numbers
“Research by the Institution for Engineering and Technology (IET) found that toys with a science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) focus were three times as likely to be targeted at boys than girls. And despite high-profile recent campaigns that have had some success, toys for girls are still overwhelmingly pink.” - The Guardian
It's All About The Toys
“While overall, male students performed better than female students on the test, the young women and men who played with construction-based toys and spatially demanding video games performed equally well.
In other words, when researchers controlled for the impact of childhood play patterns, gender differences disappeared.” - The Swaddle
Primary Research
During my primary research, I immersed myself in as many worlds as I could to get a better understanding of the problem from as many of the relevant points of view as possible. I spoke with PhDs, researchers, early childhood education experts, and toy designers. I also visited Montessori and traditional schools, as well as large and small toy stores. Three key insights emerged:
Insight 1
Well-meaning parents often use language like 'it's okay' for girls to play with STEM toys, but this phrasing unintentionally reinforces the stereotype that STEM is a male domain, requiring girls to seek permission. Instead, girls should feel empowered to explore STEM fields as if they belong in that space, because they do.
Insight 2
Open-ended play and child-led exploration foster a deeper understanding of STEM by encouraging children to set their own challenges and learn from mistakes. However, while STEM toys for boys often embrace these principles, those for girls frequently do not, potentially undermining their confidence in problem-solving and exploration.
Insight 3
While many buyers desire STEM toys for their daughters, they are often put off by the heavily gendered STEM toys and feel that overly “girly” toys are inauthentic and inferior, which they fear will limit their child's opportunities or reinforce harmful stereotypes. Instead, children and buyers tend to prefer toys and activities that they feel are relevant to their interests and meet them where they’re at.
Design Requirements
From all of the research, I came up with these functional and emotional requirements for any toy that seeks to solve our problem:​
Functional
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Emphasize Open-Ended Play and Child-Led Exploration
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Integration of Simple Mechanisms or Systems That Show Cause/Effect
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Compatibility with Everyday Materials
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Aesthetic Versatility and Neutrality
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Durability and Safety
Emotional
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Foster Confidence and a Sense of Belonging
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Nurture a Sense of Agency and Ownership
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Encourage Curiosity and a Love of Exploration
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Promote Perseverance and Problem-Solving
Brainstorming
Using these requirements, I facilitated multiple brainstorming sessions that generated a wide range of ideas.
Idea Board from Brainstorming Sessions
From these brainstorming sessions, I developed the final concept for this toy: 'A toy that is constructed by the user that plays sounds and lights based on its construction.' This idea was born from 2 bigger concepts: construction-type toys allow for open-ended play, while promoting a lot of foundational STEM skills like problem-solving and creativity, and musical toys are enticing to children of all genders, ensuring that this toy can reach as many children as possible.
A Rare Gap in the Market
Combining construction-based toys, which promote open-ended creativity and problem-solving, with musical toys, which attract children across genders, revealed a rare gap in the toy market for ages 3-5. Finding this gap reassured me that I could be on to something with this project.
My 2x2 chart plotting toys along two axes: toys geared towards music, and those geared towards construction
Prototypes and Parent Interviews
Round 1
Initial wooden and foam prototypes allowed me to explore the core mechanics. Parent feedback at this stage clarified what was most engaging for children and helped narrow the design direction.
Wooden Block and Foam Board Prototypes
Round 2
Closer-to-final prototypes focused on refining details: block and board shapes, connector mechanisms, and sound mapping. Further parent interviews confirmed which design features resonated most.
Prototypes Looking At Smaller Details
Final Outcome: The Build-A-Song
The Build-A-Song
Finally, I developed the Build-A-Song: a toy that allows children to build their own songs while developing foundational STEM skills like creativity, problem-solving, pattern recognition, and more!
Key Design Features
Easy Quick Connect
Start Block and Boards snap together with the easy magnetic connectors, allowing for quick and easy additions to the child's song.
Magnetic Quick-Connects
Expandable and Snake-able
Multiple boards can be connected together for longer songs, each board giving an additional bar of music. With connectors on all sides, the size and shape of the room is no obstacle; just snake the boards around the room.
How It All Connects
Creative for All Kids
Each block plays a different note as determined by that block's color, allowing the child to build their own songs. Each block is visually distinct, even to those children who are colorblind. These bright and vibrant colors also appeal to both boys and girls at this age.
Blocks and Their Notes
Conclusion
Build-A-Song highlights my ability to combine human-centered research with creative problem-solving to address real market gaps. Through this project, I demonstrated skills in translating research insights into clear design requirements, facilitating ideation, building and testing prototypes, and delivering a manufacturable concept.
This project not only pushed me to think critically about inclusivity in STEM toys, but also strengthened my ability to design engaging, technically feasible products that appeal to diverse audiences — skills I’m excited to bring to future design challenges.
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