LaQ
| Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Type | lua error in module:wikidataib at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Inception | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Manufacturer | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Website | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Search LaQ on Amazon.
LaQ is a Japanese construction toy invented by Hiroshi Kichijo[1], the founder of Yoshiritsu, in Nara[2], Japan in 1993[3].
Invention[edit]
The invention of LaQ was partly driven by the sales declines of the original product line from Yoshiritsu, a bottle opener called Sentol.[2]. Hiroshi Kichoji, the founder of the company, looked to invent a new product line that would allow the company to recover financially[1]
The invention of LaQ was inspired by several Japanese aspects - the traditional interconnection of Japanese wooden architecture[4], the Japanese culture of recycling items into new forms, a rolling pair of dice and the flexibility of Japanese udon noodles.[3]
Usage[edit]
Sales of LaQ only started to grow through distribution at bookstores near the children's book area[1]. It is now used by educators in long daycare[5], kindergartens[1] and primary schools[6]. LaQ grew to national Japanese recognition, and is now distributed at over 2000 bookstores[2].
Yoshiritsu runs annual creative contests.[1], allowing Japanese parents and children to submit their creations using LaQ.[7] It attracted over 4000 entries in 2005[1]
Since 2008, LaQ has been exhibited in many toy fairs[8][9], and distributed to many countries around the world, including China[10], Taiwan, Korea, Russia, USA[11], UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Turkey, Lithuania[5], Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.[12]
Parts[edit]
LaQ has only 7 types of basic parts[2] - 2 base parts and 5 joint parts. Each are numbered - 1 (square), 2 (triangle), 3 (flat narrow), 4 (flat wide), 5 (curved), 6 (right angle) and 7 (perpendicular). Each of these parts also comes in 12 different types of colours.[13]
LaQ has a different building experience of connecting parts together as the parts are flat and angled[14]. Models are made by connecting a joint and base part together. When connecting parts together, the design of the parts makes an audible snapping sound[13] that provides feedback to the child that the parts are firmly connected together.[6]
Awards[edit]
LaQ has received many awards during its lifetime[15], including:
- 2008 National Parenting Publications Awards - NAPPA Honors - LaQ Free Style Pallet
- 2009 Parent's Choice - Silver Award - LaQ Basic Hamacron
- 2009 Sdružení pro hračku a hru (Association for Toy and Play) - Right Toy Award[16]
- 2010 Creative Child Magazine - Creative Toy Awards - Top Toy Of the Year Award - LaQ Imaginal Girl's
- 2011 Dr Toy's 10 Best Children's Products - Hamacron Constructor[17]
- 2011 Dr Toy's Best Vacation Children's Products - LaQ Basic Hamacron
- 2012 Dr Toy's 100 Best Children's Products - LaQ Dinosaur World T-Rex
- 2013 Dr Toy's 10 Best Building Toys - LaQ Animal World Wild Kingdom
- 2013 Wired - Toy Fair 2013: The STEMmy Awards[8]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "From milk sales to educational block development: Flowering with Yoshiritsu's obsession in Nara. 牛乳販売から知育ブロック開発へ 奈良のヨシリツ執念で花開く". Forbes JAPAN (in 日本語). July 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-07. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Entrepreneurship of the ancient city. 古都の起業家精神". Mainichi Daily News (in 日本語). 13 July 2018. Retrieved 2021-01-07. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Yoshiritsu - LaQ". www.yoshiritsu.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Toys from Japan - from the first months of life develop creativity, stimulate the imagination". tavovaikas.lt. Retrieved 2021-07-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Alpha Generation: Textbooks Are Replaced by Interactive Chairs, Educational Construction Toys, and Digital Assignments". DELFI (in lietuvių). 22 November 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-07. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Where Learning Meets Play: LaQ". Where Learning Meets Play. 2019-10-27. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "LaQ Art Festival". LaQ. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Schwalm, Andrea. "Toy Fair 2013: The STEMmy Awards Return!". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ↑ "New York Toy Fair - NYTF2013: LaQ". CollectionDX. Retrieved 2021-09-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Toy Makers Target China As New Market". Oklahoman.com. 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
- ↑ "Toy Fair 2012 Coverage - LaQ - Parry Game Preserve". www.parrygamepreserve.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ↑ "Yoshiritsu Company Growth". www.yoshiritsu.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Cultivate your creativity with LaQ.「パズルブロックLaQ（ラキュー）」で創造力を育もう". Enfant.Living.JP あんふぁんWeb (in 日本語). 20 September 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-07. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "LaQ Building Toy is Creative but Not Intuitive". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
- ↑ "Yoshiritsu - LaQ Awards History". www.yoshiritsu.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Association for Toy and Play - Results of Right Toy Awards". www.sdruzenihracky.cz. Retrieved 2021-01-22. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Dr. Toy - The Name You Trust - Online Since 1995". 2012-11-16. Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
External links[edit]
This article "LaQ" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:LaQ. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
