Stuffed animals with barcodes can bring an entirely different experience to children.
A new line of plush toys has just been released with a QR code printed on their tummies, and are about to hit the market shelves in the hopes of attracting consumers with smartphones.
These stuffed animals are designed for both boys and girls and are meant for ages 5 and older.
They have been called “Scanimalz” and are created to combine three different things that children love, in order to attempt to provide the ideal toy. These three features are: snuggly toys, playing games on devices such as smartphones, and collecting. The manufacturers feel that this is a truly winning combination. It aligns with the current trends of bringing mobile devices and toys together, as is the case in the increasing number of augmented reality toy experiences.
Using the QR code toys is very easy through a free app that can be downloaded onto a mobile device.
The Scanimalz app can be downloaded into a smartphone or tablet, where an account can be created to register the toys. The QR code on the belly of each toy that has been collected can then be scanned to add to the digital collection and make it quick and easy to play games. There are a number of different games that can be played, to help to keep the experience new and interesting.
The games through the Scanimalz app allows the user to collect points as well as to win prizes. A player’s odds for winning increase with each additional animal QR code that is added to the collection. Parents should likely be cautioned that there are more than thirty different animal toys, so there may be some challenges ahead in terms of a child’s desire to continue collecting.
After the account has been created, it takes only a QR code scan in order to automatically launch the games. An added feature allows the user to post scores online and compete for top ranking with the points that have been collected. Animal options include pandas, dogs, pigs, bears, penguins and many others. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
