Evaluation of an Intelligent Educational Toy-Game Prototype for Toddlers’ Motor Stimulation and Learning

Existing literature supports the relevance of educational toys in early child development, especially smart toys related to digital games that can promote cognitive and motor development in children. These toys not only entertain but also facilitate learning through interaction and personalization. This study validates a prototype of an educational toy using artificial intelligence designed to improve cognitive and motor skills in toddlers aged two to four years, specifically testing on color learning and fine motor skills. It follows an applied research methodology based on the paradigm through design, using participatory mixed methods and design thinking strategies. The validation was carried out in children's educational centers through observational tests and focus groups. The results show that the “Dori” prototype significantly improves hand-eye coordination and facilitates color recognition in children. In addition, it was observed that the toy captures children's attention and promotes effective learning through lights and sounds. The study concludes that intelligent educational toys are valuable tools for the integral development of children, combining playful learning with gaming themes and sensory stimuli. Areas for improvement of this type of toy were also identified, such as the alignment of the pieces and the volume of the sounds, highlighting the importance of integrating technologies in educational toys to promote integral development in children. Nevertheless, it is suggested that they continue investigating their application in diverse cultural contexts and expand the age range of the test participants.