Today’s children live in an incredibly dynamic and fast-paced world. Growing up surrounded by smartphones and the internet, they experience the world in a completely different way than any previous generation. Accustomed to a rapid, colorful stream of information, children find it more difficult to maintain focus and absorb theoretical knowledge, especially when they don’t see its application in real life. However, some things remain unchanged: children are inherently curious and tireless explorers. It is precisely these qualities that “Techi”, a Lithuanian company producing sustainable educational toys for children, observes and nurtures.
Mindaugas Juškevičius, an alumnus of Kaunas University of Technology and the founder of ‘Techi‘, focuses on the benefits and opportunities that technology offers today’s children.
“Modern children are explorers, questioners, even skeptics,” he observes. “They ask ‘Why do I need this?’, ‘How can I learn this or do it faster/easier/more interestingly?’ Such questions are far from being lazy – they reflect critical thinking, the ability to select information, and the desire to discover new paths. All of this can be encouraged through contextual learning and STEAM education, which allows children to seek answers to their own questions, experiment, and combine knowledge from different disciplines.”
Inspiration from Childhood
The idea of creating educational toys came to Mindaugas from his love of technology, the joy of construction, and the desire to inspire future engineers.
“As a child, I didn’t dream of becoming an astronaut, policeman, or firefighter. I was most interested in following my older brother to the garage, where we would escape reality into the world of construction. I especially enjoyed disassembling and constructing electronic devices. Over the years, my curiosity only grew, and the technology I was building became more complex: a radio receiver was replaced by a television, and then by a moped,” recalls Mindaugas.
His newfound passion for construction dictated his future path – he chose to study engineering and became involved in student organizations.
“We organized engineering competitions for students called ‘JuniorBEC‘. During these competitions, I had the opportunity to interact with students and realized that choosing a profession is not as easy for many as it was for me. There are various reasons for this: feeling pressured, too many choices, not having a favorite activity. It was nice to see how those children lit up with curiosity during the competitions and became interested in technology. After a while, I even met a few of them in the corridors of Kaunas University of Technology,” the KTU alumnus shares with a smile.
“For me, this is one of the greatest joys – when you can inspire children, encourage them to become interested in science, and show them that it is interesting. I want to achieve this as much as possible – that’s why I had the idea to create ‘Techi’.”
Learning Should Be Fun!
Mindaugas and his team transform complex concepts like physics laws or formulas into engaging games for children. Their first product is the “Robotic Arm Lio” constructor. This educational toy helps 8-12 year-old children understand the laws of hydraulics and pneumatics in a fun and interesting way and experiment with their operation.
“With the Robotic Arm Lio, we try to make learning as interactive as possible. Before starting to build, children have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an illustrated, voiced story in which they meet Leonardo da Vinci, visit Renaissance Venice, and learn about the first attempts to apply water pressure. Then they get acquainted with the theory presented in a fun tone and apply it by assembling the constructor and playing with it,” says the founder of “Techi”.
he first “Techi” constructor has received a lot of attention from parents and children. “It’s great to see how parents care about their children’s education and do it not only for grades, but also for the development of curiosity and creativity. I believe this raises people who think broadly and are lifelong learners,” says Mindaugas.
STEAM Education, Sustainability, and Lithuanian Products
“Our toys have several distinctive features that we consider to be important values. First, they are based on STEAM education. Through STEAM activities, children learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. While engaging in STEAM activities, children learn through practical experimentation, thus developing their critical thinking and research skills. We also pay great attention to sustainability. We choose sustainable materials, manufacture toys in Lithuania to avoid unnecessary transportation, and constantly think about how we can be more sustainable. We want to leave a green planet for the young generation for whom we are creating toys,” shares Mindaugas.
Engaging Activity for Both Children and Parents
“We try to find as many ways as possible to make learning with “Techi” toys attractive to children. You can come up with all sorts of games, include a lot of useful educational material, but if the child is not interested, the benefit will be small. I think the most important thing is to find a balance between learning and fun. It’s no secret that children love computer and phone games, they are “hooked”, drawn in. Why not use this in our own activities? So, the educational material and illustrated story are presented to children in an attractive virtual format, turning learning into a playground,” says the founder of “Techi”.
This unique approach to children works – there is a lot of positive feedback from parents, grandparents, and even the children themselves.
“We bought it for a nine-year-old, but even an 11-year-old found it very interesting. The children are amazed! It was quite unusual that something still needed to be sanded, that it takes a lot of time and patience. But that’s an added value,” says Rasa, a customer who left a review about the robotic arm Lio.
Parents also notice another benefit, which is also a goal of “Techi” – family time together. “My son really liked the constructor and I got involved in the construction process myself. It’s definitely a quality way to spend time with your child,” writes Žilvinas, a father of a child.
“We really appreciate the positive feedback and are happy about it, because it shows that we are on the right track. But at the same time, we communicate with our buyers, asking them to share their experiences and asking what could be improved. We get insights that help us generate ideas for both improving existing products and creating new ones. Feedback helps us achieve our goal – to inspire curious and inventive creators of the world. We have specific plans for the near future to achieve this.”
“We will soon be introducing a new constructor – a mini garden with a self-watering system. While constructing it, children will get acquainted with the Egyptian goddess Renenutet and learn even more interesting facts about physics. We will also offer a monthly toy subscription to make STEAM activities even easier,” shares the author of the idea.
