LEGO recently took a revolutionary step in the effort to offer more inclusive toys with its wheelchair-using figurine. Although there are more than 150 million children with disabilities worldwide, there are very few toys that positively reflect their reality. Now there is a toy to fill this void in representation.
The new LEGO figurine is a beanie-wearing boy using a tiny wheelchair. The figurine debuted at the Nuremberg Toy Fair earlier this week, however the toy will be not be available on store shelves until this June. Despite the figurine's tiny stature, its mere existence marks a major step towards more inclusive toys that positively represent children with disabilities.
LEGO's new set ultimately demonstrates a seismic shift in the toy industry by catering to children who rarely see positive representations of disabilities in the media.
Wheelchair-Using LEGO Charcters
This LEGO Figurine Represents a Step Towards More Inclusive Toys
Trend Themes
1. Inclusive Toys - Creating toys that represent children with disabilities, like LEGO's wheelchair-using figurine, is a disruptive innovation opportunity.
2. Representation in Toys - Addressing the lack of positive representations of disabilities in toys presents a disruptive innovation opportunity within the toy industry.
3. Catering to Under-represented Markets - Developing products that cater to the needs and interests of under-represented markets, such as children with disabilities, holds disruptive innovation potential.
Industry Implications
1. Toy Industry - The toy industry has the opportunity to disrupt traditional norms by offering more inclusive toys like LEGO's wheelchair-using figurine.
2. Disability Products - Creating innovative products that cater to the needs of individuals with disabilities, such as inclusive toys, represents a disruptive innovation opportunity within the disability products industry.
3. Media and Entertainment - Addressing the lack of positive representations of disabilities in the media and entertainment industry through inclusive toys and characters can be a disruptive innovation opportunity.