OUGD505 | STUDIO BRIEF 2 | PRIMARY RESEARCH

Looking at existing children's activity books is important to see how they present themselves in context. The first thing you notice is the cover, so it's integral to the design that it is eye-catching to both children and parents.

On the shelf: 

With children's books, it's very difficult to be able to stand out as the shelf is so saturated with colour and pattern. Each book is trying to grab your attention and this can be very difficult to actually choose something. To truly stand out on the shelf, books need to have a unique edge to them to draw the viewer in. 

Front covers: 

A running theme throughout these books is having a large area for the type and illustrations around it. This portrays the theme of the book, giving the buyer an initial idea of whether they're interested in the book or not. Many of the books are colourful and full and don't utilise white space. This is most likely due to the main target audience being children - which won't appreciate graphic design techniques but will be attracted to colour and fun illustrations. 

Content: 

All of the pages here have 1 activity per page or spread. The pages are very colourful where they can be (e.g. colouring in pages) and provide a stimulating environment for children. A key point in the content is narrative, making the child feel like they're part of a story or helping in some way. This makes them feel more involved and willing to complete the activity. Talking directly to the child, e.g. "can you..." is a popular tone of voice in these examples. 

Analysis: 

Looking at examples of activity books has definitely brought up some considerations. The way the books are bound/stock used aren't necessarily important for the aesthetic of the book, but more of functionality. The front cover needs to be appealing to both children and parents, and stand out on the shelf. To do this, the cover needs to be truly unique and attention grabbing - possibly a lack of colour may achieve this as the shelves are extremely saturated. 

The content is arguably the most important part of the book, as its what children will engage with the most. Tone of voice also needs to be considered, and has to remain friendly and approachable as well as educational. Having full pages dedicated to activities is a running design choice through the examples also, giving the children more freedom on the page.