Bedding designed by (and for) kids

Crowdsourcing and consumer design are trends we’ve covered on numerous occasions before, whether for sneakers, beverages or restaurants. It wasn’t until just recently, however, that we came across a product innovation that taps the creativity of kids. Australian Kideko, which launched last year, sells a variety of children’s bedding and accessories featuring bright, bold colours and innovative designs. Now, the company is holding a contest to find a kid-created design to add to its collection. Creative kids begin by selecting from among a short list of Kideko’s favourite themes, such as skateboarding, pets or camping. They then create a picture of their idea and submit it (with parental approval, of course) to the site along with their name and age. Entries will be broken down into two age categories–up to 6, and 7 and over–and prizes awarded accordingly. First-place prize winners in each age category will receive a Kideko bed set of their choice plus a 50-pack set of coloured “Smencils” (billed as “gourmet scented pencils”), while eight runners-up will receive just the Smencil packages. Winning designs may also be used on Kideko bedding, posters and utility bags. The deadline for entry is October 15th. Time has shown that there’s nothing like the wisdom of the crowds to show companies what customers really want, and creative members of Generation C become even more motivated to produce their best when rewards are involved. Why should it be any different with kids? Producers of children’s products around the world: follow Kideko’s lead! (Related: YouTube contest for eco-minded kids.)