Art-Play-Think
One of the world’s premier children’s toy brands, Joan Miro, has finally launched at LazMall and other leading e-commerce platforms in the Philippines. Widely recognized across Europe as the originator of the A.P.T. (Art-Play-Think) theory, the brand believes that “Every child is an artist’’ and that the best way for children to learn and express themselves is through art.
Joan Miro toys, also known as Jar Melo in Europe, were first brought into the Philippines in May 2020 through the distributor, BebeBata Corporation. Amid the pandemic, the brand’s following steadily grew and attracted hands-on parents in search of creative and dynamic ways to enhance their children’s cognitive development.
“Our mission is to provide materials that ignite imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover themselves, their passions, and their purpose. Our brands encourage the development of each child’s essential skills. With our range of products we hope to encourage: free play, creativity, imagination, learning, and discovery,” says Patrick Santos, chairman of BebeBata Corporation.
A percentage of the sales proceeds on the brand’s opening day at Lazmall is set aside for donation to World Vision, an international NGO that provides life-changing essentials to vulnerable children.
With support from Filipino donors, World Vision Philippines helps over 1.5 million children annually and runs programs in education, health, child protection, and livelihood. Donations from Joan Miro will support the NGO’s Back to School and Noche Buena projects.
The Joan Miró brand name comes from Joan Miró the Spanish surrealist from the 19th century, whose free-spirited, innocent, and child-like approach to art and life inspired the creation of the Joan Miro brand. Across many forms of media from his paintings, prints, sculptures, and murals, Miro the artist used bright colors and playful shapes, the creative foundation of the products produced by the brand named after him.
Our mission is to provide materials that ignite imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover themselves, their passions, and their purpose.
Today, Joan Miro’s silky crayons, washable markers, puzzles, and stickers are used to encourage creativity, imagination, physical activity, problem-solving, and interaction with the environment as children move from infancy to toddlerhood.
In going by the adage, “Every child is an artist,” Joan Miro Philippines hopes to promote art as a form of expression, play as a method of learning, and thinking as a means of self-discovery.
“Embracing your child for who they are is one of the greatest gifts we can give. We celebrate diversity and all children’s individuality. At Joan Miro Philippines, we believe that each child has their unique gifts, talents, and qualities and that all children are creative in their own little way,’’ says Margieli Santos, CEO of BebeBata Corporation. “It’s our job as parents to nurture those qualities in our children, and part of that is by providing them the right resources and tools that will help enhance their natural gifts and talents. This has inspired us to share the gift of art and play—to encourage creativity and imagination in every Filipino family.”
Joan Miro has three line-ups. The Art product lineup features artist boxes, drawing books, origami sets, stickers, and card sets as well as washable paints and markers. The Play and Think lines are comprised of sand kits, modeling doughs, and simple card games. Available in the Philippine market as well is the Alpabetong Filipino Ring Flash Card Set that hopes to introduce children to Filipino vocabulary, food, culture, geography, and animals.