Popin’ Cookin’: Intellectual Educational Candy
Considering candy as an educational tool is probably something that hasn’t crossed the minds of most of us. In Japan, however, there has been a surge of interest concerning sweets that children can create for themselves.
“Intellectual education candy” is the operative phrase for Popin’ Cookin’, which is a culinary toy designed to nurture a child’s creativity. The children follow instructions to create various shaped candies, using the ingredients contained in the box.
This is not a new concept but it has been refined since the very first sweet of this ilk, Neruneru-nerune, was marketed back in 1978. The process was simple; mix several ingredients in a bowl and watch them change colors.
In a way, it is like the fascination of blowing bubbles, as children dip into ingredients with a tool and create something magical by their own hand.
Over the years, other companies have introduced similar products, and three decades later the original idea evolved into its current, quintessential manifestation as a rather complicated series of candies known as Popin’ Cookin’.
There are four different products that comprise the series, including one that reveals a way to cook pieces of sushi or various types of pies and another to create soft-candy dolls that appear to be made of Play Doh.
No matter how you look at these confections, they do no appear to be healthy food choices.
Despite appearances, they have been designed to promote good health. Natural colorings, such as red cabbage, are utilized because a change of color occurs due to alterations in ph levels.
The power of intellectual, educational candy is demonstrated in all its jiggling realism, in the video above, which reveals the process of making gummi sushi.
Snack before blowing bubbles, anyone?
(Link)
By MDeeDubroff on 16-02-2011
