Formivo Play 💛 – Using my Bambu printer to create free toy packs for children

MakerWorld
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Hi everyone :blush:

My name is Kim and I’m from Norway. I recently started a small personal hobby project called Formivo Play.

The idea is simple:

I use my 3D printer to create small toy packs with 2-4 printed toys/fidgets that are given away for free to children who may need a little extra joy in everyday life :yellow_heart:

The packs are mainly meant for:

  • children growing up in difficult or financially challenging situations

  • children who may not get much extra otherwise

  • and children who are sick or spending time in hospitals

Some packs go to local charities and organizations, while I’m also starting conversations with groups connected to children in hospitals.

This is not a business and not something I make money from. It started simply because I wanted to use my printer for something positive and meaningful.

At the moment I’m running everything alone with a single Bambu printer, so production capacity is my biggest limitation right now :sweat_smile:
But my goal is absolutely to grow this over time and help as many children as possible.

I’m also hoping to upgrade to a multi-tool / multi-color printer setup in the future, since that would make it possible to create more colorful models much faster and with less waste. Any advice or recommendations around that are also very welcome :blush:

So far I’ve already started cooperating with:

  • local Red Cross / volunteer organizations

  • The Salvation Army

  • organizations connected to children in hospitals

The response so far has honestly been incredible.

Why I’m posting here :light_bulb:

I know the Bambu / MakerWorld community is full of talented and creative people, so I wanted to ask:

  • Do you know any great toy/fidget models that print fast and reliably?

  • Do you have designs that could fit this kind of project?

  • Any recommendations for durable and child-safe prints?

  • Any advice from people who have done similar charity/community projects?

  • Recommendations for good multi-color / multi-tool setups for this kind of production?

I’m especially looking for:

  • quick prints

  • low filament usage

  • strong/simple toys

  • fun designs for children of different ages

Important for me

I only want to use:

  • original models

  • properly licensed models

  • creator-approved designs

I want to do this the right way :blush:

I honestly didn’t expect this project to grow this quickly, but after delivering the first packs and getting positive responses from organizations, I realized this could maybe become something much bigger over time.

Thanks for reading :yellow_heart:
And thank you to everyone in this community for all the inspiration.

– Kim / Formivo Play

6 Likes
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This is amazing! What a great project! I have a couple models that might fit the project, and also, I am willing to design something specific if you want.

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Thank you so much :blush:

That honestly means a lot.

I’m still very early in this project, so any models, ideas or advice are incredibly appreciated :yellow_heart:

I’m mainly looking for:

  • fun prints for different ages

  • durable/simple models

  • prints that are relatively fast and reliable

  • toys/fidgets that can bring a little joy to children in difficult situations or hospitals

And thank you again for even offering to design something specifically for the project. That’s incredibly kind :blush:

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no problem at all! I will work on a few models soon. I am happy to assist you! :blush::blush::grin::grin:

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Thank you so much :blush::yellow_heart:

That really means a lot to me.

I honestly didn’t expect this kind of response when starting the thread, but seeing people wanting to help is incredibly motivating :blush:

I’m really looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

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No problem! I will get back to you soon. My makerworld is the same @ as on this forum

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A few days ago, I printed out a few pieces of this toy for my grandchildren (they haven’t received it yet, so I don’t know how they’ll react, but I personally really like it… and I’m sure they’ll like it too) :slight_smile:

Strong Flying Propeller / Pull Copter No Supports: Strong Flying Propeller / Pull Copter No Supports - Free 3D Print Model - MakerWorld

plus this extra propeller: Toroidal Rotor 4 Strong Flying Propeller - Free 3D Print Model - MakerWorld

Its easy to print, easy to assemble, can use one color, make it multicolor, depends on you (how much time and effort you are willing to invest)

BTW, it’s not my model

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I tried searching for your MakerWorld profile but couldn’t find it :blush:
Could you send me a direct link when you have time?

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I will see if I can message the Maker and see if he is interested :slight_smile:
Thanks

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Yes I can! T̳e̳a̳m̳P̳u̳d̳d̳l̳e̳P̳u̳p̳p̳y̳ | Home - MakerWorld

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JamesDaRock has on makerworld started a contest for a charity project | Profile: JamesDaRock | Home - MakerWorld

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Yes he have a wonderful project. I don’t want to hijack he’s good thing. He have he’s project in Germany and im going to concentrate in Scandinavia. :yellow_heart:

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Only thing I’d say is pay special attention to the dangers of small pieces that could break off or detach, rounded/blunt edges/corners instead of sharp edges, magnets (if you use them), and print quality that doesn’t shed small filament wisps that can be ingested.

Once you give things away you lose all control over who has access to them and how they get used unsupervised. Safety has to be a main concern when making toys for children since there could be younger children that have access to whatever widgets too.

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Thank you :blush:

And yes, safety is something I take very seriously.

I’m not handing toys directly to children myself. I’m cooperating with larger organizations and charities that already work closely with families, hospitals and children in difficult situations. We work together regarding what types of items are appropriate to print and distribute.

I also try to focus on:

simple and durable designs

rounded edges

larger parts when possible

avoiding weak/small detachable pieces

reliable print quality

So I absolutely agree that safety has to be one of the most important parts of a project like this :yellow_heart:

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Hello! For what it’s worth, I recently created a design for the Pieksekisten project which you’re welcome to use in your own project. My own personal use license allows for distribution for charity purposes.

It does have small pieces but they store inside when not in use. Everything was built to be sturdy and easy to print. No AMS is needed. It even accepts the larger Scandinavian business card sizes!

Perhaps a bit more complicated than you were looking for but you’re welcome to use it nonetheless :smiling_face:

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Thank you so much :blush:

That’s incredibly kind of you to offer.

It’s a very cool design and I really appreciate that you allow it to be used for charity purposes :yellow_heart:

At the moment I’m mostly focusing on smaller and simpler prints that are fast to produce in larger quantities, mainly because production time is still my biggest limitation right now.

But I truly appreciate the support and kindness from the community :blush:

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Also, just to clarify :blush:

Nothing connected to Formivo Play will be sold or redistributed commercially in any way.

The printed toys are only being given away for free through charities, volunteer organizations and groups connected to children in difficult situations or hospitals :yellow_heart:

And of course, anyone who contributes models, ideas or designs to the project will be properly credited and linked to through our website and MakerWorld page :blush:

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Hmmm… So what you’re saying is… Free advertising?

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Not really :blush:

Formivo Play is focused on creating free toy packs for children who are going through genuinely difficult situations.

That includes:

:yellow_heart: seriously ill children connected to hospitals and long-term illness
:yellow_heart: children growing up in financially struggling families
:yellow_heart: families supported through charities and aid organizations

The toys are distributed through organizations like The Salvation Army, Red Cross volunteer groups, organizations connected to seriously ill children and children hospitals. The biggest one we work with is called “Hospitalchildrens” in Norwegian and do alot for children that are longterm hospitalized around the country.

I simply believe creators deserve proper credit if their models become part of something that helps bring a little joy to children going through hard times :yellow_heart:

And honestly, I don’t see that as “free promotion” for helping children in these situations — more just basic credit and a thank you for contributing :blush:

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My catalog of models has a significant number of fidget toys, many of which are fast prints.

Provided your stated intention remains as above, you are welcome to use anything I list.

There are 850+ models there so you may prefer to view by collections.

1 Like