A lot of designers are good at designing attractive and functional packages for food items because the process is easy to figure out. However, when creating a food package for children specifically, there are more rules at play, and the process becomes more complex.
Children’s lack of understanding of what is dangerous and what is not, along with their unique design preferences, makes food packaging for kids a very special activity. The interesting part is that even though children cannot think as well as adults, they are still influenced by product packaging like every other person.
Challenges in Food Packaging for Kids
The process of designing packages for adults is clear, but children can be unpredictable. These are some of the reasons why food packaging for kids can be difficult.
- Unique preferences: While trendy design styles influence adults who can understand complex design techniques, the world of what catches children’s attention is very different. This makes it difficult for a lot of people who are used to making packages for adults to master what works best for children.
- Parental Influence: Even though the packages are for children, they are not the ones buying the product. Parents go to stores to pick out products for their children, and they make decisions based on what the products look like. A parent is typically looking for a product that is safe and has enough nutritional advantages for their children.
Just making the parent’s and the child’s interests match is a challenge on its own, but with sufficient effort, it can be executed perfectly.
Prioritizing Safety in Packaging Products for Children
Packages that are to be used by children have to be designed with as many safety precautions as possible to protect the children from hurting themselves. These are some features to consider when making child-safe packaging.
- Child-friendly design: The package has to be designed in a way that children can use. For instance, most packages for little children must be fall-resistant by design because toddlers are naturally clumsy.
- Non-toxic materials: Any product meant for children must not include any toxic materials. There must be no harmful chemicals on any part of the package, including the material itself and the ink used on it.
- No Choking Hazards: Avoid using detachable small parts on products that are meant for children. They might attempt to swallow the entire piece as a whole.
- Regulatory Standards: By law, your product has to meet certain criteria if they are primarily to be used by children. Regulatory bodies like the FDA in the US determine what child-safe packaging is, and all such products must meet its requirements.
How To Make Packages Visually Appealing for Children
There has been extensive research done on how to sell to adults; however, there isn’t as much done for children. To make a product attractive to children, it simply has to have features that they already find attractive or amusing to look at. Some common techniques are to use:
- Bright colors with fun shapes
- Interactive elements to hold their attention, like pull tabs, short games, or collectible stickers or tabs
- Popular cartoon characters, figures, or images of people associated with kids’ shows
Other Considerations to Factor in When Creating Packages for Children
To make a product ideal for children, it has to be visually appealing, safe, compliant, and convincing for parents who are going to make the purchase. These are some considerations that can help make an all-round complete product.
Portability
The package has to be well-suited for on-the-go consumption or interactivity, for instance, in a squeezable pouch or a container with a simple game design on it. In addition, while it should be usable by children, the design must be tamper-evident before it is opened, and after it is opened, the child should not be able to contaminate the product.
Informative Design
No child is going to read all the information on the back of their food packages. However, parents who want the best for their children will be reading a lot of details about the ingredients and the product benefits.
Sustainability
Eco-conscious buyers are in every industry. You can position your business as a sustainable brand by making all your packages eco-friendly by nature. Not only is this good for your business, but it is also safe for the environment.
Conclusion on Safe and Attractive Food Packaging for Children
Creating child-safe packaging is a lot of work, but it can be done right if it is handled well. From the packaging regulations to typical children’s preferences and parental influence, if you get all these things right, you are ready to go.
