IKEA launches 'Dream Plush Toy'

Based on children's hand-painted

Every year, IKEA hosts the Sagoskatt competition, inviting children from all over the world to paint their "dream plush toy". Recently, IKEA announced the winners of the seventh competition. Their creations will be turned into real plush toys and will be available at IKEA later this year.

IKEA Sweden's jury selected five young designers from more than 60,000 entrants. Nine-year-old Audrey from Canada designed Sandwich Friends, a quirky elite group; eight-year-old Liepa from Lithuania designed Cats; seven-year-old Zosia from Poland designed omelette toys; nine-year-old Russian Savva designed mermaid dogs; and Nick, a ten-year-old boy from the United States, designed birds.

The paintings will be made in adorable 3D and sold around the world by retailers, with all profits going to support initiatives and charities that "promote children's right to play".

Jorge Omar Santoyo Henaine, Product Design Developer at IKEA Sweden - Kids IKEA, said: "The endless creativity of children is amazing. Every year, we receive so many unique, cool and interesting pieces that are impressive. We hope I can make them all!"

Henaine said they considered a number of criteria when selecting the winning entry, such as whether the design could be mass-produced, whether it passed certain safety requirements, and whether it was "unique, colorful and expressive."

In previous years, award-winning works include the cucumber superhero Gurki, the smiling "little monster" that hugs children, and the eggplant car that scares away enemies.