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The Open Cybernetics & Systemics Journal, 2015, 9, 2173-2176 2173

Open Access
The Design of Interesting Packaging of Children's Food

Wang Ning*

Nanyang Normal University, China

Abstract: The first function of package is protection. Although the commodities are produced for market, the protection
of package is futility, if the commodities don’t sale. So acceleration of market is very important. The package of chil-
dren’s food is one of the packages, so it must pay attention to the market. An excellent package of children’s food must
research the children’s physiological and mental characters beside the basic elements in design. This is excellent artist
work. This thesis discussed the children’s response, which faced the color, figure, and model and opening of the food’s
package, revealed the disciplinarians of design and then explore the connections of element in design and interest.

Keywords: Children's food, consumer psychology, design method, groups interest, packaging graphics.

1. INTRODUCTION This paper analyzes the children's food packaging

graphic accurate, personalized and unique, and three
Our country is in a critical period of rapid development principles such as regional and cultural limitations;
of market economy and the transformation, how the rich
Discusses the specific construction form of children’s food
diversity of market economy, promote product sales and
packaging graphic, summarizes the characteristics of its
circulation, become the focus of attention. Children with a
vivid, intuitive, and discussed its including color, content,
large population in our country, the children’s food and
and decoration, the three main elements, analyzes its sign,
children’s daily life indispensable one kind of consumables,
specific graphic symbol and metaphor, abstract graphics,
its market will be more and more broad, its packing is such as a variety of expression.
important factors to attract children or their parents to buy,
and the packaging graphic design is the most key factors can
directly affect their consumption psychology. 2. THE PARTICULARITY OF CHILDREN'S FOOD
PACKAGING AND GRAPHIC DESIGN RESEARCH
In this paper, starting from the particularity of children's
Children's food has great particularity for its property and
food packaging, discussed its color demands pure clear,
commodity characteristics and consumer groups. Food
graphics, rich interesting and novel and unique appearance
packaging graphic design is different from other commodity
requirement, and discuss its safety and the characteristics of packaging graphic design due to its function. Consumers
humanization, etc; Food packaging were summarized in the tend to buy food whose package arouses their appetite or
aspects of health, safety and health requirements and related curiosity.
laws and regulations. On this basis, from its relationship with
the social cultural environment, and its impact on children's The main body of children’s food consumers is children
consumption psychology and children's food market, such as and their parents and elders. First of all, children’s thinking
Angle of the particularity of children's food packaging mode and visual psychological characteristics and adults’
graphic design was conducted in-depth study; According to have very big difference, and in different age stages, these
characteristics are different, too. For the children’s parents
China's social, economic, the overall level of career
and elders, their purchase of the children’s food is the result
development, and common culture background of Chinese
of their own taste for commodity and its packing, and also
society, on the basis of the physiological and psychological
pays more attention on their children’s preference [1].
characteristics of children of different ages in China, Therefore, we may say that children’s food packaging
children can be divided into 0 to 3 years old (baby), aged 4 graphic design object mainly focus on children. The
to 8 (early childhood) and 9-12 phase (children) and so on fundamental starting point should be the children of different
three stages; Based on the characteristics of children's age stages of different understanding, thinking features and
physical and psychological development, and the three the possibility of its visual psychological acceptance, at the
points for children ages different consumer psychology has same time the characteristics of food packaging should also
carried on the detailed analysis, and the corresponding phase be taken into account, and also children’s parents or elders’
of children's food packaging graphic design requirements acceptance of food packaging. Only considering these
and specific characteristics were studied. factors of children's food packaging can graphic designs win
the love of consumers.
For the modern sense of the commodity, packaging and
graphic design image, the value of the goods play a vital role

1874-110X/15 2015 Bentham Open

2174 The Open Cybernetics & Systemics Journal, 2015, Volume 9 Wang Ning

Fig.(1). Color preference.

in the market, especially for children's food. Firstly, because

of the particularity of the consumption of goods, its
packaging and graphic design will have special requirements
of different from other goods. In addition, for the food, the
package is very important. Designers must consider this
when designing [2].
Compared with adults, the commodity audience (i.e.,
children), their education degree is low, the cultural
knowledge level is not high ethier. The way they perceive
things is different from, so packaging design way can't be
according to the adults’ commodities, but it must be on the
basis of children’s physiological and psychological Fig.(2). A candy brand’s package.
characteristics. The particularity of commodity packaging
design elements mainly reflected in the packaging color, Commodity packaging graphics require rich interest. The
packaging graphics and packaging appearance, etc [3]. graph is a very important element in the design of packaging.
Children’s commodity packaging color need to be pure Graphics is a kind of simple and pure language for visual
and clear. When looking at the things, the first impression of communication, with a strong visual effect, It is good in the
human visual sense is often the feeling of color, especially passing information and characteristics of the goods, and is
for children; because of their cultural knowledge level is generally easy to identify and cognition, and also can express
limited. It is hard for them to understand complex the rich meaning. Children’s cultural knowledge level is
information, and the information transmitted to people by the limited, they can know and understand the text less, but the
color is the most straightforward, and is also the most expression of graphics can be intuitive to express meaning,
intuitive. For children's commodity packaging, its pure and easy for child to receive [4]. At the same time, cartoon,
bright color can give a person passion and vitality, and full caricature are extremely interesting graphics to cause the
imagination and thinking space. Proper color makes goods interest of children. Therefore, for children's commodities
attractive and encourages them to buy goods. In Fig. (1), packaging design, its graphics must be able to seize the
children show different preference for colors. attention of children.
The result come from weighted average and covariance. Common childhood commodity packaging graphics often
contain a cartoon character or cartoon characters, animals,
a = ( x1 f1 + x2 f 2 + ... + xk f k ) / n etc. These graphics are cute, or exaggerated, or are already
(1)
widely known through media. Like the package in Fig. (3), it
1 adopted very interesting graphics as the main design points
s 2 = [( x1
x) 2 + ( x2
x) 2 + ...( xn
x) 2 ] to attract children to buy them.
n (2)
Children's food packaging requires uniqueness. Children
b = ( x1 f1 + x2 f 2 + ... + xk f k ) / n are more imaginative and curious. they are more inclined to
(3)
be interested in various color and novel image. Therefore,
In Fig. (2), this is candy brand whose packaging color is the design of children food packaging should be novel and
very bright. The red symbolizes passion. Compared with unique, so as to attract the attention of children. Children's
dark tonal packaging, it has a visual impact and is more nature is active and lively, but at the same time, their
likely to be noticed. When the children see such packaging, attention is not easy to focus; only interesting packaging can
they will be easily attracted. instantly capture their attention. To a large extent, children
The Design of Interesting Packaging of Children's Food The Open Cybernetics & Systemics Journal, 2015, Volume 9 2175

related research also shows that children growing up in the

similar conditions and background, to a certain age range,
the physiological and psychological characteristics are
similar. In this paper, based on the physiological and
psychological characteristics of children of different ages in
China, children can be divided into three age stages:
Stage 1: 0-3 years old, also known as the baby stage. this
stage is the initial period of human life, also in the
development of each function of the body, basically they can
automatically adapt to the environment;
Stage 2: 4-8 years old, also known as infant stage. In this
stage the children’s all functions have very big development.
Their ability of activity also grows up. Basically they can
unconsciously adapt to the stimuli from the environment;
Stage 3: 9-12 years old, also known as children's stage. In
this stage children body develops rapidly, the vast majority
of physiological function are basically mature, and they
begin to consciously learn and transform the environment, as
is shown in Table 1.
0 to 3 years old children’s physiological and
Fig. (3). A cereal brand’s package.
psychological state are at the initial stage, the human life
cycle almost wihout independent thinking. They can only
don't care about the goods itself, but are rather attracted by
unconsciously adapt to the environment. Baby's language
their appearance [5]. They buy the food just to satisfy their
skills and auditory acuity is very weak, logical thinking and
curiosity. Therefore, the appearance of the novel model is
image thinking ability is also very low, but the visual sense
another important factor.
of the baby has developed to a certain stage. Generally 1 to
1.5 babies can distinguish yellow, red, blue, green and such
3. CONSUMING PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTER- several kinds of basic colors. Baby completely feel and
ISTICS OF CHILDREN IN EACH AGE STAGE AND understand the surrounding environment according to the
GRAPHIC DESIGN appeal of the various object.
Consumer psychology of children and adults there is a Children aged 4 to 8 has a great deal of reinforcement in
big difference, and consuming psychological characteristics action. As the growth of the age, children can clearly
of children in different ages are also different. So in the distinguish the basic shapes and colors, and can sense the
design of children's food packaging graphic, designer must color brightness and purity. At the same time, the children's
give full consideration to consumer psychology and patterns attention do not under its self control, but is excruciatingly
of the child's age. Only in this way can design be welcomed attracted for those who have strong excitant and can cause
by the corresponding age children. This chapter based on the their interest. The attention of the children will point to
physical medicine and child psychology and related research things they are interested in, that is, those bright, novel and
conclusions, tried to analyze consumer psychology of unique specific image or transform dynamic things can
children in all ages, and the corresponding graphic design is attract their attention at any time. On the psychological
detailed discussed. characteristics, children's emotional experience is close to
Scientific research shows that children's physical growth adults. Young children's self-awareness also had the very big
and development and the development of their psychological development, begin to have the idea of self, and gender
thinking process is not simple linear change, but will be consciousness also began to appear [6].
affected by the human body structure characteristics and the Children between 9-12 years old develop rapidly. The
characteristics of the growth and development, as well as the vast majorities of physiology basically mature and are close
children in the family, social environment and cultural to adults. Their actions and thinking ability strengthen
atmosphere, and many other factors; at the same time, the gradually and they begin to consciously learn and transform

Table 1. Color preference of different age.

Age Response to the Color Favorite Color

0-1.5 Able to identify colors and non-colors; react strongly to red non

2-3 Able to identify basic colors; unable to distinguish secondary colors Red, yellow, green, orange, white, blue, black, purple

3-6 Able to identify the tiny difference Warn color

6 Show gender difference Coordinate and soft color

2176 The Open Cybernetics & Systemics Journal, 2015, Volume 9 Wang Ning

the environment. The length of attention time increased as velopment and unfocused, have immaturity and uncertainty
children's age and their education and training. [9]. They know about things outside, mostly because they
are stimulated by some information, through the interaction
This period of children's thinking ability, understanding
with the external environment, and formed certain cognition
ability and logical ability also reached the peak of children.
their choice of the product, especially for the likes of in their own mind. They usually choose the food based on
their first vision which packaging could conveyed to.
commodity packaging, will no longer simply depends on
visual impression, but will consider more unity between According to the characteristic of children and the results
internal quality and external appearance. At the same time, of market research, concluded that the successful experience
along with their social communication’s expansion and of children's food packaging design and the basic principles
increase, their behavior, thoughts and aesthetic judgment show that using primary red, yellow, green, blue with basic
will be influenced by social factors, therefore, compared graphics, have more attractive for consumers of children.
with smaller children age, they tend to buy more "popular" This is the point that stylists and businessmen caught the
commodities or goods containing popular factors, and their consumer's psychology. Through analyzing the basic situa-
understanding of "fashion" is similar to teenagers. tion and the development trend of children's food packaging
design, Combined with the related theory of psychology of
The packaging design of children’s food product should
have 3 critical features, safe, convenient and enjoyable. An consumption, further study the color emotion of children
[10]. Using the basic knowledge of chromatology, take the
excellent packaging design of children’s food should be a
emotion that conveyed by color as the main features, study
perfect combination of structural design, exterior design and
the relevant theory of color, focuses on analyzing the charac-
packaging material. In terms of nature, the packaging design
teristics and effect of the complementary color. Combining
for children’s food is very special. Not only does the design
with the psychological and physical characteristics of children,
need to follow basic designing rules, it also needs to be
conducted based on children’s physical characteristics. The comprehensively use to children's food packaging color design.
color, style and pictures of children’s food packaging have to
cater to children’s psychology. The new packaging CONFLICT OF INTEREST
techniques greatly improved the packaging of children’s The author confirms that this article content has no con-
food [7]. The new green intelligent material without flict of interest.
pollution is the direction of future packaging industry.
Children’s cartoon graphics brought up varieties of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
children’s food packaging. This thesis is a detailed study on
the characteristics and direction of children’s food This work is supported by 2013 scientific research pro-
packaging. It starts from talking about children’s different ject of Beifang University of Nationalities (2013XYZ021),
consumer psychology in different age periods, and institute of information and system computation science of
summarizes the variety of design styles of children’s food Beifang University (13xyb01).
packaging. It also analyses the presentation of different
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Received: June 10, 2015 Revised: July 29, 2015 Accepted: August 15, 2015
© Wang Ning; Licensee Bentham Open.

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