China dad transforms home into toy castle to distract daughter from electronic devices
Father has built over 300 toys for daughter, with many being extremely intricate
A father in central China tackled the issue of phone addiction within his family by converting his home into a whimsical toy castle, creatively using range hood piping to fashion a pink dragon that captured the hearts of many across the mainland internet.
In a video shared by Henan Broadcasting System on September 11, the 35-year-old father, surnamed Zhang, from Zhengzhou, Henan province, elaborated on his motivation and the process behind transforming his house.
“If I don’t let my daughter use the phone or tablet, she needs alternative activities to engage her. Toys are ideal for a child around three or four years old,” Zhang explained.
He noted that he had observed his young daughter, nicknamed Nini, spending excessive time in front of screens and resolved to make homemade toys to “compete for her attention”.
The castle-home transformation was not a fleeting endeavour; Zhang has constructed nearly 300 toys for his daughter, including a train track along the ceiling of their home.
He even turned their door into a playful game of Tetris. His daughter plays on one side while Zhang, positioned on the other, assists in moving the blocks like in the classic video game.
“I created this door just a few days ago and cut a large opening in the centre for the Tetris. This toy definitely requires help from dad,” Zhang said.
