PieceMaker was a Pittsburgh startup that let kids design and 3D-print their own toys through an in-store kiosk experience. Kids could choose a product, customize colors, add their name or symbols, and then watch it print live. During my summer on the team, we even secured licenses with Nickelodeon and the Pittsburgh Penguins, which meant creating officially approved SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer toys.

As a Product Design intern, I designed and modeled a variety of customizable toys, collectibles, and jewelry using 3D modeling software. Each product had to print quickly, cleanly, and without supports, so I spent a lot of time prototyping, testing durability, and refining movable parts to work within our printer constraints.

I also helped rethink the overall kiosk experience. I ran research sessions with kids and parents to understand what felt intuitive, what sparked excitement, and how to simplify the customization process for young users. That work led to design updates in the kiosk’s information architecture and visual language, making it easier for kids to browse products and personalize them confidently.

The images below show a selection of the toys I designed for children ages 6–12 — all fully customizable, kid-tested, and printable in 30 minutes or less.