Hi everyone, I’m Neha Makdey, Founder & CEO of NESTA TOYS. I’m an IIM alumna and I have been involved in designing and developing hundreds of research-backed toy concepts and prototypes. As a mother to a 6-year-old, I also get to see firsthand how children play, learn, experiment and explore.

We’ve had the opportunity to work with and supply learning toys to 500+ schools and educational institutions across India. Some of the organisations and school networks we have supplied to include EuroKids, Little Elly, Aadyant, Bambino Kids, Bishop Scott School, Butterflies Playschool, Casa Bambino, Eupheus Learning, Prarambh, Kendriya Vidyalayas (200+ schools), and PM SHRI Schools (20+ schools), among others.

So, over the years, I've had the opportunity to look at toys from multiple perspectives as a toy designer, a founder, a mother, and, importantly, as someone who has worked closely with schools and their procurement and vendor teams.

One thing I've realised is that schools don't evaluate toys in the same way parents do.

For a parent, the questions might be: Will my child enjoy it? Is it safe? Will it keep them engaged?

For a school, the evaluation is much broader.

The procurement team has to think about the curriculum, teachers have to think about how the product will actually be used, management has to consider the quality and longevity of the investment, and the vendor team has to ensure the entire purchase process works smoothly.

Based on our conversations and experiences with school procurement teams, vendor teams and educators, I believe there are five major things schools look for when they buy toys.

1. Does the Toy Fit into the Curriculum?

The first and perhaps the most important question schools ask is:

“Where does this toy fit into our curriculum?”

For schools, a toy isn't just something children play with. It needs to have a purpose within the learning environment.

This is one reason why established approaches such as Montessori have remained relevant for decades. Montessori materials are well understood and have a clear connection with particular developmental and learning objectives.

But curriculum-aligned learning doesn't necessarily mean that a toy has to be a traditional Montessori material.

Many everyday objects and role-play toys can also become powerful learning tools when they are thoughtfully designed around what children need to learn.

Take a doctor set, for example.

Children are familiar with doctors. They visit clinics when they fall sick, see doctors using different instruments and may have experienced things like getting an injection themselves.

A well-designed doctor set can turn this familiar experience into an opportunity for learning.

Children can understand:

• What different medical instruments are used for
• Basic concepts around health and hygiene
• The role of a doctor
• How doctors examine patients
• Communication and role-play
• Empathy and caring for others

Similarly, a coffee machine or bread toaster may seem like a simple everyday object, but it can be used to introduce children to how things work.

A teacher can talk about what the appliance does, what happens when we operate it and how different processes work.

That's why the question schools ask isn't simply: “Is this an educational toy?”

It is:“Can this toy help us teach something that is relevant to our children?”

The stronger the connection between the toy and the curriculum, the more useful the product becomes in a school setting.

2. Is the Toy Durable Enough?

The second major consideration is durability.

A toy being used at home and a toy being used in a school are two very different things.

At home, a toy might primarily be used by one child or a small number of children.

At school, the same product could be handled by dozens - sometimes hundreds - of children over its lifetime.

It may be picked up, dropped, shared, assembled, disassembled and used repeatedly.

And children aren't always gentle with toys!

So schools need products that can stand the test of time.

This is why procurement teams don't look only at the price printed on a quotation.

They also need to think about:

“How long will this product remain usable?”

A cheaper toy that breaks or becomes unusable quickly may actually be more expensive in the long run.

On the other hand, a well-made product can be used by multiple batches of students, across multiple academic years and in different classroom activities.

For a school, durability therefore becomes an important part of the overall value of a product.

3. Is the Quality Right for the Learning Environment?

The third factor is quality.

Schools today are increasingly investing in creating better environments for children.

Classrooms are not simply spaces with desks, chairs and textbooks anymore. Schools are thinking more carefully about how the physical environment can encourage children to explore, create, experiment and learn.

The toys and learning materials placed in that environment are a part of the experience.

This is where a very inexpensive plastic toy may not always fit.

Of course, price matters - schools operate within budgets. But there is a difference between being cost-effective and simply choosing the cheapest available product.

The quality of the materials, the design, the finish, the functionality and the overall experience matter.

When a child interacts with a learning product repeatedly, the product itself becomes part of their learning environment.

So schools are increasingly asking:

“Is this a product we are comfortable putting in front of our children every day?”

Quality, therefore, isn't only about aesthetics.

It is about design, functionality, durability, safety and the overall experience the product creates.

4. Are Spare Parts Available?

This is something that parents may not think about very often, but schools certainly do:

“What happens if something gets lost or broken?”

When a toy is used repeatedly by many children, individual components can inevitably go missing.

A small piece may get lost.

A component may break.

A part may stop functioning after extensive use.

That doesn't necessarily mean the entire toy has reached the end of its useful life.

This is where spare-part availability becomes important.

A manufacturer that can provide replacement components can significantly extend the life of a product.

For schools, this is particularly useful because replacing an entire set simply because one or two components are missing isn't practical.

It also tells the school something about the manufacturer.

Is the company willing to stand behind its product after the sale?

Will they help solve a small problem?

Will they provide replacement parts?

Will they respond when a school needs support?

These questions become especially important when a school is choosing between two products that may look similar on paper.

A manufacturer that thinks beyond the initial sale can provide significantly more value over the lifetime of the product.

5. Does the Manufacturer Provide End-to-End Service?

The fifth factor is something that is often overlooked when we talk about buying toys:

Service.

For a school, purchasing toys isn't necessarily as simple as placing an online order.

There can be vendor registrations, quotations, purchase orders, approvals, invoices, documentation, delivery schedules and payment processes involved.

And after the purchase order is raised, the school still needs the products to arrive on time and in the right condition.

That's why the service provided by the manufacturer or vendor becomes extremely important.

Schools want to know:

• Will the company deliver on time?
• Will someone respond quickly if there is a problem?
• Is the company accountable after the order?
• Can they handle large or repeat orders?
• Can they provide the required documentation and invoices?
• Can they provide replacement parts when required?
• Can they offer end-to-end support?

This may sound like a small part of buying a toy, but for a school procurement team, it isn't.

Schools have budgets to plan, approvals to obtain and paperwork to complete.

A vendor who understands this process and makes it easier for the school can make a significant difference.

In other words, schools aren't just buying a toy. They're also choosing the company they will have to work with.

Reliability, communication, accountability and responsiveness therefore matter just as much as the product itself.

So, What Makes a Toy School-Ready?

When you put all five factors together, the difference becomes clear.

A school-ready toy needs to answer five questions:

1. Curriculum

Can this toy support something we are trying to teach?

2. Durability

Can it withstand repeated use by many children?

3. Quality

Is the product good enough to be part of our learning environment?

4. Spare Parts

Can individual components be replaced if they are lost or damaged?

5. Service

Will the manufacturer support us before, during and after the purchase?

And then there is one final question that brings everything together:

“Is this a good investment for our school?”

Schools have budgets. Every purchase has to be planned, justified and accounted for.

So the cheapest product isn't necessarily the best value.

A toy that costs slightly more but lasts for years, fits naturally into classroom activities, has spare parts available and comes with reliable service may ultimately deliver much greater value.

After working with hundreds of schools, one thing has become very clear to us:

Schools aren't simply looking for toys. They're looking for learning products that they can confidently invest in.

And the companies that understand this difference are the ones that can build long-term relationships with schools - rather than simply making a one-time sale.