Our Story

So..... This is how we started

It is incredible how one small idea can grow into something truly special. Spelementen is rooted in the belief that we all have an inherent responsibility to make a meaningful difference in our community. What started as a graduation project has evolved into something much greater. From humble beginnings and a shared struggle from the streets to living abroad. We wanted to make designs that genuinely made a difference for children who had a similar struggle. Even though we may not be able to fully relate to the struggles of the children in the refugee camp, we know what it means to suffer alone and not have anyone to talk about this with. 

The idea for Spelementen was born out of a deep desire to help the children who are seeking asylum in the Netherlands. The founders of Spelementen, who had a design noticed that these children were not receiving the kind of support they needed to cope with the trauma of their experiences. They saw that the current system was failing these children, who were already dealing with the stress and uncertainty of being in a new country without the support of their families or communities.

We knew that traditional therapy tools were not always effective for children, especially those who were struggling to express their emotions and feelings. We wanted to create something that was accessible, affordable, and fun for the children to use. We believed that play was an essential part of childhood, and that it could be a powerful tool for healing and growth.

So, we set out to create a toy that would not only be enjoyable for the children to play with, but also help them express their emotions and process their experiences. We consulted with child psychologists, play therapists, and trauma experts to create a toy that would be specifically tailored to the needs of these children.

​

After many months of research, testing, and development, Spelementen was born. We were thrilled to see how the children responded to the toy, and how it helped them to express themselves in ways they had never been able to before. They knew they had created something special, and were determined to share it with as many children as possible.