Application of Fuzzy Theory to the Investigation of Children’s Preference for Wooden Toy Materials—A Case Study of Rocking Horses

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the sensory preferences of children aged 8–12 regarding the material and characteristics of wooden toys. Taking wooden rocking horses as research samples, this study selected three types of wood, respectively Pinus taiwanensis, Fagus sylvatica, and Juglans nigra, which are significantly different in appearance from solid wood commonly used to make wooden toys. The experiment was conducted through on-site observation and questionnaire surveys to record children’s preferences for wood characteristics, such as the characteristic factors of wood texture, color and luster, touch, weight, smell, and overall preference. Descriptive statistics and analysis were performed using SPSS 25V, and the experimental results were analyzed and interpreted using fuzzy trigonometric functions. The findings reveal that Taiwan pine had the highest average worth score among the various evaluation characteristics in terms of wood surface performance preferences. Other types of wood also showed different favorability results in different characteristics. This study also analyzes the correlation and significant differences in favorability evaluation using fuzzy theory. This study provides insights that can be useful for toy designers and children’s teaching aid developers to purchase and match wooden toys effectively while promoting the efficient use of wood resources.