Japanese brand Permanent Play Project (PPP) presents, as their name suggests, a new idea of “play” for the next generation. Their latest product, TSUMIKI, looks like the simple toy blocks we all remember from our own childhoods, but these blocks aren’t like any ones you’ve seen before. TSUMIKI blocks come to life.Depending on how you stack them, the blocks will become animated with different images, created by an accompanying projector. There are three different visual options to choose from: animals, numbers, and trees—and the “characters” displayed depend on the shapes you create with the blocks. Cooler still, the images displayed are interactive. For example, the animals will greet each other and “play” while the numbers version presents various mathematic problems for kids to solve.This tactile, augmented reality learning interface seems to herald a new era for interactive play and educational toys—especially if the concept was merged with a projector-less form of tactile media like the Sifteo. Say what you will of technology, but it’s a great time to be a kid.