During the long months of lockdown in 2020, small Barcelona-based company World Alive noticed a surge in the popularity of Aqua Dragons - their much loved hatch-and-grow aquatic pets - as kids and families found ways to keep themselves entertained indoors.
Going Viral
Internet stars like Luisito Comunca picked up on the trend and made videos of their Aqua Dragons that have had millions of views. Aqua Dragons are real live creatures with a scientific name - Artemia Salinas. With their three eyes and fascinating life cycle, they entertain and educate children in equal measure. They were born to be internet stars!
The #AquaDragonsChallenge hashtag already has 40 million views on TikTok and is also trending on Instagram and YouTube as Aqua Dragons owners compete to make funny and creative videos of their tiny pets.
The viral popularity of Aqua Dragons is part of a larger trend for toys with an education focus that can be enjoyed at home. The Covid-19 pandemic is reshaping how kids play and screen-free, interactive toys like Aqua Dragons are in high demand.
Why kids love Aqua Dragons
The appeal of Aqua Dragons lies is that children need to fully engage with the process of hatching and growing the Aqua Dragons themselves. Kids must carefully set up their tank with the right quantity of water and maintain the correct conditions of light, temperature and oxygenation. Their efforts and patience are rewarded a few days later when their new pets appear - at first visible only with a magnifying glass.
The Aqua Dragons kit comes complete with everything they need - the tank, food, a measuring spoon and a pipette to oxygenate the water. Some models, like the Underwater World, have LED lights which create a cool effect in the dark. Kids find Aqua Dragons endlessly fascinating as they grow, and have found millions of creative ways to show off their pets in the videos posted on the #AquaDragonsChallenge hashtag.
Prizes to be won
Three Aqua Dragons owners will receive a cash prize of €1000 for the funniest, most creative and most liked videos posted on the #AquaDragonsChallenge hashtag.
“Gen Z are digital natives with incredible video editing skills. We’ve loved seeing the hilarious and highly creative videos they have come up with so far and it’s not going to be easy to pick the winners,” said the creator of Aqua Dragons, Amy Holden.
“With the pandemic dragging on into 2021, we wanted to give people something fun and creative to do at home, and we hope the chance of a cash prize will make the dark winter a little brighter” she explained.
The #AquaDragonsChallenge runs until the end of February with prizes announced early March.
