Christine Amin - Toy Project

Physical Principal

The sand mover toy is based of the principal of work. It teaches kids to understand how changing the force or distance affect how much work is done on an object.

Child Interaction

The Child will use the toy to move sand to a different location. However, they can vary the length of the pole and belt as well as the loading containers to experiment with the most effective way to move the sand

Construction Costs, Durability, and Safety

The construction costs for the sand mover should be relatively low. The belt, carts, pulleys and pole are very cheap to manufacture. Additionally, these items are very durable, especially considering a child will be using them to move things. This means that the sand mover will not be subject to high amounts of forces. The sand mover will be relatively safe, so long as the pole attached to the ground is firmly in place and the carts are securely fastened to the belt.

What did I learn?

I have gained a new appreciation for toys through this project. Before I never considered toys to be of much importance except for fun. But now I see that toys are actually powerful teaching tools and can have a significant impact on a child's development. As a child, the main toys I engaged with were stuffed animals. Looking back on this, I feel like I learned to be more empathetic and caring. I also developed a sense of responsibility toward the environment as these toys fostered an appreciation of animals.