Mystery building blocks

This toy is based on the idea of building blocks(ie. legos, lincoln logs, etc.). The way that children would interact with them is fairly self explanatory; they can build and create to their hearts desire with the blocks. However, the blocks have polarized magnets built into them, so they can play with the concept of repulsion and attraction. The blocks would also be of different densities/weights, so they can play with weight distribution.

Ideally,  the blocks would appear to be made out of wood. The insides would be filled with different masses, as well as the magnets. They would be extremely durable, ideally able to be played with by infants.

Swinging whistle

This toy is based on Foxtails, as well as a traditional Korean “toy” in which a tin can with a flame inside is attached to a string and it is swung around. It is fairly simple to use. You hold the the movable bit on the rope and swing! A whistling sound should come out, and different tones can be achieved by replacing the end piece with pieces of varying size holes.

It should be made out of durable material, maybe wood, so that it could be potentially whacked around (expect that it will be dropped). The durability of the rope is essential, so a thicker type of cord that is still flexible is desired.

This toy has some safety concerns, due to the fact that it is used by swinging it quite hard. It should not be used indoors, and adult supervision for small children is advised.

Swing-A-Whistle

• What is it -  A whistle that lights up and makes noises when swung. As the whistle is swung faster, it makes a louder noise and more lights light up.
• Target Audience - Children 7+ (~First Grade) Children at this age know how to formulate correlations from what they observe from the social world. They also work with 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional shapes.
• Children Interaction - In an open environment, the user will swing the whistle at different speeds to examine the correlation of velocity, sound, and light intensity.

Learning Goals:

Through swinging the whistle, the concept of centripetal force can be learned. The increase in loudness and the number of LEDs lit up will help reinforce this concept. Also, as the whistle continues to move when the child stops swinging it, he/she can learn about the conservation of momentum. In addition, the child can explore the relationship between shapes and air flow.