Challenge 057 · Ages 10–16
Fidget Toy Designer
Design a fidget toy.
Recommended Guided Learning Time: 4 hours
Learners may require additional or fewer hours depending on age, prior experience, pace and the level of development they choose to take their project to.
Primary STEAM area
Engineering
The Challenge
What will your learner investigate?
Can you design a fidget toy. and explain the choices that make your solution effective?
Learning outcomes
- Define the design problem and identify useful constraints.
- Build or model a solution using an iterative engineering process.
- Test performance, analyse evidence and improve the design.
Connected learning
Design & Technology: design cycle and prototyping; Science: forces/materials/energy as relevant; Mathematics: measurement and geometry; English: design communication.
Dream Areas
Prepare for this Challenge
What you'll need
Here's what may be useful for completing this activity. Requirements may vary depending on the learner, activity format and equipment available.
Materials & consumables
- 3D-print plastic printing filament (material fed into a 3D printer) or suitable flexible material
- mechanism sketch
- sample user requirements.
Equipment, tools & software
- computer-aided design (CAD) software for drawing 3D models
- 3D printer
- callipers (a tool for measuring small dimensions accurately)
- adult-operated finishing tools.
Safety & preparation
- Check pinch points, sharp edges, strength and small detachable pieces
- test with an age-appropriate user brief.
These preparation notes support planning and do not replace a project-specific risk assessment or appropriate adult supervision.