PRINCIPLES: Illustrates mechanical advantage through levers, behavior of springs, and centripetal acceleration.
CONCEPT: Large-scale plastic playground playset with a group of plastic children of different sizes and weights, all molded in such a way that they can attach to any of the rides. The children can be placed at different positions on the seesaw and the pivot point moved. By exploring different combinations of children and pivot points, kids will learn about weight, levers, and thus mechanical advantage. The toy children can also be placed on any of several ride-on animals with springs at their bases. By pushing on and bouncing the toy children, kids will learn all about springs. There will also be a set of rotating swings that, when toy children are placed in the seats, will fly out to the sides, illustrating the way rotation puts tension into the members of the swing and causes acceleration. More rides could be added to keep up interest in the playset.
COMMENTS: Set would be constructed out of heavy-duty plastic, particularly the base, so that it could even be left outside and absorb the abuse of kids and the elements. This toy would be aimed at kids aged about 4 or 5 years.