Concept 1:
Automatic Paper Football Kicker

The automatic paper football kicker is exactly that. It is great for children who are already fans of paper football and for those who have never been exposed to it before. If you don't know already, paper football is a game that uses a piece of paper, folded up into a triangle, for it's 'ball.' The object then is to kick a field goal through goal posts made by your oponents fingers. (To learn how to fold the football, click here.) This toy would let you simply turn the crank until the kicking arm is back far enough, then detach the handle, and let it fly!

The automatic paper football kicker can also teach the child about several different physical properties. The actual toy is made with rubber bands that would teach the child basic ideas behind the way elastic energy can be stored: the farther back it's streched, the stonger the kick, the farther it's stretched that harder it becomes to stretch it more, etc. The crank would have a gear ratio that would make the kicking arm easier to raise by requiring more turns on the handle. Possibly the most important principle used is aerodynamics. The child would learn through experiementation about what types of shapes fly through the air better.

Some testing would have to be done, as it is not obvious what materials should be used to make the toy. Most likely plasitc or metal. Plastic may not be strong enough for the rubber band, but metal would be more expensive. Regardless, it should stay fairly inexpensive (less than, or up to a few, dollars) given it's small size and simplicity. Durability would also depend heavily on the choice between metal and plastic. The plastic parts could break while metal ones would be more than strong enough. While the rubber bands may not seem very durable, they would be very easy to replace. The child or a parent could simply cut apart any old rubber band and tie it back together around the toy arm and supports. This toy would be very safe for the responsible child. It would't be for very young children though, because of the choking hazard on the crank and the whole "putting out an eye" ordeal that every child has to listen to for at least 9 years of his life. But there would be almost no risk for the responsible pre-teen or teenager.

While it might not be at the top of a child's Christmas list, the automatic paper football kicker would still be inexpensive a lot of fun to play with. It most certainly would not "take the fun out of the game," but rather, add a whole new dimension to it.