Mission Possible Set
Principle:
This toy is based upon the principle of gravity, levers (mechanical advantage), pulley system, acceleration, mass and much more.
Sketch:
Toy Interaction:
The toy includes all of the materials stated above in the sketch. The idea is that with these materials, a child can create various paths for marbles to follow. Each piece has pegs in the back that would attach the piece to the pegboard. For example, using ramps and a lever, the child can cause a marble to follow a specific path and land on say another lever, which in turn might cause another lever to release a second marble into a bucket. The general concept is to continuously challenge the child to create new and inventive ways to get the marbles to different places by causing a variety of reactions.
Construction Cost, Durability and Safety:
The cost would be fairly reasonable; the pegboard just needs to have the holes drilled into it. I would probably have it made out of wood or plastic. The pegs, ramps, levers, and pulleys could also be made out of either wood or plastic. The string would be a heavy, durable string. And the marbles would be of varying sizes so that the children might also learn about how gravity affects different masses. Wood and plastic are fairly durable and also decently cheap.
The appropriate age range for this set would be 6 and up. If the age were any younger, a child might try and swallow the marbles!
See Also: