Ageless Slide

Explanation of the Ageless Slide:

• Age range and child interaction:
  • The beauty of this toy, is that it extends the age range of itself. The average slide - a staple on all playgrounds - can be used by kids ranging anywhere from 4 and up. Even toddlers can use slides with parental supervision, so you can include them as potential users as well. As a result, the Ageless Slide is intended for any and all ages.
  • Any child, or grownup for that matter, who chooses to use the Ageless Slide, would do so in exactly the same way they would a regular slide. The advantage to this particular version is its ability to be raised or lowered depending on who's using it. For younger children, the slide can be made quite short, with a very gradual slope so they don't travel too quickly. As the child grows, or when older children are using it, the base can be raised higher, providing for a much steeper and faster thrill.
• Scientific principle behind the toy:
  • The use of this toy demonstrates the classic block-on-incline-plane physics problems for children before they even know it. It should be at least partially apparent to them that as the slide raises and becomes steeper, there's less of a normal force and thus, less friction, providing a much faster descent. It also gives them a sense of conservation of energy. By climbling the slide at first the child's increasing their gravitational potential energy, converting it to kinetic energy (and some heat, sound, vibration, etc.) when they take the plunge.
• Construction cost, durability, and safety:
  • The construction cost for such a slide would be very similar to that of the regular version. Many of the materials would be the same, with an addition of only a few extra parts to make it adjustable. Existing slides cost in the neighborhood of less than a hundred dollars, to several thousand, depending on the size, material, and so on. The Ageless slide would be constructed of mostly plastic, meaning it should be cheaper to produce than an all stainless steel version. As a ballpark figure, the Ageless Slide would liklely cost under $50 to produce, and would sell for about $100 or so.
  • Using high quality plastics and designing the structure such that it's very robust will allow the Ageless Slide to be what its name implies - ageless. Plastics and well coated steels will hold up well to all sorts of weather and abuse, meaning the Ageless Slide should last a lifetime - literally.
  • Safety wouldn't be a huge concern for this toy. The risk a child runs by climbing this toy and sliding down it is no different than any other slide. One possible safety issue could be the adjustability of the toy, creating a potential for pinching hazards, and so on. Besides that, it's a pretty simple toy that can make sliding a staple in any kid's life for many years.