Weighted Spinning Top

Physical Principle

The physical principle underlying this toy is the principle of gravity and balance.

Age Group

This toy is designed for children within the ages of about 5-7. The age range was determined because the small pieces may be a choking hazard to younger children. Also, the child has to think about how all the pieces relate to the whole; therefore, a younger child may not be able to understand the concept.

How does it Work?

The top has posts on it that hold small light ring shaped weights. The child can experiment with different distributions of the weights and watch how the top spins, or doesn’t spin, with the weight distribution differing.

Interaction

The children interact with the toy by placing the weights on the top and spinning it.

Where did the idea come from?

This idea just sort of popped into my head, seemingly out of nowhere.

Construction, Cost, Durability and Safety

As I mentioned before, this toy is designed for children within the age range of 4-7 because it could cause a choking hazard to a smaller child. The toy is constructed of wood. Therefore the toy is quite durable, but a little more costly than it might have been if constructed of plastic.

Megan Goschler

goschler@andrew.cmu.edu