Students will use play, interviewing, making, testing, and revising to design a safe toy that matches the interests and needs of a preschool partner. The work builds kindergarten skills in craftsmanship and giving and receiving feedback as children create sewn, wheeled, or 3D-printed toys, test whether the toy works, and improve it based on peer and Poor Richard’s Toy Store feedback. The project centers on the question of how to make a toy a preschool friend will love and use safely, ending with presentations to preschool partners and families.

Students will learn to design and make a toy that is safe, durable, and enjoyable for a preschool child by using simple interview information, play testing, and observation. They will practice craftsmanship as they sew, build, assemble, or help prepare 3D-printed parts, and they will use feedback well by giving kind comments, listening to peers and the toy store partner, and revising their work each week. Students will build early communication skills by asking questions, explaining their ideas, and presenting their toy and display card to preschool friends and families. They will also reflect through pair-and-share, drawing or simple written responses, and group conversation about what worked, what changed, and whether the toy was successful.

Students will create interview notes and simple sketches, then build a toy prototype and a final toy that is either winged, stuffed, or wheel-based. Throughout the project, they will make test parts, play-testing records, and weekly revision updates based on pair-and-share feedback and two reviews from Poor Richard’s Toy Store focused on safety, durability, and play value. By the end, each student will complete a safe, durable toy for a preschool partner and a small display card that shows how the design changed after feedback. Students will also prepare simple presentation pieces for two exhibitions: one to introduce the toy to preschool friends and one to share the finished work with parents.

Start with a whole-class toy exploration where students rotate through stations of winged, wheeled, and stuffed toys, noticing what makes each one fun, safe, and strong during shared play. Then visit Poor Richard’s Toy Store so students can see real toy designs, ask simple questions about safety and durability, and hear a staff member explain what makes young children enjoy a toy. Back in class, introduce the challenge by pairing kindergarteners with preschool buddies for a first interview and play session to learn what their preschool friend likes. End the launch with a group discussion and quick drawing about one toy idea they want to make and why it might be a good fit for their buddy.

Hold two simple end-of-project events: a family toy showcase and a preschool partner presentation. At the family event, kindergarten students display their prototype, final toy, and a small card or photo page showing how feedback from classmates and Poor Richard’s Toy Store helped improve safety, durability, and play value. At the preschool event, each child presents the finished toy to their preschool buddy, demonstrates how it works, and watches a short play test to see if the toy is successful and enjoyed. Invite a staff member from Poor Richard’s Toy Store to attend one exhibition, celebrate student craftsmanship, and offer warm final comments on the designs.