A TOY IS SOMETHING FUN TO PLAY WITH A toy can be a doll, action figure, or animal. A 1

A toy can be something you use for sports and exercise. A toy can be a puzzle or a game you play with friends. 2

HOW DO YOU INVENT A TOY? You can ask yourself these questions: What type of toy do I want? Which age group is the toy for? What should the toy look like? What does the toy do? How do I play with the toy? 3

Or you can look around you for toy ideas! How about a toy that talks and flaps its wings? Or a toy that moves up and down on a spring? Or a game where you and your friends have to arrange the ingredients correctly? 4

Now that you have a toy idea, think about how you can make it by asking these questions: What materials do I use? What tools do I need? How do I decorate it? 7

TOY MATERIALS Here are some examples of materials you can use for toys: Wood, cardboard and paper Paper and plastic containers and utensils Cloth, felt, string and wire 9

TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS Here are two techniques and materials for making many unusual shapes for your toys: Plasticine and clay Plasticine and clay can be bought from art shops. Papier Mâché Papier Mâché can be made at home with nothing more than newspaper and glue. 10

JOINING MATERIALS There are many ways of joining materials together: Tape: Cellotape, masking tape, electrical tape, cloth tape and duct tape. Tape is easy to use but may not be strong enough for a toy. Glue: Clear glue, white glue, wood glue, super glue and glue guns Glue is stronger, but be sure to pick the right glue for the right material! Safety first! Glues should be used in well-ventilated areas! Get an adult to help when using superglue and hot glue guns. 11

Paper fasteners and pins Paper fasteners and pins are good for holding things together, while allowing them to rotate. Nails and screws These can hold things together very tightly. Safety first! Wear safety glasses when using these tools! Get an adult to help if using nails and screws. 12

BATTERY-OPERATED Battery operated bulbs, buzzers and motors can make your toy light up, make sounds and move, but will take more work! Light emitting diodes (LEDs) give off light when connected to a battery and resistor. Use a battery holder LEDs have (+) and (-) connectors which are connected to the (+) and (-) ends of the batteries. Resistor Look up books in the library or search on the Internet to find out more about how to use batteries, motor and bulbs. Safety first! Get an adult to help you solder electrical parts together. Always use batteries for your toy, never the wall plug! 13

DECORATIONS You can decorate your toy in many ways: Crayons and coloured pencils work well on paper and cardboard. Magic markers and highlighters can also be used. Water colours and poster paint will make a toy look very good, but will take more time and effort to apply. 15

You can design your own stickers on a computer and print them out on a colour printer. You can use feathers, buttons, googly eyes and glitter to give a fun appearance to your toy. Use a combination of the above techniques to make your toy special and unusual! 16