Maryland Creative Problem Solvers Instant Challenge Library

Millennium Toy

This is a hybrid (verbal/hands-on) challenge.

The Challenge:

You must construct a toy that will entertain a 5 year-old.

The Scene:

You are 1 of the children of the owner of a large toy manufacturer and your father has told you that he wants to be the producer of the "toy of the year" next year. Whichever 1 of you designs the most original, creative toy that will appeal to 5 year-olds and their parents will inherit the business.

Materials:

10 spaghetti

10 "ziti" (pasta)

6 straws

2 rubber bands

2 sheets notebook paper

1 12" piece of string

5 paper clips

3 cotton balls

1 12" piece of wax paper

2 sheets construction paper (8.5 x 11)

5 index cards

1 paper cup

1 paper plate

8 mailing labels

1 12" piece of aluminum foil

Directions:

You will have 5 minutes to design and construct the toy and 3 minutes to demonstrate and "sell" it to the judges.

Scoring:

20 points for the originality of the toy
20 points for the creativity of the use of materials
5 points for each of the types of materials used in the toy
20 point for the "sell"
20 points for teamwork
20 points of the demonstration of the toy