RESOURCE FOR: Edutainment
Presentation
EDUTAINMENT
PBL & Career and College Awareness
EDUTAINMENT:
ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
Image taken from http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plantgrowth/reference/Eng_Design_5-12.html#.VI4TbSvF98E
EDUTAINMENT: QUOTES TO CONSIDER
“The coolest toys don’t have to be bought; they can be built. In fact,
sometimes the only way they’ll ever exist is if you make them
yourself…”
~Adam Savage (Mythbusters)
“Technology is permeating every single thing we do… And to the
extent that we can better expose our young people to all the different
ways that technology can be used, not just for video games or toys,
we’re planning for the future.”
~Marc Morial (politician)
“I decided to be an inventor when I was five. My parents had given me
a few various enrichment toys like erector sets, and for some reason I
had the idea that if I put things together just the right way, I could
create the intended effect.”
~Ray Kurzweil(inventor)
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
 Think about the quotes on the previous slide- what are these
people trying to say?
 What do they think about toys and games in general?
 Could they have a bias, based on their occupations?
 What do you think?
 About toys or games?
 About technology and its use with toys and games for young children?
 About educational/enrichment toys and games?
 About what kids can learn from toys and games?
 What makes a toy or game “fun”?
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 2: IDENTIFY CRITERIA AND CONSTRAINTS
 What kinds of limits or rules are there for designing or
making a toy or game for young children?
Lawn Darts
Gilbert Glass Blowing Kit
Sky Dancers
Atomic Energy Lab
All images from http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/10-classic-toys-could-kill.htm#page=1
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 2: IDENTIFY CRITERIA AND CONSTRAINTS
 Things to consider:
 Cost
 Size (not too small- can choke; not too big- small hands can’t hold onto things)
 Weight
 Material
 Colors
 What age is it appropriate for?
 What does it teach?
 Will kids want to play with it?
 Is it safe?
Image taken from http://www.parents.com/blogs/baby/2014/12/05/news/yikes-toy-related-injuries-are-up-40-percent/
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 3: BRAINSTORM
 Sketch, list, whatever- but
come up with as many
ideas as possible in the
time given.
 Remember the rules…
 No criticism, positive or
negative
 Idea hitchhike
 Get wild (with your ideas)
 Go for quantity
Image from http://distility.com/brand-solutions/collaboration-innovation-branding-brainstorming-effective/
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 4: GENERATE IDEAS
 According to TIME magazine, here are some of the most influential toys
from the past century
 Have you ever played with these? What makes them fun?
Images taken from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2049243_2048662_2049237,00.html
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1920s
Radio Flyer Wagon
Chemistry Set
Joy Buzzer
Yo-Yo
Pop-Up Book
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1930s
Stuffed Mickey Mouse
Finger Paint
Sock Monkey
Buck Rogers Rocket Pistol
Microscope Set
Beach Ball
Red Ryder BB Gun
Army Men
View-Master
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1940s
Bubble Solution
Little Golden Books
Slinky
Magic 8 Ball
Legos
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1950s
Water Balloon
Silly Putty
Fisher-Price Little
People
Colorforms
Paint-by-Numbers
Kit
Mr. Potato Head
Wiffle Ball
Matchbox Car
PEZ Dispenser
Gumby
Play-Doh
Tonka Truck
Fake Vomit
Frisbee
Corn Popper
Two-Handed Pogo Stick
Hula Hoop
Barbie
Troll Doll
Plarail Toy Train
Chatty Cathy
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1960s
Etch A Sketch
Rock-a-Stack
Ken
Slip 'n Slide
Chatter Telephone
G.I. Joe
Easy-Bake Oven
Creepy Crawlers
Rock'em Sock'em
Robots
Johnny Seven O.M.A.
See 'n Say
SuperBall
Barrel of Monkeys
Radio-Controlled
Car
Lite-Brite
Hot Wheels
Playmobil
Flatsy Doll
Barbie's Dream
House
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1970s
NERF Ball
Weebles
Paddington Bear
Baby Alive
Shrinky Dinks
Magna Doodle
Rubik's Cube
Stretch Armstrong
Star Wars Action Figure
Mattel Classic
Football
Simon
Speak & Spell
Star Trek Electronic
Phasers
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1980s
Cabbage Patch Kids
Polly Pocket
Slap Bracelet
Masters of the
Universe Action Figure
Glo Worm
Care Bear
My Little Pony
Transformers
Teddy Ruxpin
Snoopy Sno-Cone
Machine
Pound Puppy
Koosh Ball
Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles
Skip-It
Glow Stick
Wrestling Buddy
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
1990s
Little Tikes Log Cabin
Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Car
Super Soaker
Beanie Baby
Buzz Lightyear
American Girl Doll
Tickle Me Elmo
Furby
Neodymium-Magnet Toy
ALL-TIME 100 GREATEST TOYS
2000s
Bratz
Mindflex
Zhu Zhu
FAVORITE GAMES AND TOYS
What are you four favorite games and
four favorite toys to play?
1. Identify the medium it is created with?
2. Player format?
3. Objective?
4. Rules?
5. Resources?
6. Theme?
7. What was your play experience?
8. What did you enjoy when playing the game?
9. Dislikes?
EDUTAINMENT - GAME DESIGN TERMS
Thematic game elements: story, setting, characters
Gameplay elements: play sequence, level design,
interface design
Game analysis: difficulty, balance, depth, pace, replay
value, age appropriateness
Related terms: single-player vs. multiplayer, cooperative
vs. competitive, turn-based vs. real-time, strategy vs.
reflex vs. chance, abstract vs. thematic
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
a work or invention that is the result of
creativity, such as a manuscript or a design,
to which one has rights and for which one
may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark,
etc.
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 4: GENERATE IDEAS
 If you could design a toy or game for a young child, what would you create?
All images from http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/09/all-weird-toys-from-your-childhood.html
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 4: GENERATE IDEAS
After thinking about your favorite toys and games and the
information below it is know time to look at at your solutions.
 What kinds of toys and games are popular now?
 What kinds of toys and games do kids want?
 What kinds of toys and games do parents want?
Identify 2-3 possible solutions from your brainstorming section.
Pick 1 then think it out- create orthographic and isometric
drawings and other information to be shared with others
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 5: EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES
 Take a look at all of the idea developed in step 4.
 Share your ideas with others- sometimes it can be beneficial
to get an opinion of a person outside your team. They may
ask questions or see issues you had not considered.
 What is good and bad about each design?
 What parts of each design do you like?
 Which design requirements are addressed through each design?
 Which requirements are missing?
 Can you actually make a model or prototype of the solution (for step 6)?
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 6: SELECT AN APPROACH
 What ideas have you had that will work?
 Create a solution that fills the requirements given
 This may be one of the ideas created and analyzed
in steps 4 and 5, or it may be a combination of
those ideas with bits and pieces taken from a
variety of designs
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 7: BUILD A MODEL OR PROTOTYPE
Make a full size or to-scale model or
prototype of your design
EDUTAINMENT
STEP 8: REFINE
Use the model or prototype from step 7
to evaluate your design.
Does it work the way you intended?
What needs to be fixed/changed?
Are all of the design requirements being filled?
Identify any problems, and repeat the design
process?
EDUTAINMENT:
PRESENT YOUR DESIGN
Be ready to explain how you filled each of the design
requirements and solved the original identified
problem.
Use this as an opportunity to show how your design
meets the criteria in a unique, innovative way.
Presenting your idea can be done in many ways- videos,
live demonstrations, posters, pamphlets - anything that
lets you inform potential users about your product.