Primo Toys

We believe that the toys you play with as a child help shape your interests when you’re older. So as toymakers, we asked ourselves what toys inspired us as kids…

Filippo: Emiglio Robot

Being a kid in the 90’s was awesome. The toys were awesome, the commercials were awesome. My favourite toy was one I never actually had! It was called the Emiglio Robot. I was never gifted an Emiglio Robot because I got super bratty and demanding over it, so my parents taught me a lesson, but that was no match for wishful thinking. 

I remember spending hours drawing plans for wild adventures that my robot servant and I would go on. I would make lists of all the places Emiglio and I would visit. I made accessories for him out of cardboard. Costumes, weapons, tools. I planned robot-assisted heists in my sister’s room. I even made a whole comic book about Emiglio’s travels. I must have subconsciously thought that by showing my parents how pathetic my imaginary robot friend and I were, they would get me one. They never did, but it pushed me to have fun in a different way, one I fondly remember to this day :)

Matteo: 16 Animali

16 Animali (sixteen animals) is a very old toy. It was produced initially by Italian furniture company Danese in 1957. It is both a puzzle and a construction kit, composed by abstract animals that fit together in one single combination, just like a puzzle. The exaggerated thickness of the pieces enables an alternative usage of the product as building blocks, stacking the animals vertically.

This toy was part of a disruptive movement in pedagogy and toy design that was carried out in Italy by Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari (the designer of the toy), when there was still a backward fascist education. Toys at the time were rarely considered means of expression, but functional tools to educate the child. 

What I like about building blocks is the memory of the material and the richness of the stimulation. I still remember the smell and the texture of those little animals: they remained unchanged for more than fifty years, and one day I will pass this toy to my kids and they will experience the same smell and feelings that my dad and I felt in the past. I loved animals and puzzles and this was the perfect combination of the two: I fell in love with it immediately.

Valeria: various!

I had a somewhat unconventional upbringing. We had no TV, no recorded music, and only wooden or natural material toys. I remember having a stuffed bear, PomPom; a homemade doll with blond hair like mine (and always in a tangle like mine!); and a teaset we received for Christmas on a bamboo tray which we still use today. Mostly though I played creative games, dressing up with my sister and friends, and putting on plays. Building dens at home and outside was also a great past time of my childhood. Then I remember card games with my grandma, and long cooking and craft sessions on the kitchen table with my great aunt who used old plastic bags to crochet decorative items.

Ben: LEGO

Filippo is a designer and entrepreneur. He is now following a dream inspired by the birth of his son: to make child centred technologies for children that unlock their full potential.

1. How did the idea for Cubetto come about?

In the early days of Primo Toys, Cubetto (the robot) was a little car. During the run-up to our first Kickstarter campaign, we sketched out an idea for a robot with an interchangeable shell, so the robot could become a car, a van, etc.

We quickly learned that manufacturing a car shell out of wood would take us an entire day, while making the box on which the shell sat on would only take us a few minutes. Out of convenience, we decided to stick with a box, and gave it a little personality by stamping a face on it. Cubetto was born, and we’ve not looked back since. We later realised that this coincidental choice led to a product that was more inclusive and gender neutral. We could have a lot more fun with a little robot creature than with a car, so we’re glad for it.

2. Why was Primo Toys formed?

In early 2013, I met up with Matteo to see what he was up to in life. He was already working on toys and games as part of his design studies, and he was also thinking about moving to London. Shortly after, I found out I was going to be a dad, and decided that working with Matteo on building smart toys is what I wanted to do. I’m a designer by trade, and I love gaming. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Matteo is a brilliant designer, and I really wanted to make toys for my son.

More importantly, we both agreed that programming, computing, and “tech-toys” for children at large, was, and still is, an industry on the rise. 70% of coding toys on the market have come about in the last 2 years. That tells you something. Primo Toys was a way to do something we both loved, and an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the world we lived in.

3. What is your role in the Primo Toys team?

Everything… I was even the office plumber once!

4. What are your ambitions for the future?

We’ve developed real expertise around blending connected technology with hands-on, Montessori inspired learning. We have a ton of products and ideas that we know can make a huge difference in early learning, and we have the right team and infrastructure to do that now.

Orchard Primary is an outstanding state school in East London, which has invested in several programs to make coding an official part of their ICT curriculum. Cubetto presented Orchard with a perfect opportunity to introduce basic programming concepts to their youngest Key Stage 1 students. 

Institution: Orchard Primary School Location: UK Session leader: Ruth Woodward, ICT Primary School teacher Age group: 5-6 (Key Stage 1)

“Programming is about understanding that an unambiguous sequence of instructions results in a specific outcome. Being able to teach this without the usual barrier of language, and moreover, a relevant toy that is tactile, and worked without a screen, was just great.”

How did Orchard incorporate the Cubetto Playset into their program?

The workshop involved a 30 minute introductory session, where they built their first algorithms, and practiced creating a queue of instructions with clear and unambiguous commands, as well as understanding how important the order of instructions actually is.

Time is a luxury no educator or school really has. Finding an “immediate” resource for teachers that was also really effective and fun for the students is difficult. Cubetto’s immediacy is an easy win in that respect. Getting started was fast, and children instantly enjoyed playing, even if the session was short.

What particular aspect of Cubetto worked well for this activity?

First of all it was just plain fun. The little robot was evidently loved by all students. What also really worked was the tangible aspect of it all. Because there was no screen to look at on this particular activity, the physical involvement of children really helped engagement and attention.

And what about the challenges involved?

The first challenge was “getting it” immediately for the educator, which was really no problem because the set up is minimal, and Cubetto’s tangible interface is intuitive even for an absolute novice.

Would you recommend the Cubetto Playset to another school or teacher? Absolutely. Ultimately it’s fun, it’s quick to set up, and the Board element really opens up a lot of teaching opportunities that complement other resources.

“The experience was even more physical than really expected, and pleasantly so. Play quickly moved from just making programs with the blocks, to children dancing and jumping and moving around with the Robot, which you don’t get with onscreen tools.”

How did students respond?

Children were in immediate awe of Cubetto, formed in instant bond with the small character, which made the learning of sequencing meaningful for them, and quite effective. 

How did staff members respond?

The staff were relieved at how easy set up was, and ultimately pleased at how straight-forward and focused play with children was.

What were the main outcomes?

The next Primo Toys team member under the spotlight is Matteo, our Co-founder & Head of Design. Matteo is an interaction designer, creative technologist and visiting lecturer at Central Saint Martins.

1. What did you do before Primo Toys?

I had been working as an interaction and product designer, mostly on tangible interfaces, creative coding, and prototyping. Just before founding Primo Toys, I was working as interaction designer at Arduino in Turin, where I worked with digital fabrication and open technologies. This is partly what inspired the open design aspect of the initial version of the product. We wanted our users to be able to discover the hidden parts of our product, by sharing the design files, source code, and making it easy to disassemble.

2. How did the idea for Cubetto come about?

The origins of Cubetto can be found in a project developed during my studies at MAInD. I had to design a product for children to introduce them to science and technology. The idea came from connecting the LOGO turtle - a software I used at school to learn programming - to young children’s natural way of playing, away from the screen. The tangible block language simplifies the LOGO turtle commands, taking away every literal and numerical element, to keep it simple and universal. Initially the robot was a car but after the difficult manufacturing process, we decided to introduce the smiling wooden robot, much simpler to produce, that later became the Cubetto Playset.

3. Why was Primo Toys formed?

Primo Toys was formed by myself and Filippo at the end of 2013. We both thought there could be some commercial potential in the idea, and believed it to be a game changer in early learning. After 9 months of preparation, we launched a Kickstarter campaign to validate the idea. From this initial success, ‘Primo Toys’ was born. Starting a company together was a natural step.

4. What is your role in the Primo Toys team?

My role has evolved with the company. At the start, I had to cover many areas, most of which were design-related, such as product, web, visuals, prototyping, and UX. Now that we have more people working on these aspects, my work is more focused towards higher level product strategy and the general direction of design.

5. What are your ambitions for the future?

Sunflower is a Montessori School in Twickenham, London, which encourages child development by providing a comprehensive Montessori education. Sunflower introduced Cubetto to small groups of 4 year old students last summer, and this is how they got on... 

Institution: Sunflower Montessori School Location: UK Age group: 3 to 5 Group size: 4 to 6 children Session leader: Melissa Stockdale, Montessori school owner & director

“To see the children totally absorbed, and intrinsically motivated whilst manipulating Cubetto was a very special Montessori moment indeed!”

How did Sunflower Montessori School incorporate the Cubetto Playset into their program?

Following the first lesson plan provided by Primo Toys, we had a group discussion on the concept of programming. The children then manipulated objects like talking puppets, egg timers, torches and wind-up toys before being introduced to Cubetto. Working on the floor in the classroom, they took it in turns to program Cubetto and navigate him around toys that they placed in various positions on the workspace.

What particular aspect of Cubetto worked well for this activity?

The children were all able to operate Cubetto successfully. Working with Cubetto encouraged positive cooperative play and the children began to problem solve through discussion about spacial awareness. They also planned different sequences together and experimented with Cubetto.

“One four-year old child was able to complete several very complicated procedures, and after working with Cubetto for nearly an hour excitedly exclaimed: ‘Wow, this is fun!’”

How did students respond?

The children were fully absorbed in the task and concentrated happily for 40 minutes. They supported each other with positive comments and showed an interest whilst others were playing. They all understood how to program Cubetto. 

How did staff members respond?

The adults were surprised with;

1. How Cubetto encouraged cooperative play and constructive discussions between the children.

2. How long the children concentrated on the task.

3. How little support was required from the adults.

4. How keen the children were to repeat the activity.

What were the main outcomes?

Camp TechTerra takes technology and nature, and brings them together to help children better understand the world around them and the gadgets in their hands. Cubetto was used at Camp TechTerra to introduce the concepts of coding and robotics to classes of 27-30 children. Workshops consisted of demonstrations and discussions in small groups, before the pupils had their turn to plan and code with Cubetto...

Institution: Camp TechTerra Location: North Carolina, USA Age group: 5-10 Group size: 4-6

“I need him. This is better than my iPad. I’m going to buy him as soon as I can!”

- Tristan, 9 years old

How did Camp TechTerra incorporate the Cubetto Playset into their program?

We used Cubetto as an introduction to coding for pupils to physically experience directionality and sequencing. Following a short introductory session, children were encouraged to discover Cubetto for themselves. Once the pupils had grasped the basic concept, Cubetto was used for more diverse subject matter, such as story-telling and mathematics.

What particular aspect of Cubetto worked well for this activity?

All the steps taken for introduction and interaction were successful. Cubetto proved a great starting point for teaching young children code, before progressing to more advanced tools.

How did staff members respond?

The staff were immediately able to see the advantages of physical interaction, rather than using a screen.

“I think Cubetto is the perfect first step in a child’s coding education. Once pupils have mastered the basic skills with Cubetto, they have a great platform from which to advance.”

- Susan Wells, Founder, Camp TechTerra

How did pupils respond?

Pupils were excited by Cubetto and enjoyed learning with him, and after 15 minute introduction lessons, children remained engaged with Cubetto for up to 90 minutes. None of the children struggled with Cubetto, regardless of age.

Outcome

Cyril Jackson is an East London based Primary school with a fantastic inclusion and SEN programme that uniquely caters to children’s individual needs. Cubetto was used in an inclusion classroom to help children on various points on the autism spectrum deal with sequencing. While some students could understand the underlying concept of programming, for most it was about focus on practicing consecutive instructions and actions.

Institution: Cyril Jackson School Location: UK Age group: 7 to 9 ASD Inclusion Class Group size: 6 to 8 children Session leader: John Galloway, ICT and Inclusion Educational Specialist

“The Cubetto Playset is a brilliant concept - a highly accessible introduction to programming that looks like a retro toy. Easy to get started yet offering challenge and complexity at many levels. A welcome addition to the toolbox for inclusive classrooms.”

How did Cyril Jackson incorporate the Cubetto Playset into their program?

Cubetto was used on issues of executive functioning for children with ASD. It involves such undertakings as following directions, telling stories, making a schedule, and establishing priorities. We used Cubetto to help students overcome this challenge.

What particular aspect of Cubetto worked well for this activity?

Having the actual instructions as tangible elements, rather than just the robot, really worked well. It gave instructions a physical dimension and not just the outcome. Having Cubetto generate a specific sound for each specific instruction also really helped with focus. That was fantastic.

And what about the challenges involved?

The challenge is always attention and focus. Children are often able to understand these ideas, but find it difficult to concentrate or express these notions, which they were able to do with Cubetto.

Would you recommend the Cubetto Playset to another school or teacher?

Yes, I would. i think it would be an excellent addition to the toolkit for any inclusion classroom.

“One of the greatest challenges we face during inclusion activities is focus. The staff was surprised at how effective Cubetto was at achieving this goal by combining sight, sounds and touch into a single sequencing toy.”

How did students respond?

They were in awe. I had never seen them all focus so intently and pay such close attention to what was happening. This alone is an incredible response.

How did staff members respond?

Valeria first met founders Filippo and Matteo in 2013, when they borrowed her children for Cubetto’s first Kickstarter video. It wasn’t long before she was invited on board as the fourth (her daughter Olivia still considers herself the third) member of the Primo Toys team!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Rome, and have lived in Switzerland, the US, Somalia and Germany, before moving to Hackney where I live with my partner and our two young children. As I have lived in many places, I have had many lives and careers, from a student in Steiner school, to the Ecole D’Humanite, and then universities in the US, Britain, Germany and Italy. Professionally, I have worked in film, technology, and now education with Primo Toys.

2. Why did you join Primo Toys?

Before Primo Toys, I had been considering doing something different, and as a new parent, education was on my mind.

I first met Filippo and Matteo when they borrowed my children for the first Cubetto Kickstarter video. I knew immediately that Primo Toys was something I could get very excited about. I liked how passionate and driven both Filippo and Matteo were, and fell in love with the product straight away. Most of all, I appreciated Cubetto’s beautiful design, and its screenless, tangible approach to learning about technology.

Coming from a Steiner background, where screens and computers are perceived as counterproductive to early years child development, it is refreshing to work with a company that bridges the gap between introducing children to technology, and ensuring they are not robbed of tangible and social experiences.

3. What is your role in the team?

We are a very small team, so we all tend to do a lot of things. As COO, I spend most of my time managing the finances; preparing numbers for our investors; managing the CRM, sales and relationships with educators and institutions; shipping orders; and paying bills. Basically, I am keeping this machine well-oiled and moving forward.

I enjoy working with a company that constantly keeps me on my toes, where all my life experiences - working, parenting, and scholastic - have to come into play. I also enjoy stretching myself and finding that there is indeed something new to learn and share every day.

4. Where do you come from professionally?

I spent 10 years working for a number of movie studios, including Miramax, Warner Bros and Disney, in roles ranging from Marketing and PR to production and distribution. After receiving my MBA at CASS, I ventured into the world of tech startups with Pikslme, which I built and sold along with my partner. Once I became a mother of two, however, I wanted to move over to something dear to my heart: education.

5. What are your hopes for Primo Toys?

The goal is to ensure Primo Toys succeeds and grows, and to enrich children’s playtime, learning, and self-confidence in more schools and homes around the world.

At Primo we are working very hard to ensure that the experience of our products is long-lasting. To do this, we are always creating additional resources parents and educators can use to encourage children to explore and expand their understanding of the toy itself, and find out what they can create as little technologists.

Before joining Primo Toys, Ben built up 10 years of international experience in toy and product design, leading creative direction, product and brand development in Asia and Europe for Mothercare, Playforce, and many others. His passion for designing children’s products, his craftsman-like attention to detail and wonderful energy are what brought us together.

1. Hi Ben, tell us a bit about yourself.

Although not having children myself, I have always enjoyed designing kids’ products. I have over 10 years of experience, having spent the majority of that time working and living abroad. I have a passion for new business, and I love the idea of building brands and taking a product from concept all the way through to it being used, and hopefully enjoyed.

2. Why did you join Primo Toys?

I first found Primo Toys on Kickstarter (during the first campaign), and instantly thought the product was a cool idea, so I got in touch to see if there was anything I could help them with. I was looking to get stuck into a new project after freelancing for a while, and after meeting Filippo and the team it was clear to me that they were passionate about what they do and had big ambitions for the future. It was an easy decision to get on board, and I'm excited to see where the ride takes us.

3. What is your role in the team?

I’m basically looking after all things product related, from the industrial design to managing the supply chain. My first task has been to redesign the original version of Cubetto to the new 2.0 version which we’ve just launched on Kickstarter. In any startup environment it is all hands on deck, so I’ve also been involved in promoting the product at trade shows and exhibitions, as well as making the odd cup of tea for the team.

4. Where do you come from professionally?

I always knew I wanted to design children’s products ever since I finished studying Product Design. I think we’re all kids at heart and I liked the idea of creating products that don’t necessarily take themselves too seriously. It was this ambition that led me to starting off working for a playground company designing large outdoor play structures such as musical panels, and sand & water tables. Having enjoyed the experience I really wanted to design hands on toys and managed to find myself working for the Early Learning Centre in their Hong Kong office. This was a great opportunity for me to get over into China and see how stuff is really made, it’s fair to say it was an eye opener. So 10yrs later, having dabbled in designing my own products in between, I found myself at Primo Toys and excited to see what the future holds.

5. What are your hopes for Primo Toys?

The Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University ensures gifted pupils receive the education, encouragement and support they need to grow into confident and accomplished lifelong learners. Last summer, Northwestern used the Cubetto Playset as the centerpiece of their Summer Leapfrog Program, which provides fast-paced summer classes for children who have a keen and early interest in learning. Cubetto was introduced as an example of ‘tangible programming’, a device that pupils can move, manipulate and hold to create computer codes.

Institution: Northwestern University Location: USA Session leader: Ann Gadzikowski - Early Childhood Coordinator, Northwestern University, CTD Program Size of group: 250 Age group: 6-8 Group size: 4-16 Date: June-July 2015

“We offered this course 5 times over 5 weeks with 5 different instructors and 5 different groups of children and each time the course was exciting and innovative in new and unique ways.”

How did Northwestern incorporate the Cubetto Playset into their program?

Pupils used Cubetto to explore the concepts of ‘tangible programming’ and ‘elegant code’. They created increasingly complex and elegant codes to program Cubetto to perform specific tasks and actions. The children also learnt about the design, mechanics and programming of the playset. By the end of the program, they were able to define and use computer programming terms and concepts such as code, symbol, sequence and function.

What particular aspect of Cubetto worked well for the course?

Cubetto worked well as the core tool for the courses. Instructors successfully used Cubetto and the board to demonstrate and teach the core terms and concepts of computer programming. The design of the playset is simple and open-ended enough to provide a starting point for pupils’ own creativity and invention. They found all kinds of ways to represent their own codes, and in addition to the board they also used beads on a string or created their own symbols on paper.

What skills did Cubetto help to develop?

Cubetto encouraged the development both soft skills, such as spacial awareness and forward planning, and hard skills, like programming terminology and functions. The course topic was explicitly robotics and coding, but there was a lot of mapping, geometry and spacial reasoning skills that were intentionally included in the lessons.

How did pupils respond?

The children were happy playing with Cubetto, both with teacher facilitation and on their own, once they became familiar with how it worked. All of them were successful in using the playsets. The pupils also enjoyed dressing up Cubetto in different costumes, and he has very much become one of our classroom characters.

“The design of the playset is simple and open-ended enough to provide a starting point for pupils’ own creativity and invention.”

How did staff members respond?

Next up in our mini series of Cubetto in the community, we head all the way over to Hawaii, where a group of tech-savvy preschoolers have been using Cubetto in a slightly different way. Check out how they’re programming Cubetto to make their own artistic masterpieces! 

Institution: Computational Thinkers Location: Hawaii, USA Age group: 1st grade (6 years old) Session leader: Ms. Rozie Breslin Date: January - March 2016

“It is a great hands-on lesson for students to understand that ‘software tells the hardware what to do, using code.’” 

How did you incorporate the Cubetto Playset into your program?

I first used Cubetto to help the students understand the terms algorithm, function, and loop. I showed the students a short video on Cubetto, and it got them very excited to explore and play!

What activities did you do using the Cubetto Playset?

Together with the students, we explored Cubetto and his functions. We figured out what instruction each block-function controlled, how Cubetto moved, and how to utilize the loop. We then decided to turn Cubetto into an artist by attaching marker pens to him. 

What were the main outcomes? 

The students fell in love with Cubetto right out of the box. First I gave the students requirements, like getting Cubetto through a maze and back home. After they got more familiar with the way Cubetto moved, we turned him into a drawing-machine! The students figured out how to make basic shapes (circle, rectangles, squares) and made an overall image out of them. 

What skills did Cubetto help develop? 

Cubetto helped the students understand algorithms and how they follow exact step-by-step instructions. The students learned that the instructions have to be precise, in order, and as efficient as possible to get Cubetto to his destination. The students could visually see any mistakes they made (if Cubetto went too far, or turned the wrong way) which helped them debug their algorithm. Cubetto also helped the students understand the importance of designing and planning. You cannot just begin programming him to draw a picture if you do not have a prior image in mind. The students had to map out exactly where they wanted each part of the picture Cubetto would draw, and figure out how to get there.

At the end of the drawing with Cubetto lesson, the students were proud to say, “I am a programmer.”

Did your group include any children with special needs? If so, how well did they engage with Cubetto?

Though not clinically diagnosed, one student did exemplify delayed learning behaviors. With Cubetto, the student seemed to stay more engaged in the exercise compared to our traditional classwork.

Overall, what worked well? What were the successes?

My older students love seeing a visual result of their work. I wanted to the same for my younger students but that’s hard for younger children who are still not ready for writing text-based code. So, before my younger class started, I experimented with Cubetto and found a way to make him draw his code out visually. I knew the students would love to see their programming skills drawn out on paper. 

 Any memorable quotes from the children?

First up in our mini series of Cubetto in the community is Foxglove Montessori Nursery, an independent nursery school in the heart of Stowmarket in Suffolk, who started using Cubetto last summer. Cubetto was introduced to 48 children, with the aim of exploring the concept of programming - here’s what happened! 

Institution: Foxglove Montessori Nursery Location: UK Age group: 3 to 5 Group size: 4 children Session leader: Louise King, Principal at Foxglove Montessori Nursery Date: Summer 2015

“Cubetto proved to be very versatile with endless learning possibilities.”

How did you incorporate the Cubetto Playset into your lesson?

Cubetto was incorporated during the children’s work cycle by first introducing the idea of programming. After a group discussion, I introduced Cubetto and to the class. We then put this into action in pairs and small groups.

Overall, what worked well and what were the successes?

Working in small groups of 4 worked very well with this age group as it helped them to learn from each other.

What skills did Cubetto help to develop?

Cubetto helped pupils to grasp new concepts and vocabulary, such as algorithms, basic robotics, and functions. At the same time, activities with Cubetto exercised soft skills, as it encouraged team work, spacial awareness, and thinking ahead. I also worked with some children on estimating distances, which extended the maths beyond counting and matching. We created stories of where Cubetto was travelling to, where he lives, and what he eats, which helped to promote communication and language skills.

How did staff members respond?

Very positively. For most of the instructors, the first time they actually touched and used the kit was on the first day of class. They all found it very accessible.

How did pupils respond?

The children really enjoyed learning with Cubetto. Those who had already used Cubetto asked if they could use it again every day. When children were observing, they remained enthusiastic and helped by giving ‘advice’! Younger pupils, who initially demonstrated a bit of frustration when using Cubetto, took the opportunity to welcome the ideas of others.

“A boy aged 4 years with limited speech and possible autism engaged with Cubetto straight away. He was very focused on where he wanted Cubetto to travel and did not require any adult support. He celebrated his success with cheers and clapping, and immediately repeated the same activity three times.”

What were the main outcomes?

Ever wanted to know how to make a robot? Watch how we build Cubetto in less than 1 minute!

Want to make your very own cardboard robot that moves? Well here’s how, using just one motor to create a spinning motion inside its body!

You will need

• dc-motors

• Wires

• AA-batteries

• Small cardboard boxes 

• Various materials for decoration

Steps

1. Start by making a small hole in one of the cardboard boxes. Put the dc-motor in the box, and push its spinning stick through the hole. Secure the motor to the box with tape.

2. Connect the motor to the battery. Make a hole in a second cardboard box and push the spinning stick through that too, attaching the two boxes.

3. Decorate the boxes however you like! For example, you can stick googly eyes to your robot’s face, pin cardboard arms to its body, and tape on lollypop sticks for legs. 

Build your own robot… that can draw! That’s right - you can create your very own moving robot that also makes beautiful art!

You will need

• Vibration motors

• Wires

• Button cell batteries

• Plastic cups

• Different coloured pens

• Ice-lolly sticks

Steps

1. First connect the vibration motor to the battery, and tape it tightly to the inside of the plastic cup. 

2. For the robot’s legs, attach lolly sticks to the inside of the cup, and pens so it can draw!

3. Get decorating! Jazz up your robot by sticking on coloured paper or card, googly eyes and pompoms!

Did you know you can make your own cannon with just a bottle, a bag, and some pompoms? Here’s how!

You will need

• Plastic bottle

• Pompoms

• Plastic bag

Steps

1. Cut off the bottom third your bottle.

2. Half fill a small plastic bag with different coloured pompoms and tape the top of the bag around the bottom of the bottle.

LED lamps are an awesome way of decorating and lighting up your room. They look great and they’re super-easy to make. Have a go at our simple method!

You will need

• LEDs

• Wires

• AA-batteries

• Switch

• Various materials for decoration and building

Steps

1. First get mum or dad to explain how a simple circuit works, using the batteries, wires and LEDs. If you are using a switch then connect it to the circuit between the battery and the LED.

2. Now you know how to make a circuit, get creative with different designs for your lamp! You could put your circuit in a cardboard box and cut out different shaped holes so the light projects these shapes on the walls. Or make a lamp with coloured paper, so your light shines out in different colours!