Make a Gift for a Stuffie
The Wombats care a lot about their friends and neighbors. In the “Work It Out Wombats!” episode “Gift for a Fish,” the Wombats make a fun toy to give as a present to three babies. First, they create something they think the fish will like — and then they test and improve it so that it’s the most fun it can be.
Now it's your turn! Encourage your child to make a playground slide for a stuffie as a present. Then test and improve it together so their stuffie’s slide is even more fun.
Materials
Directions
Give your child time and space to think about how they can create a slide for the stuffie. Show your child the materials you have collected.
Support your child in creating the slide. Only offer help if they need it. Notice how they put their ideas into action and ask them questions about why they created their slide the way they did.
Once your child has created the slide, encourage them to test it with their stuffie to see how it works. Talk about what they learned from testing. You could ask: “When we tested, did your stuffie slide down? Get stuck? Fall off? Did your stuffie slide too quickly or slowly? Why do you think that happened?”
Next, invite your child to improve the slide based on what they discovered from testing. Let your child take the lead in coming up with ways to improve it.
Test again! See what happens when the stuffie slides down this time.
After a few more tries, ask your child, “Are we done? Or do we want to keep testing and improving?” Let your child decide what to do next.
We worked it out like the Wombats! WHEEEE! Your stuffie is having so much fun! We created, tested, and improved a fantastic gift for your stuffie!
Share and reflect on what you did together. Talk about how you created your slide. Ask: “What did you do to test it out? What did you discover when you tested? How did you improve the design?” Encourage your child to share what they learned with a sibling or a friend.
Explore Further
Making a toy for a stuffie is a fun way to encourage your child to think about how they can create things to meet the needs of others. Artists, designers, and engineers make things for people that they care about to make their lives better. Encourage your child to learn more about ways people help others by creating, testing, and improving on their ideas.
Want more “Work It Out Wombats!” activities? Try being sound detectives to continue the fun!
Science