[T519] Dream Toy Project(4): Final

We moved on to work on the final objects. 
I bought a wood stick for our box.

 

I felt somewhat safer while bringing it home, as it was about 1m and  I walked to the dorm at night.😂

 

Although it was hard to meet David due to mismatched schedules, we shared our ideas consistently. 

 

We met at the makerspace and worked on the box together. I really appreciated the time we tinkered together.

 

It was much easier to develop ideas and find solutions. We came with the idea to use wood for the box and make all of our tools acrylic. 

 

After finishing my stitch maker, I kept working on pattern helper. 
I utilized sites for gear designing. It was a lot easier to make it work. Additionally, I decided to use same bolts and nuts that were used for the stitch maker. It would be more consistent in the design and easier for the boy.

 

It needed some caculations to make the pattern helper. Final product was not satisfying, as it did not work as I wanted to. 

I wish I had more time to work on it. (because he really liked it!)

 

 

The tool in the blue box is the pattern helper. 

We finally colored everything and assembled parts. It was much cooler than we thought. 

We used acrylic paints, and it would have been better if we had something like vanish to have it the final touch. 

 

Reflection 

While working on this maker’s kit, I realized that constructionist learning objects require several important conditions:

• Safety: It was crucial to ensure Ruda could use the tools safely.
• Creativity: We devoted considerable effort to the design so Ruda could manipulate the tools independently. We thought carefully about the materials he could use and the projects he could create with the kit.
• Autonomy: I was especially eager to give Ruda autonomy in using the tools. That’s why I prepared different kinds of blades and plan to design more wheels with various patterns in the future.
• Durability: Since I wanted Ruda to use the kit over time, I made sure it was sturdy enough to withstand collisions and being dropped during use.

I cannot say that this project was easy. However, it was well worth the effort when I saw how much Ruda enjoyed playing with it. I am also deeply grateful to have worked with David. I was impressed by his kindness and dedication to Ruda, and appreciated his collaborative spirit as we discussed and made important decisions together.