Students investigate how thoughtful design and storytelling can help a younger child smile, play, and learn by creating a personalized toy and companion book for a Pre-K buddy. Through Buddy Connection Day at the Pre-K Center, they gather authentic feedback, study story elements through drama and read-alouds, and use shared research, drafting, critique, and revision to improve their work. The experience builds collaboration, communication, problem solving, and self-direction as students prepare for a toy-and-book showcase and the Play & Story Premiere. By delivering their final creations and recording a closing reflection, students see how their ideas can bring joy and meaning to a real community partner.

Students will investigate how toys support joy, play, and learning by gathering information from Pre-K buddies, identifying patterns, and using that research to design and revise a toy for a real child. They will apply story elements in guided drama and writing to create a simple book that matches their toy and audience, strengthening research, planning, drafting, and publishing skills. Students will collaborate with peers and community partners, communicate with empathy during interviews and presentations, and use feedback and reflection to improve their work. By the end of the project, students will present their design choices, story elements, and revisions in a toy-and-book showcase and share the final products during the Play & Story Premiere.

Students create interview notes, class data charts, toy sketches, labeled prototypes, and story maps as they research what will make their Pre-K buddy smile, play, and learn. They develop a handmade or MakerPlace-supported final toy and a published picture or board book featuring clear story elements inspired by the toy they designed. For the toy-and-book showcase and Play & Story Premiere, students also prepare a short presentation display or poster that explains key design choices, revisions, and how feedback shaped their work. After the delivery celebration, they produce a closing reflection video or add a mural note describing how their toy and story supported their younger buddy.

Kick off with Buddy Connection Day at the Pre-K Center, where students play simple games, notice which toys hold attention, and interview their buddies about what makes them smile, play, and learn. Back in class, students sort their notes into patterns about colors, characters, textures, and play preferences, then unpack the question, “How can we design a toy that makes a younger child smile, play, and learn?” Read aloud a strong toy-centered mentor text and use a brief guided drama to act out key story elements, helping students connect toy design with character, problem, and feelings. End the launch by introducing the final Play & Story Premiere and toy-and-book showcase so students know they are creating for a real audience and purpose.

Host a Play & Story Premiere at the Pre-K Center or school library where each student reveals the finished toy to their buddy, gives a short read-aloud of the matching board book, and explains one design choice that helps the child smile, play, and learn. Create a gallery of sketches, prototypes, survey findings, and revision photos so families, Pre-K staff, and peers can see the full design process. Include a simple interactive play station where buddies try the toys together while students observe and celebrate how their work is used. End by recording a brief closing reflection video with buddies or adding mural notes about how the toy and story created joy, play, and learning.