Empathize
Empathize
Students will launch the toy design challenge, observe how younger children play, gather ideas from community experiences, and record picture-based evidence about what makes a toy fun, safe, and worth keeping for a preschooler.
Days 1 - 7
Define
Define
Students will sort and study what they learned from preschool interviews, museum observations, and nature play experiences to define a clear toy problem for a younger child. They will use pictures, talk, movement, and simple design tools to name preschooler needs, choose whether a toy should use wheels, wings, or soft materials, and create a picture-supported problem statement that guides later sketching and building.
Days 8 - 14
Ideate
Ideate
Students will use what they learned from preschool interviews, museum observations, and play notes to generate many toy ideas, sort them into wings, wheels, or soft-material options, and choose a strong direction for a preschool toy design. They will practice imaginative play, sketching, quick modeling, peer feedback, and revision so their next prototype choices clearly match a younger child’s needs.
Days 15 - 23
Draft
Draft
Students will turn their toy ideas into first prototypes by studying how shape and material choices affect play, building with simple tools and classroom materials, trying out their designs through dramatic play and movement, and revising from teacher and peer feedback before a draft checkpoint.
Days 24 - 35
Test
Test
Students will test their first toy prototypes with classmates and community users, notice what works for preschool play, gather picture-supported feedback, and make evidence-based changes before moving into deeper critique.
Days 36 - 44
Critique
Critique
Students will study feedback from play tests, use kind critique routines with peers and adults, and improve their toy so it better matches a preschooler’s needs for fun, safety, and play.
Days 45 - 52
Notice & Reflect
Notice & Reflect
Students will organize evidence from their toy-design journey, rehearse how to explain their choices, present and gift their finished toy to a preschooler, and reflect on how observation, feedback, testing, and kindness shaped their final work.
Days 53 - 60
Empathize
Days 1–7
Day 1
🎁 Toy Challenge Mystery Bags
Launch
40m
Day 2
🧠 Preschool Play Noticing Lesson
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 3
🗣️ Preschool Interview Practice Cards
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 4
🧸 Preschool Buddy Play Visit
Community Experience
40m
Day 5
🏛️ Denver Toy Museum Sketch Walk
Community Experience
40m
Day 6
🌿 Wheels Wings Soft Sort
Deliverable
40m
Day 7
📁 User Research Picture Page
Assessment
40m
Define
Days 8–14
Day 8
🧺 Toy Clue Sorting Mat
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 9
🖼️ Preschool Need Picture Map
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 10
🎭 Safe Play Puppet Scenes
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 11
🌿 Wheels Wings Soft Hunt
Research
40m
Day 12
🧩 My Preschool Toy Problem Card
Deliverable
45m
Day 13
💬 Two Friends Feedback Swap
Project Work
40m
Day 14
✅ Problem Card Build Conference
Assessment
40m
Ideate
Days 15–23
Day 15
🧺 Toy Idea Bag Launch
Launch
40m
Day 16
🖼️ Preschool Need-to-Toy Match
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 17
✏️ Three Toy Sketches
Deliverable
40m
Day 18
🛠️ Shape and Material Try-It
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 19
🎭 Play-It-Out Toy Stories
Project Work
35m
Day 20
🧱 Quick Model Build
Project Work
40m
Day 21
💬 Two Friends Feedback Round
Deliverable
40m
Day 22
🌿 Nature Shapes Idea Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 23
✅ Best Idea Build Conference
Assessment
40m
Draft
Days 24–35
Day 24
🧺 Toy Parts Match-Up
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 25
✏️ Labeled Toy Plan Board
Deliverable
40m
Day 26
🛠️ Tape, Hole Punch, Stuff Demo
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 27
🧱 First Toy Prototype Build
Project Work
40m
Day 28
🎭 Safe Play Toy Tryout
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 29
👂 Two Friends Feedback Cards
Deliverable
40m
Day 30
🔧 Prototype Revision Build
Project Work
40m
Day 31
🌿 Nature Movement Toy Check
Research
40m
Day 32
🏫 Preschool Teacher Safety Look
Community Experience
40m
Day 33
🪡 Stronger Draft Build Day
Project Work
40m
Day 34
🗣️ Draft Share and Revise
Deliverable
40m
Day 35
✅ Draft Prototype Checkpoint
Assessment
40m
Test
Days 36–44
Day 36
🧸 Toy Test Rules Circle
Knowledge/Skill Building
30m
Day 37
👀 Preschool Play Look-Fors
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 38
🛠️ Feedback Tags and Photos
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 39
🎯 Partner Toy Tryout
Project Work
40m
Day 40
📝 Test Board Checkpoint
Deliverable
40m
Day 41
🏫 Preschool Buddy Toy Trial
Community Experience
40m
Day 42
🔁 Revise One Toy Part
Project Work
40m
Day 43
🎭 Safe Play Demo Round
Deliverable
40m
Day 44
📸 Before-and-After Build Conference
Assessment
40m
Critique
Days 45–52
Day 45
🧠 Feedback Picture Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 46
💬 Kind Critique Talk Moves
Knowledge/Skill Building
30m
Day 47
🧸 Toy Checkpoint Circle
Deliverable
40m
Day 48
👫 Two-Peer Feedback Round
Project Work
40m
Day 49
✏️ Revision Sketch and Plan
Knowledge/Skill Building
35m
Day 50
🛠️ Maker Space Fix-It Build
Project Work
50m
Day 51
🎭 Safe Play Demo Critique
Community Experience
40m
Day 52
✅ Improved Toy Build Conference
Assessment
40m
Notice & Reflect
Days 53–60
Day 53
🖼️ Toy Journey Photo Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 54
🗣️ Preschool Toy Talk Practice
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 55
👂 Toy Showcase Peer Coaching
Deliverable
40m
Day 56
🎭 Safe Play Demo Circle
Project Work
40m
Day 57
🧺 Toy Treasure Showcase Setup
Deliverable
40m
Day 58
🎁 Preschool Gift and Gallery Walk
Community Experience
40m
Day 59
✅ Final Toy Story Conference
Assessment
40m
Day 60
⚽ Maker Reflection Ball Share
Deliverable
40m
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
21
Day 1
Empathize
🎁 Toy Challenge Mystery Bags
22
Day 2
🧠 Preschool Play Noticing Lesson
23
Day 3
🗣️ Preschool Interview Practice Cards
24
Day 4
🧸 Preschool Buddy Play Visit
25
Day 5
🏛️ Denver Toy Museum Sketch Walk
28
Day 6
🌿 Wheels Wings Soft Sort
29
Day 7
📁 User Research Picture Page
30
Day 8
Define
🧺 Toy Clue Sorting Mat
1
Day 9
🖼️ Preschool Need Picture Map
2
Day 10
🎭 Safe Play Puppet Scenes
October 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
5
Day 11
🌿 Wheels Wings Soft Hunt
6
Day 12
🧩 My Preschool Toy Problem Card
7
Day 13
💬 Two Friends Feedback Swap
8
Day 14
✅ Problem Card Build Conference
9
Day 15
Ideate
🧺 Toy Idea Bag Launch
12
Day 16
🖼️ Preschool Need-to-Toy Match
13
Day 17
✏️ Three Toy Sketches
14
Day 18
🛠️ Shape and Material Try-It
15
Day 19
🎭 Play-It-Out Toy Stories
16
Day 20
🧱 Quick Model Build
19
Day 21
💬 Two Friends Feedback Round
20
Day 22
🌿 Nature Shapes Idea Sort
21
Day 23
✅ Best Idea Build Conference
22
Day 24
Draft
🧺 Toy Parts Match-Up
23
Day 25
✏️ Labeled Toy Plan Board
26
Day 26
🛠️ Tape, Hole Punch, Stuff Demo
27
Day 27
🧱 First Toy Prototype Build
28
Day 28
🎭 Safe Play Toy Tryout
29
Day 29
👂 Two Friends Feedback Cards
30
Day 30
🔧 Prototype Revision Build
November 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
2
Day 31
🌿 Nature Movement Toy Check
3
Day 32
🏫 Preschool Teacher Safety Look
4
Day 33
🪡 Stronger Draft Build Day
5
Day 34
🗣️ Draft Share and Revise
6
Day 35
✅ Draft Prototype Checkpoint
9
Day 36
Test
🧸 Toy Test Rules Circle
10
Day 37
👀 Preschool Play Look-Fors
11
Day 38
🛠️ Feedback Tags and Photos
12
Day 39
🎯 Partner Toy Tryout
13
Day 40
📝 Test Board Checkpoint
16
Day 41
🏫 Preschool Buddy Toy Trial
17
Day 42
🔁 Revise One Toy Part
18
Day 43
🎭 Safe Play Demo Round
19
Day 44
📸 Before-and-After Build Conference
20
Day 45
Critique
🧠 Feedback Picture Sort
23
Day 46
💬 Kind Critique Talk Moves
24
Day 47
🧸 Toy Checkpoint Circle
25
Day 48
👫 Two-Peer Feedback Round
26
Day 49
✏️ Revision Sketch and Plan
27
Day 50
🛠️ Maker Space Fix-It Build
December 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
30
Day 51
🎭 Safe Play Demo Critique
1
Day 52
✅ Improved Toy Build Conference
2
Day 53
Notice & Reflect
🖼️ Toy Journey Photo Sort
3
Day 54
🗣️ Preschool Toy Talk Practice
4
Day 55
👂 Toy Showcase Peer Coaching
7
Day 56
🎭 Safe Play Demo Circle
8
Day 57
🧺 Toy Treasure Showcase Setup
9
Day 58
🎁 Preschool Gift and Gallery Walk
10
Day 59
✅ Final Toy Story Conference
11
Day 60
⚽ Maker Reflection Ball Share