Resources: A selection of materials, such as wood, metal and fabric. A range of toys from the past.
Teacher Tool: DE has provided teachers with images of old toys in case real toys are not available.
Support Handout (1): The handout provides a simple tick-box for the children to indicate which materials the toys are made from.
Core Handout (2): The handout provides space for the children to write what materials the toys are made from. A word bank is provided to support the children’s writing.
Stretch Handout (3): The handout provides space for children to write sentences about the materials the toys are made from.
Challenge Handout (4): The handout provides space for the children to draw and write a comparison of two toys.
Using the starter slide as a prompt, ask the children to tell their partner one thing they now know about toys from the past.
Using the presentation, tell the children that in this lesson, they will be exploring what toys from the past were made from. Using the picture prompts in the presentation, ask the children to discuss in pairs or groups what they think each toy is made from.
The presentation will explore the materials of different old toys, such as wooden toys, fabric dolls and metal games. Discuss why toys in the past were made from these materials. Ask the children if they would have liked to play with these toys and why. Do we have any toys made out of the same materials today?
Using the real-life old toys or the images provided, ask the children to identify what materials the toys from the past were made from.
Challenge Task: Ask the children to compare and write about two toys, including how and why the materials are different.
Bring the children together to discuss what their favourite toy from the past is and what material it is made from.
In the past, toys were often made from wood, metal, or fabric because plastic did not yet exist or was too expensive to use. These materials were easy to shape by hand and very durable, so toys could last a long time and even be passed down through generations. Today, most toys are made from plastic, which is cheaper to produce and allows for bright colors, complex shapes, and mass production. However, modern plastic toys can break more easily and are less environmentally friendly than the sturdy, natural materials used in older toys.
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