Toys: Past vs. Present

Active learning turns abstract comparisons of past and present into concrete discoveries. When students handle real toys, they notice differences in materials and play patterns that lectures alone cannot convey. Movement between stations keeps engagement high while building comparison skills central to history.

• Year 1
• HASS
• 3 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare materials and design features of historical toys with contemporary toys.
2. Explain how play patterns have changed and remained similar across different eras.
3. Classify toys based on their era of origin and primary materials.
4. Identify similarities and differences in how children played with toys in the past versus today.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Toy Lab

Set up stations with an 'old' toy (e.g., a spinning top) and a 'new' toy (e.g., a beyblade). Students spend 8 minutes at each station, testing how they move and identifying what materials they are made of.

Prepare & details

How are old toys different from the toys we have today?

Facilitation Tip: During Toy Lab, rotate between stations yourself to model how to handle delicate artifacts gently and compare them side-by-side with modern equivalents.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 25 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Material Sort

Students are given a pile of toys and two hoops: 'Natural Materials' and 'Man-made Materials'. They work together to sort the toys, noticing that older toys often sit in the natural hoop (wood, tin, wool).

Prepare & details

What games do children still play today that children also played long ago?

Facilitation Tip: In The Material Sort, place a few clearly mislabeled items in each category to prompt students to rethink assumptions about materials like tin or fabric.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Toy of the Future

After looking at how toys have changed from wood to plastic, students brainstorm with a partner what toys might be made of in 100 years. They share one 'futuristic' feature with the class.

Prepare & details

What do you think toys might look like in the future?

Facilitation Tip: During The Toy of the Future, listen for evidence of continuity in play patterns before asking students to invent new toy ideas.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Start by naming what students already know about their favorite toys, then contrast that with historical examples. Avoid framing old toys as 'simpler' or 'worse'; instead, highlight different kinds of fun. Research shows that when students physically interact with artifacts, their historical empathy and observation skills improve measurably.

What to Expect

Students will describe materials, power sources, and designs of toys from different eras with specific examples. They will explain one way play has stayed the same and one way it has changed. Conversations will include terms like 'manual,' 'electric,' and 'interactive.'

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Toy Lab, watch for students who assume toys without batteries were less engaging.

What to Teach Instead

Use the wooden spinning tops and jacks at this station to guide students in trying the motion and skill required, then ask them to reflect on the fun of mastery compared to digital play.

Common Misconception

During The Material Sort, watch for students who overlook metal or fabric in historical toys.

What to Teach Instead

Include a small tin soldier and a fabric doll at the station, then ask students to re-sort their groups after handling these artifacts, naming each material aloud.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Toy Lab, provide two pictures and ask students to write one sentence comparing materials and one sentence describing how a child would play with each toy.

Discussion Prompt

During The Material Sort, show a collection of toys from different eras and ask: 'Which of these toys do you think is the oldest and why?' and 'What is one thing all these toys have in common, even though they look different?'

Quick Check

During Toy Lab, hold up a toy and ask students to give a thumbs up if it's from the past, thumbs down if it's modern, and thumbs sideways if it could be from either era, briefly asking a few students to explain their choice.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a toy that uses only materials available 100 years ago but feels modern to today’s child.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: provide a word bank with terms like 'wood,' 'plastic,' 'push,' 'pull,' 'electric,' and sentence stems such as 'This toy uses ____ and requires ____ to work.'
• Deeper exploration: invite students to interview a family member about a toy from their childhood and bring it to class for a show-and-tell comparison.

Key Vocabulary

Artifact	An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest, such as an old toy.
Continuity	The state of remaining the same or continuing without change, such as the enduring human desire for play.
Change	The act or instance of becoming different, as seen in the materials and technology of toys over time.
Play Pattern	The typical ways children engage with toys and games, which can evolve with new toy designs and societal influences.