Time Travelers: Exploring Our Past and Present · 2nd Year

Active learning ideas

Toys and Games of Yesteryear

Active learning works well for this topic because handling physical objects and recreating historical toys engages students' senses and builds concrete understanding. When children manipulate replicas or craft their own versions, they connect past experiences to their own play, making abstract concepts about resourcefulness and craftsmanship tangible and memorable.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Continuity and Change
• NCCA: Primary - Myself and my Family

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Toy Time Travel

Prepare four stations with replicas of past toys: wooden hoops, tin soldiers, fabric dolls, and stone marbles. Small groups rotate every 10 minutes to handle items, note materials used, and discuss what they suggest about past lives. End with a class share-out of findings.

Analyze what the toys children played with in the past reveal about their daily lives and available resources.

Facilitation Tip

During Historical Games Revival, model the games yourself first so students see how to transition from instructions to active play.

What to look for

Provide students with images of two toys, one historical (e.g., wooden spinning top) and one modern (e.g., plastic action figure). Ask them to write one sentence comparing their materials and one sentence comparing how they might be played with.

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Maker Station: Craft a Past Toy

Supply sticks, string, fabric scraps, and tins for students to build simple toys like cup-and-ball or spinners, following step-by-step guides. Pairs test their creations, tweak designs for better play, and explain choices based on historical examples.

Compare old toys made of wood, tin, or fabric with modern plastic toys, considering durability and creativity.

What to look for

During the toy construction activity, circulate and ask students: 'What material are you using and why?' and 'How is this similar to or different from a toy you might buy today?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Compare Pairs: Old and New Toys

Students bring or use class modern plastic toys alongside replicas. In pairs, they chart similarities and differences in materials, cost, and fun factors, then present to the group with photos or drawings.

Construct a simple toy using natural or recycled materials, similar to those from the past.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'What do the toys children played with in the past tell us about what was important to them or what they had available?' Facilitate a brief class discussion, guiding students to connect toy materials and designs to daily life and resources.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Historical Games Revival

Teach rules for past games like skipping or tug-of-war using natural props. Play rounds, then debrief on physical skills needed and social rules compared to today.

Analyze what the toys children played with in the past reveal about their daily lives and available resources.

What to look for

Provide students with images of two toys, one historical (e.g., wooden spinning top) and one modern (e.g., plastic action figure). Ask them to write one sentence comparing their materials and one sentence comparing how they might be played with.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by balancing hands-on exploration with guided reflection, ensuring students don't just play but analyze what they create. Avoid rushing through the maker station, as the process of crafting reveals more about resourcefulness than the final product alone. Research suggests tactile experiences strengthen memory, so prioritize time for students to handle and discuss each toy type.

Successful learning looks like students confidently discussing how materials and design reveal past lifestyles, using evidence from the toys they handle or create. They should articulate differences between old and new toys while demonstrating curiosity about the creativity involved in making do with limited resources.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Toy Time Travel, watch for students assuming old toys were boring because they lack flashy features.

  Encourage students to play with the spinning tops or jumping jacks to notice how movement and skill matter more than plastic aesthetics. Ask them to compare the physical effort required to use old toys versus modern ones.

• During Craft a Past Toy, watch for students assuming wooden or tin toys were flimsy or unsafe.

  Have students test the durability of their own crafted toy by gently dropping it or testing its edges. Ask them to consider how careful handling and craftsmanship made these toys durable for their time.

• During Compare Pairs, watch for students assuming all toys evolved steadily from simple to complex.

  Guide students to arrange the paired toys on a timeline or simple grid, then ask them to explain what the materials and designs suggest about the time period and available resources.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning