Self & Community · Kindergarten · Our Past & Present · Weeks 19-27

Then & Now: Toys & Games

Children compare toys and games from the past to the things they use today.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.His.2.K-2
• C3: D2.His.3.K-2

About This Topic

This topic invites kindergarteners to compare toys and games from the past with modern ones. Students examine visuals of historical toys, such as corncob dolls, tin soldiers, and pick-up sticks, alongside today's action figures, puzzles with sounds, and app-based games. They discuss changes in design, materials from natural to synthetic, and play styles from communal to individualized. Key questions guide them to explain evolutions and predict future innovations like interactive holograms.

Within the Our Past & Present unit, this builds historical thinking per C3 standards D2.His.2 and 3. It links personal play experiences to community history, enhancing empathy for past generations and sequencing skills. Students practice describing similarities and differences, foundational for social studies.

Active learning benefits this topic through direct engagement. When children sort toy images, role-play vintage games, and collaborate on future toy designs, abstract notions of time become concrete. These experiences spark joy, deepen understanding of change, and encourage prediction skills in a natural way.

Key Questions

1. Compare toys from long ago with toys we play with today.
2. Explain how toys have changed over time.
3. Predict how toys might change in the future.

Learning Objectives

• Compare images of historical toys with images of contemporary toys, identifying at least two similarities and two differences.
• Explain how one specific toy or game has changed from the past to the present, citing material or function as evidence.
• Classify toys from different eras based on common characteristics, such as material or intended play style.
• Predict one way a modern toy might change in the future, describing a new feature or function.

Before You Start

Identifying Objects

Why: Students need to be able to recognize and name common objects before they can compare them.

Basic Sorting Skills

Why: Students should have experience sorting objects into groups based on simple attributes like color or size to prepare for classifying toys.

Key Vocabulary

Vintage	Something that is old but still valued, like a toy from your grandparents' time.
Contemporary	Something that belongs to or happens in the present time, like toys children play with today.
Material	The stuff that something is made from, such as wood, metal, plastic, or cloth.
Function	What a toy is used for or how it works, like rolling, building, or making sounds.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Toys in the past were not fun.

What to Teach Instead

Past toys like hoops and dolls offered real enjoyment through imagination. Role-playing these in small groups lets students experience the fun firsthand, shifting views via shared laughter and play.

Common Misconception

All toys have always been made of plastic.

What to Teach Instead

Early toys used wood, cloth, and metal. Hands-on sorting of replica materials helps students feel differences, using touch to correct ideas and anchor facts in sensory memory.

Common Misconception

The past happened just like yesterday.

What to Teach Instead

Time scales differ greatly. Timeline walks with visual markers show relative distances, as groups physically move to grasp spans, building accurate mental timelines.

Active Learning Ideas

Small Groups: Past and Present Toy Sort

Distribute printed images of 10 old and 10 new toys to each group. Have students sort them into 'then' and 'now' categories on chart paper. Groups share one key difference they noticed, such as materials used.

25 min·Small Groups

Whole Class: Toy Timeline Walk

Lay out a floor timeline with labeled eras and toy images. Students walk the line, pausing to pick up and describe a toy from each period. Conclude with a group chant of changes over time.

30 min·Whole Class

Pairs: Invent a Future Toy

Partners draw a toy from the future on paper, adding labels for features. They present to the class, explaining one change from today, like self-repairing parts. Display drawings on a future wall.

20 min·Pairs

Individual: My Toy Story

Each child draws their favorite toy and one from the past. They dictate a short sentence comparing them to a teacher scribe. Share in a circle to build class connections.

15 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Toy museum curators, like those at The Strong National Museum of Play, collect and preserve toys from different historical periods to help people understand past childhoods.
• Toy designers at companies like Mattel or Hasbro research historical toys and current trends to create new products that children will enjoy today and in the future.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with two pictures: one of a historical toy (e.g., wooden spinning top) and one of a modern toy (e.g., electronic robot). Ask students to point to one thing that is the same and one thing that is different between the two toys.

Discussion Prompt

Show students a picture of a simple toy from the past, like a rag doll. Ask: 'How is this doll different from the dolls you might play with today? What materials were used to make this old doll? What materials are used for dolls now?'

Exit Ticket

Give each student a drawing of a simple toy. Ask them to draw one way this toy could be different in the future and write one word to describe the new feature (e.g., 'lights,' 'music,' 'flying').

Frequently Asked Questions

What kindergarten activities compare toys from past and present?

Sorting image cards into then and now piles works well, as groups discuss materials and uses. Timeline walks let the class physically sequence toys by era. Pair invention of future toys extends thinking, with drawings shared classwide. These build observation and language skills tied to standards.

How to teach historical change with toys in kindergarten?

Start with visuals of old toys like rag dolls next to modern ones. Use key questions to guide talks on changes in looks and play. Connect to family stories for relevance. End with predictions to show ongoing evolution, reinforcing C3 skills in a relatable context.

How can active learning help kindergarteners grasp toys then and now?

Active methods like handling replicas, sorting cards, and dramatizing games make time concepts tangible. Children discover changes through touch and motion, not just pictures. Group shares correct misconceptions on the spot, while inventions boost prediction. This play-based approach increases retention by 30-50% per studies, fitting short attention spans.

What are common misconceptions about past toys for kindergarteners?

Students often think past toys lacked fun or used only plastic. Correct via demos of wooden toys in action. Another is viewing history as recent; timelines clarify scale. Active sorting and play reveal truths, as peers challenge ideas during collaboration.