Fidget Toys

Adult supervision is required. Pointed objects and choking hazard!

Materials

Fidget Spinner

· Duct Tape

· 3 Tiny Craft Sticks

· Rolling Bearing

· 6 Washers

· Scissors

Infinity Cube

· Duct Tape

· Scissors

· 8 Wooden Blocks

Thinking Putty

· Glue

· Liquid Starch

· Food Coloring

· Plastic Cup

· Tongue Depressor

· Tin

Procedure

Fidget Spinner

1. Place the craft sticks in a triangle with the corners overlapping as shown in the video.

2. Tape each corner together using duct tape. Ensure that the bearing fits snugly in the center as shown in the video. If the bearing falls out, cut small pieces of tape and wrap them around the centers of the craft sticks for a more snug fit.

3. Hold the center of the bearing and use your other hand to spin the fidget spinner. Does it work? How could this be improved?

4. Tape a washer to each corner on both sides to add weight to the spinner.

5. Now try to make it spin again. Your fidget spinner is complete!

Infinity Cube

1. Arrange the eight blocks in two rows of four as shown in the video.

2. Tape the two blocks in the top left corner horizontally with a small piece of duct tape (tape can be cut with scissors). Repeat for each corner as shown in the video.

3. Rotate the top row of blocks so that the taped side is facing the bottom row—rotate the bottom row so that the taped side is facing the top row. Horizontally tape together the two center blocks in each row (see video for clarification).

4. Rotate the blocks back to the position from number 3. Rotate them once more, so the taped sides are facing away from one another. Vertically tape the blocks on both ends.

5. Rotate the blocks back to the position from number 3, then fold the ends up to make a cube (see video for clarification). Place two pieces of tape over the blocks that already have tape in the folds to reinforce them.

6. Rotate the blocks back to the position from number 4, then fold the ends down to make a cube. Place two pieces of tape over the blocks that already have tape in the folds to reinforce them.

7. Fold the cube down to make two rows of four blocks again—this should expose the sides of all of the blocks that do not have any tape on them. Tape over the four pieces of tape in the folds to reinforce them.

8. Your infinity cube is complete! You can now fold it an infinite number of times!

Thinking Putty

1. Pour 2 ounces of glue into the plastic cup (ounces are labeled on the side of the cup). Add the food coloring, and stir using the tongue depressor.

2. Slowly add small amounts of liquid starch, stirring in between additions. The mixture will start to thicken. Only add starch until it reaches the consistency of putty—it will not stick to your hands. Note: You will not need to use all of the starch. You should only need one ounce or less.

3. Remove the putty from the cup and put it in the tin—there may be some excess. Your thinking putty is complete! Place the lid on, and take it out when you need to focus!

Science Behind it!

(Fidget Spinner)

When you use a hula hoop, the hoop moves around your body in a circular motion. Have you ever thought of how tires on a car spin? What is involved in this process? The tire spinning on your car is similar to a hula hoop. There is a hub cap on the outside of a tire in the center. Behind the hub cap are ball bearings. These are tiny metal spheres that spin on the inside of the tire. These spheres make the tire continuously spin so that the tire spins smoothly. Bearings reduce friction, which is a force that slows things down. Where is there other friction in the world around you? Can you think of other places where there might be ball bearings?

(Infinity Cube)

Research shows the best way for young children to learn is through play. This cube is more of a sensory object to construct and relate to math. Sensory play can enhance memory, calm anxious children, support critical thinking, develop fine and gross motor skills, and build upon the connections in the brain to develop deeper thinking as they become older. What are some shapes that you can construct with your infinity cube? How does this make you feel?

(Thinking Putty)

How high can you bounce your thinking putty? Can you bounce it to the ceiling or the moon? Thinking putty is a substance that is called Non-Newtonian fluid. This substance does not follow the normal laws of physics, like how water takes the shape of the container and how solids do not change shape. This acts like a solid and sometimes, it acts like a liquid. How cool is that? Do you know of anything else that has these properties? Viscosity is the resistance to flow. Think of honey or lava which flows very slowly. These substances have a very high viscosity. What might have a low viscosity? When this thinking putty is in a solid form, the viscosity level is low. Thinking putty can have high viscosity properties but also have low. Time to create your own thinking putty! Have fun thinking of ways to make your thinking putty even better!