Sustainable toys

BUG HOTEL

The students of our school were involved in the sustainable development and management of public places, mostly green areas around the school, and created 15 bug houses. For older students building the bug hotel was like making a fantastic sustainable toy. The goal is to create a fruit orchard, in which bees and other insect will have a chance to pollinate fruit trees. Bug hotels are beneficial for gardens as they attract bugs and insects that support biodiversity. They are essential for the ecological balance of the world.

MARBLE RUN TOY

Children studied and created a marble run toy having the following characteristics: sturdy, free standing, capable of being moved from one are of the classroom to the other. Kids started studying the design brief, and made design on computers. They then drew out their design and decided what materials would be used. They then prepared prototypes and once they were sure they would work they created the real toy. The toy was then tested and children peer-reviewed everyone’s toy saying what was good about them and what could be improved. “Crash testing” was eventually performed by the Reception children.

THE BIOCLIMATIC SCHOOL - ARCHITECTS OF THE FUTURE

The students of our school were involved in the sustainable development and management of public buildings and created a dollhouse with recyclable materials with the theme: "The bioclimatic school - architects of the future". 

Their goal was to create a school exclusively with renewable energy sources, such as geothermal, solar and wind energy and imagine how their days would be in such a school. What they should  do every day, for example collect water, water the gardens, recycle paper, make biomass, reuse their paper and books, take care of their animals, etc. 

The idea excited them and surely in the future will see a school like this in Greece. The most beautiful dollhouse for great ideas to be born!

CARTOON MAKING

In the sustainable toy activity carried out by the 7th grade students of our school, our students mostly use recycled materials. In this process, which is planned for about 4 weeks, he first determines a character and then draws his model on two pieces obtained from parcel cartons. Preferably fastens the used paper cups on one of the pieces. Attaches the second piece to the paper cups and connects the two pieces with tape from the edges. It covers the entire surface with used paper with the help of glue. This process ensures that the model is durable and straight. Coloring is done in accordance with the colors of the character. The process is completed by using suitable materials (paper, plastic, etc. waste materials) for details

A ROBOTIC ARTIST

Students (from class 3C, age 13) studied electricity and its laws and used their knowledge to create a very special electric circuit: a robotic artist. This little toy moves thanks to the enrgy provided by a simple battery: an alectric motor mounted on the head of the toy activates that shakes the robot. When it rotates the marker pens draw little dotted circles. Children built, personalised and tested their toys, appreciating differences in the drawn shapes depending on the design details they used.

ROBOTIC FRIENDS

Children (from class 2A - age 12) had some fun inventing and building their own robots. They worked in group or individually and used basic 3D shapes made out of cardboard. They started from a theme and a basic design including initial sketches, required materials and tools. Parts of the robots were made by reusing old toys, led lights and a variety of materials that otherwise would have been disposed of. Their caracters then became protagonists of fantastic stories.

BALLOON CAR

Children (from class 1B and 1C age 11) created an eco car using a renewable source of energy: AIR. The car is made out of wooden pegs, plastic (old) straws, wooden sticks and plastic bottle caps. The enrgy source that moves the car is the "elastic potential enegy" trapped in an inflated ballon. Take a look at the video to find out how simple it is to build this wooden toy and have fun racing with your friends!

RUBBER BAND CAR

Students (age 13) explored the them of energy transformation with this little car project. They used wooden lolly stick, traditional lolly stick, rubber bands, plastic caps and two old batteries (only required as ballast to stabilize the car). We have used in this project the same principle that make a slingshot work adapting it to a moving car. Have a go and race with your classmates.

NEW YEAR DECORATIONS

Our 5th and 6th grade students brought the New Year's enthusiasm to life in accordance with the spirit of our project by buying less, transforming the materials they have and producing great ideas. The whole school watched the products with admiration. We wish a year in which we consume less and produce more.

RECYCLING IN YOUR CLASS

Our students, who were thinking about how to combine irregular verbs with recycling, came up with great ideas and colored their classrooms.