Students page

The museum had an outreach education programme in place since opening in 1989.

Students can email me for information (but please first ask permission from your teacher or parents). I have many reference books coupled with a great deal of knowledge on toys so will do my best to answer questions within a week or two. Note that specific questions can usually be answered fairly quickly whereas the 'write my project for me' type may get a very short general answer! If I cannot answer your question I will try and aim you at someone who can. For printer friendly information click here for answers to typical questions on:
a) mechanisms and power sources
b) card models
more topics will be added as required.

(Click here to return to Teachers page)

Please remember toys can be studied not only as social history but for other National Curriculum topics at the same time. Some examples are:
Physics, how do clockwork, electric and steam engines work.
Maths, from simple counting and mental arithmetic while finding the teddy bears for younger children to calculating gear ratios, velocities, etc.
Geography, the countries where the toys have come from (and why).
Design Technology, the museum was particularly strong in this field with the displays able to generate lots of project ideas for designing, constructing and using different materials, mechanisms, electronics, etc.

This web site itself is a valuable resource of information and pictures (currently around 400) for you to use, you will need to look at all the pages to find them.

Worksheets and colouring sheets based on the museum.

The site has a selection of sheets to print. Click on the one you would like to see; they should all print direct onto A4 paper so make sure your printer setting is set to A4. NB, clicking anywhere on KS 1 and the Colouring Sheets will bring you back to this page as will the 'Back to' link at bottom right on KS 2, 3 & 4.

Teacher and pupils from St.Mary's, Kells,
Whitehaven complete a KS 1 worksheet.

Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4

To do at home or school

 

   KS 1 Find the ......, etc.
   KS 2 Materials
   KS 2 Movement
   KS 3 Materials
   KS 3 Movement
   KS 4 Methods of toy construction & assembly 

    Colouring sheet 1
    Colouring sheet 2

 

Meccano cliff railway, an example of designing and making inspired by the museum.

This Cliff Railway was designed and built by a local student as a GCSE major project. It involved writing to both the museum and Hastings (it is based on the real one in Hastings), as well as designing and making the structure, mechanism and electronic controls for automatic operation. It subsequently received grade A.

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