Made to Play

Before that action figure or bobblehead doll makes it to the store, it has to be designed and shaped. Ever thought about who does that? You might be surprised to learn that a small group of toy sculptors in Kansas City handles this painstaking work with clay, magnifying glasses, and basic carving tools. Watch them in action in this short documentary.

The LEGO factory cranks out more than 1.7 million bricks every hour—and it’s almost all done by automated machines and robots.

Getting that Nerf gun to fire off a single dart at a time takes some clever design work. The crew at Interesting Engineering explains how it works in this video.

Making stuffed animals requires some serious machinery (not to mention a lot of recycled plastic bottles used for fluff). Check out how the Vermont Teddy Bear Company puts their famous bears together, piece by piece.

Ever wonder how video games are created? Today’s most popular games, like Fortnite, Halo, and Mario Kart, can take years and millions of dollars to develop. Read more about the process and everyone involved, from graphic artists and producers to engineers and coders, in this article from Wonderopolis.

Have a great idea for a new toy? In this article, you’ll get some good advice on developing and selling your idea from the inventors of successful toys like GoldieBlox and Dino Construction Company vehicles.

Follow along with SciShow Kids to learn how to make a high-flying paper airplane. Once you’re done folding it, use crayons or colored pencils to make it one-of-a-kind!

All right, now you know how to make a super cool paper airplane. But how about a paper helicopter? All you need is some construction paper or cardstock, a ruler, scissors, some tape, and a paperclip. Follow the directions from Babble Dabble Do and you’ll be whirling off in no time.

All this thinking about toys has us jumpy. You too? Let’s get some of that excited energy out with this 8-minute workout from Kid Explorer. Don’t forget to stretch before and after!