Year 6 Steady Hand Games
This term, we took on the challenge of designing and building our very own Steady Hand Games – and what a journey it’s been!
We kicked things off by diving into research, exploring how different toys help children develop their fine and gross motor skills. This gave us a clear purpose: we weren’t just making a game for fun – we were designing something that helps people learn and improve important skills!
Before sketching a single idea, we discussed a key concept: function over form. No matter how cool something looks, if it doesn’t work, it’s not a successful product. This really shaped the way we approached our designs.
Next, we created a clear design criteria – a step-by-step plan to guide us through the project. Then it was time to put our scientific knowledge to the test! We recalled what we’d learned about electrical circuits and made sure we could build one that worked perfectly before moving on to the fun part: designing the game itself.
With our circuits ready, we sketched out our base and backboards, thinking carefully about angles, measurements, and where everything would go. We designed and built our structures using cuboid nets, which we cut out and assembled using a hot glue. Finally, we added the all-important wire loop, handle, and circuit—the heart of the game!
Then came the best part: testing our games! We even invited Year 4 to play, and it was amazing to see their excitement as they tried to complete the game without the buzzer going off. We were so proud of our finished games. Not only did they look great, they worked brilliantly and were fit for purpose.
