GB2553501A - Educational toy set - Google Patents

Abstract

An educational toy set comprises a display 2 for displaying messages to a user of the toy set, at least a one towing element, such as a toy locomotive 8, a plurality of towable elements, such as toy train carnages 9-13, each towable element 9-13 corresponding to a particular characteristic for that element, such as its length in the towed direction, and a characteristics measure, such as a ruler 1 in the form of a railway track subdivided by length at regular intervals, whereby to allow the user of the toy to match the displayed message to the toy elements as they are assembled together. Each towable element 9-13 may be of a different length in the towing direction.

Description

Educations? Toy Set

This invention relates to educational toys for children, with particular emphasis Oh teaching them arithmetical skills such as length measurement.

Educational top are known in which iater-connecfabfe pieces in the shape of e.g. camels, bears or elephants can be interlinked to leach the user basic adthffiele skills, such as addition.Thisconcept has been expanded to include the linking of diHerenfly-sized toy elements conesponding to small, rnedturn a in size or weight, such as six, twelve and eighteen gramme, where the relative size of each such toy element is meant to represent a physical characteristic, such as the size or weight of ah animal being depicted. This concept is particularly useful in developing perceptions of combined numbers and relative sizes or weights and can provide ah interesting pupie to a child asked to combine e.g. the lowest or highest number of such toy elements In; order to achieve a required target once the toy elements have been connected However, there is a limit to Which this type of educational toy can be used to teach the relationship between connected toy elements and fixed; constants, such as their combined length meaning that there is a conceptual challenge for the child to correlate the size or length of toy pieces to their actual size or length,

According to the invention there is provided an educational toy set comprising or including means for displaying messages to a user of the toy set, such as a notice board, the set including at least a towing element, such as a: toy ioeomoive, a plurality of towable elements, such as toy train carriages, each towableelement corresponding to a particular characteristic for thai element, such as its length in the towed direction and a characteristics measure, such as a ruler 1h the form of a railway trick subdivided by length at: regular intervals, whereby to allow the user of the toy to match the displayed message to the toy elements as they are assembled together.

Conveniently, the toy elements ate selected from a store of multiple such elements of varying length in the towed direction, each length corresponding to onaM;i.mditipiieMaeiigle integer, such as a ceniirnetre. whereby when a chosen selection of the toy elements are connected together the total length of the towed elements can be matched with the displayed message, which may ifsel require the user to proyide the answer by using, say, the lowest or highest number of towed elements necessary to match the target length displayed on the notice board.

Preferably, the toy set: includes a characteristic measure in the form of at least one track subdivided with markings corresponding to single Integers, such as centimetres, along which towing: and towed toy elements may be placed or otherwise adjusted as to position so as to match the target characteristic displayed on: the display means.. At its simplest, there is a single track associated with: an integraS notice board the track being subdivided by single integers such as at. every successive centimetre: In the manner of a measuring ruler. Additional tracks may also be Connectable to the single track in a parallel configuration whereby multiple lines of toy elements may fee assembled in order to collectively match the target characteristic displayed on the notice board, either through simple addition to Show different combinations of toy elements:, or in the manner of an abacus in which tiie child is introduced: to the: concept of the: toy elements on the successive tracks representing: values greater than the actual values shown On the first track.

For example, the second track may represent carriage lengths that are double the length of carriages on Ihesftiel: track so that fewer carriages are needed to raatcft the required answer.

Although the toy set: isi particularly useful for teaching children fo Planipuiate toy elements of varying lengths against a set standard, such as a toy railway track of given length aid associated: notice board in a linear direction, this principle can also be applied to more complex Shapes, such as circular or part? Circular shapes, ether separatily or In conjunction with linear tracks by which the changing relationship betweenmeasurement in a linear dimciion as compand to measurement in a curved direction; Can be easily demonstrated. Thus, in a refinement to this arrangement a coninuous train track may be construed with straight and curved parts of the track being used to demonstrate different properties, including the relationship between linear and curvilinear length.

The invention will now he described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1: is a; perspective view of a toy train track and associated notice board:,:

Figure 2 is a perspective view of ah assembled toy locomotive and associated train carriages of differing length in the towed direction,

Figure I is a perspective view of the locomotive carriages of Figure 2 mounted oh the train track of Figure 1, and combination to in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an assembled toy locomotive and associated train carriages in a different combination to that shown Ih Figure 2. Figure 1 shows part of an educational toy according to the invention Which includes a toy train track I integral with display means in the form of slotted notice board 2 for receiving notices giving instructions to a child, such as a required overall length for any interconnected toy elements placed upon the track 1/The track 1 is provided With toy railway sleepers 3 each 1 centimetre apart tom the oth#mch that, in effect, the track 1 can be used as a characteristics measure to show length in the linear direction In the manner of a ruler.

The forward end of the: track 1 is provided with a tongue 4 end the underside of the rearward end 5 of the track 1 is provided with a correspondingly fhaped groove (not shown) by which successive pieces of track 1 may be joined together end-on-end.

Similarly, the side of the track 1 remote from the notice board 2 is provided with a tongue 6 and giodve? by which it may be joined side-by-side with another piece of track (not shown) In a parallel configuration.

Figure 2 shows inter-connectable toy elements placed on the track 1 of Figure i, these being a towing iocomofivee having a train driver's compartment 9 of a given length !!2n” which is followed by fain carriages 10,11,12 and 13, of respective length in their towed direction of "2n”, *i4hv! and “6n”. Lengths “2n”, “4rf and “©n” are ail multiples of length “In” such that although four train carriages are shown, 10, 11, 12 and 13, more or fewer carnages can be used to demonstrate correspondence with airtfessage oh the notice board 2 which, at its simplest, is simple addif on using the visual stimulation offered ίο the child and the opportunity for the child to select from a variety of toy train carriages a combination which futfris the requirements of the displayed message. Thus, assuming that there area tetai of four train carriages 10,11,12 and 13, haying respective lengths

In the ^ of one centimetre, two centimetres, four centimetres and six cenlmetres and assuming that there are a number of carriages of each such length available for selection by the child from the toy set, it is possible for the child to asseriifeleatoy locomotive and associated train carriages in a total overall length or sequence which matches the dispispd message, knowing that: the smallest carriage isonlyone centimetre long arid the largest carriage is six cehlmetfes long/Once the child becomes familiar with adding the correct number of train carriages to the track 1, aided by a strong visual message that e.g. the second carriage “11" is twice as long as the first carriage “10”, it allows the child to appreciate the concept of arithmetical progression in which e.g. the substitution of a single, larger number or quantity, for several smaller numbers totalling the same can be achieved.

The foregoing principles are shown with reference to Figure 4 In which the same overall length of iocornolve and train carriages as is shown in Figure 2 is achieved by fewer carriages, being two carriages 13, each of six centimetres in length, and a single carriage 10 of just one centimetre making an overail length of the locomotive S and its carriages equal to that shown in Figure 2. Thus, in the example shown in Figure 4 tie notice board may have required the child to assemble a train with the fewest possible carriages to match the combined train and carriage length corresponding to the message on the notice board, being two of the longest and one of the shortest carriages, {13, 10) or any other possible combination matching the required result includmg, at its simplest, a succession of the smallest carriages 10 connected end-on-end.

The foregoing principles can be further adapted to teach a cblldfheconcept of muitljslibsation where the train tracks 1 am connected side-by-side In the manner of an abacus, wherethefirst such train track represents a toy train and associated carriages having an actuai iength, but in which the next successive back denotes, :for example, a doubling In the overall size of the train and it associated carriages. Thus, the child can learn that if the train and carriages are placed on the next successive track its actual iength need oniy be half of the length required bythe notice board in order to achieve the same result as the combination of train and carriages placed on dhe#sttra^ in a similar manner^ the educational toy set of the invention can be used to teach children die concept of scale since it will be obvious even to a child that a real train and attendant carnages are not measured hi centimetres so that as the child progresses in finding ditferent combsnations that match the required message on the: notice board, the concept of sealing can be introduced in vVhich one centimetre becomes one metre, or two metres and so on. Thus, instead of simply using abstract numbers to leach arithmetic skills by reference to a standardiinaar ruJer ilie inventionprovides an alternative and more interesting approach which visually associates actual size of different objects with the problem to be; solved, thereby teaching the child the usefulness of a fineat ruler In advance Ofany formal introduction to if as a means of linear measurement-

Claims (4)

1. Claims

   1. An educational toy set comprising or including means for displaying messages to a user of the toy set, such as a notice board, the set including at least a towing element, such as a toy locomotive, a plurality of towable elements, such as toy train carriages, each towable element corresponding to a particular characteristic for that element, such as Its length In the: towed direction and a characteristics measure, such as a ruler in the form ©f a railway track subdivided by length at iegular intervals, whereby to allow the user of the toy to match the displayed message to toe toy elemerits as they are assembled to§©th@h, 2> A toy set according to Claim 1 wherein the toy elements are selected from a store of multiple such elements erf varying length in the towed dimetiofh each length corresponding to one or a multiple of a single Integer, such as a centimefre, whereby when a chosen selection: of the toy elements are connected message,
2. 3. A toy set according to Claim 1 ©r Claim 2 wherein the toy set includes a characteristic measure in the form of at least one track subdivided with markings corresponding to single Integers, such as centimetres, along which towing and tewed toy elements may fee placed or otherwise adjusted as to position so as to match the target characteristic displayed on the display means.
3. 4. A toy set according to anyone of Claims 1 and 2 wherein there is a single integers such as at every successive centimetre in the manner of a measuring ruler.
4. 5. A toy set according to Claim 4 wherein additional tracks are also connectable to the single track m a parallel configuration whereby multiple lines of toy elements can be assembled in order t© coilectively match the target ebaraeteristic displayed oh the notice board.