NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Image above: TOYChallenge™ is a national toy design challenge for 5th-8th graders. Credit: TOYChallenge™

What is the best game or toy ever invented? Maybe the best is yet to come. And maybe you and a team of your friends will be the ones to invent it in TOYChallenge™ 2005.

TOYchallenge™ is a national toy design challenge for middle school students. Former NASA astronaut Sally Ride has brought together a group to sponsor this challenge. Ride was the first U.S. female to orbit Earth. Hasbro, Sally Ride Science™ and others first launched Toychallenge two years ago. Since then, young people from across the country have had fun inventing, designing and creating toys and games.

What Do We Do to Enter?

1. Form a team: 3-8 members in grades 5-8, at least half girls
2. Find a coach: an adult at least 18 years old
3. Sign up: team entry fee $25
4. Think: a brand-new toy or game
5. Design it: submit your creation

All Kinds of Toys and Games
There are seven toy and game categories. Prizes will be awarded for each. Which one does yours fit in?

• Remarkable Robots
• Toys That Teach -- Preschool
• Toys That Teach -- School Age
• Games for Little Kids
• Games for the Family
• Get Out and Play
• Build It!

Last Year's Grand Prize Winners
There are three grand prizes. Last year's prizes were:

• A trip to Space Camp
• A Hasbro® action figure made in your likeness
• A Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell Cars and Experiment kit.

The winners were:

Toy	Description	Team Name	Grade	City	Prize
I Could be a…	Board game	Knowledge Seekers	6	Chillicothe, OH	Space Camp Trip
Boogie 2 Boogie	Boogie board	Wave Riders	5,6,7	Irvine, CA	Look-a-like figure
Otto's Organizer	Stuffed toy/school bag	Tinker Thinkers	5	Orinda, CA	Fuel cell car

 
TOYChallenge™ is a fun way to learn about science, engineering and the design process. Get your team together now. You must sign up by December 15, 2004. Then, you must send the description of your toy or game by January 28, 2005, to be eligible to attend the Nationals.

Read more about TOYChallenge™ 2005.
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Read Sally Ride's astronaut biography.
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