Are you looking for an activity to do with your family or even your students this January? We have so many ideas to share with you! The Toyota Dream Car contest is an annual art contest for children all over the globe, click this link for official U.S.A. details.
We love this contest because it gets kids to use their imaginations and consider the wildest possibilities of what a car could be!
Family Activity #1
(geared towards ages 4-10)
Step 1: Look and Think
Start by reading the book Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds.
After reading the book together, have a family discussion;
during the discussion ask kids the following questions.
Why was Maya looking at birds, drawing, and creating contraptions instead of putting her go-cart together?
What made Rafael and Maya’s go-cart unique?
Does a car/go-cart have to be limited to what we expect it to be?
After your discussion, consider taking a virtual field trip to the Toyota Automobile Museum
While taking the virtual tour have the kids look for cars they find interesting.
Ask kids what they SEE when they look at that car, then what they THINK about the car, and last what they are WONDERING about the car.
Step 2: Plan and Create
Now that kids have seen an example of thinking creatively in the book Going Places and looked at interesting cars via the Toyota Automobile Museum, it’s time to brainstorm and sketch.
Get kids to imagine all the interesting things that the car they are designing can do and sketch a few possible creative cars. It’s important to get kids to DREAM.
Here is a brainstorm/sketch sheet to use
After kids have a couple of sketched ideas, have them start drawing their contest drawing,
Step 3: Reflect, Revise and Share
Before kids finish their Toyota Dream Car creation, have them stop at a few points in the art-making and reflect.
Consider together, are there any changes to make, additional ideas to add in, or craftsmanship to clean up.
After you and your child reflect on the art they might need to make revisions, work through the process with them then it’s time to finish the art.
When the child’s Toyota Dream Car is ready, SHARE it with the contest! DUE JANUARY 31, 2021
Family Activity #2
(geared towards ages 10-15)
Step 1: Look and Think
Start by watching the Hot Wheels: 50th yr Anniversary video
Then ask the kids these questions and discuss
What did you see that was cool or interesting?
What made it cool or interesting?
Then watch Evolution of Hot Wheels Designing and ask
How did the hot wheels change over time?
What made them more unique or interesting as time moved forward?
or watch “Making the Origami-Inspired Lexus” and ask
Why did the sculptors re-create the Lexus as a sculpture?
Why did the sculptors like the design of the Lexus?
What do artists and designers gain from taking a risk?
Can the change of a line give a car more function?
What makes a car faster than another?
What makes one car more appealing than another?
How will cars evolve in the future?
Step 2: Plan and Create
Now that you've spent a bit of time looking at cars and thinking about how they have evloved, it's time to get the kids to imagine all the interesting things that the car they are designing can do and sketch a few possible creative cars. It’s important to get kids to DREAM.
Here is a brainstorm/sketch sheet to use
After kids have a couple of sketched ideas, have them start drawing their contest drawing, remind them to use their best craftsmanship (official rules).
Step 3: Reflect, Revise and Share
Before kids finish their Toyota Dream Car creation, have them stop at a few points in the art-making and reflect.
Consider together, are there any changes to make, additional ideas to add in, or craftsmanship to clean up.
After you and your child reflect on the art they might need to make revisions, work through the process with them then it’s time to finish the art.
We look forward to seeing you post your creations to Instagram but make sure to submit them by the deadline for judging!
Wishing you Creativity and Fun!
Matt and Laura
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