Remote control toys

Example activity

What will the children do?

With adult support the children will use the open space outdoors to instruct a remote control car to go forwards, backwards, left and right. They will observe the results of their actions and take turns. The children will make a block structure and direct the car through the pathways.

Areas of learning

• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Mathematical development

What do we want the children to learn?

• To be able to instruct a programmable toy
• To use a programmable toy to support learning
• To use everyday words to describe position
• To be able to work as part of a group, taking turns and sharing fairly

Resources

• A remote control car

You will be able to obtain the resources used from the companies listed here.

Information and communications technology (ICT) levels of differentiation

• Recognises connection between remote control and making car move
• Recognises different buttons steer different directions
• Moves car purposefully
• Recognises which buttons steer which way
• Gains increasing control over manipulating a joy stick or buttons

Children’s individual targets, that this activity could meet

• To begin to differentiate direction and position e.g. forwards, backwards
• To be able to listen to and follow instructions
• To be confident to try out a new activity, explore and experiment
• To be able to work alongside others, taking turns

Adult input (including language to be introduced)

• Demonstrate how to make the remote control car move
• Demonstrate the different actions of the buttons
• Introduce correct vocabulary
• Support children in taking turns
• Forwards, backwards, left, right, stop, turn around, back, other way

Areas & resources inside & out for spontaneous learning

• Using a programmable toy independently inside e.g. programming a toy to move around a small world environment
• Taking apart a defunct remote control device
• Using TV remote controls in role-play
• Using a range of simple toys that have a one button press for an action eg scanner till, kettle, toaster, microwave, phone etc

Questions for assessment opportunities

• What happened when you pressed that button?
• How did you make it work?
• How did you make the car move?
• Could you tell it to move over there? How do you do that?

Observation

• Are the children stimulated and interested in this activity?
• Do they take turns, sharing the remote control with others in the group?
• Do they listen to and observe how to use the remote control?
• Do they handle the control experimentally or attempt to make the car move in a particular direction?
• Do they try both buttons?
• Do they use directional language?