Landscape Architecture for Landscape Architects › Forums › STORY BOARD › Landscape design toys for 11 yr olds ?
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Lucy Wang.
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January 15, 2014 at 1:30 pm #153304
Trace OneParticipantI was wondering if anyone had any rec. for toys for an 11 yr old who has become interested in the design of spaces.
?
January 15, 2014 at 2:13 pm #153324
Lucy WangParticipantLegos are pretty awesome. I know the company is heavily skewed to making Lego Architecture and not landscape but they do produce trees and flora so I’d poke around a toy store to see what turns up.
January 15, 2014 at 3:44 pm #153323
Rob HalpernParticipant1. A shovel
2. A hose
3. assorted rocks
4. A rule or two about what kids should not do with #1, #2, and #3
(This was my early education…. minus #4)
January 15, 2014 at 4:28 pm #153322Trace OneParticipantI guess that would do in my sisters apartment. A pile of dirt and a shovel, with a directive to re-do her bedroom, since spring is soon upon us..
very funny Rob.
legos, by the way, I do not get at all. They just turn into a pile of unsorted pieces..No comprendo.
I am thinking like a set with graph paper, templates for trees or couches. Maybe I need to invent this toy and market it…I don’t want to crush her enthusiasm, but I want to teach her how to visualize with plan section and perspective, plus appreciating the beauty of drafting, like Frank LLoyd Wright in the early years..
Or not. just leave it alone.
January 15, 2014 at 4:51 pm #153321
Dave McCorquodaleParticipantMy kids, 8 & 7, both really liked getting a tablet of graph paper like I use to design on and I let them have an old set of circle templates. Seemed incredibly simple to me, but I guess having something exactly like what I use daily is the key to why they like it so much. I think of it like prepping my own little cadre of draftsmen for me to exploit in a few years!!!
Dave
January 15, 2014 at 4:53 pm #153320
Ben YahrParticipantA sandbox!
January 15, 2014 at 5:02 pm #153319
Roland BeinertParticipantYou could get her a copy of AutoCAD.
Seriously, I think a set of drawing tools and maybe a book would be good.
January 15, 2014 at 6:18 pm #153318
Wyatt Thompson, PLAParticipantI’d give a kid SketchUp way before AutoCad. Minecraft is another really interesting educational-design tool if caregivers are willing to engage with the child in playing the “game.” I think something more hands-on that would let kids create and get their hands dirty without a screen or a plug would be better. Garden tools, art supplies, 3-dimensional puzzles maybe.
January 15, 2014 at 6:49 pm #153317Roland BeinertParticipantI was kidding about autocad. I guess I should have put a smiley face behind that so that people wouldn’t consider it a serious suggestion, even though I began the next sentence with “seriously”.
As I said, I think a set of drawing tools and a book would be good. If Trace has any of her old hand graphics books from college, it might be a good addition to drawing tools, especially if the book has lots pictures of plans and sections the kid could try to copy.
January 15, 2014 at 7:07 pm #153316Rob HalpernParticipantOuch!
January 15, 2014 at 7:13 pm #153315Trace OneParticipantno offense, to both Rob and Henry! I am not offended, and will take all comments, sorry if my ironic replies are too harsh…I like both your ideas..
January 15, 2014 at 7:31 pm #153314Rob HalpernParticipantNo worry. It was simply direct. You and I never hit the right note with each other the first time around
January 15, 2014 at 7:34 pm #153313Rob HalpernParticipantMore seriously: workable design happens out there in reality. So a tactile, visceral playing with spaces and volumes, textures etc is important. Sublimating the experience to the computer as a first step seems misguided to me. We design in space, we use computers to communicate it.
January 15, 2014 at 8:17 pm #153312Roland BeinertParticipantI guess if I have to explain a joke, it was never funny. So, I apologize for my stupid joke. I was not seriously suggesting anything computer related. I completely agree that CAD would be inappropriate (and far too expensive) for an 11 year old.
January 15, 2014 at 8:45 pm #153311
Jeffrey J. ForeshaParticipantHello All,
I would like to mention firstly that I began my interest in design with toys like Kinex and Legos. What I learned most from playing with those toys was that there were numerous possibilities within a limited kit of parts. I believe this coupled with art supplies would allow a child to explore a great range of concepts and get a firm grasp on spacial reasoning. Certainly adding in some real world digging in the backyard will help them gain a firm grasp on how one goes from design to construction. Minecraft is certainly an inexpensive option to the toys mentioned above and has wider options for play. With Minecraft you may want to help them find servers that are more conducive to creative building.
Hope this helps,
Jeff
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