Yo Yo's Kid Castle

Taipei, Taiwan
2015

This is the first sculpture in a new group of sculptures I call Immersive Rolling Ball Sculptures.  I spoke about the idea of Immersive Rolling Ball Sculptures at a TEDxVirginiaTech event in 2012 (click here to watch the talk), proposing the idea that kids need tactile experiences to help reinforce learning through play.  

This ball sculpture at Yo Yo’s Kid Castle is an immersive sculpture for kids that puts their play in the center of the action.  Through their effort and experimentation, they can reach different outcomes as the balls roll down the different shaped tracks.  There are 5 different areas of exploration, each with a different ball movement:  The Cross Track, The Skill Zone, The Sound Steps, The Loop-the-Loop, and the Drum Jump.

The elements of this sculpture are perfect for children's museums and other hands-on-learning areas or STEM-based areas.  If you know someone who would be interested, please share.  Thanks!

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The Drum Jump

Jump off the ramp, bounce off the tom-tom and slam into the crash.

Two similar stations encourage simultaneous play and increased capacity.

Launch off the jump, strike the snare drum and fly into the crash.

Release the ball down the slope and watch it jump through the air, bounce off a drum, and crash into the Symbol.  How high should the ball be released?  Will the ball strike the same place every time?

The Cross Track

The Cross Track encourages companion play; releasing balls to see how they interact.

The gentle slopes provide smooth back and forth motion. Will two balls hit, or miss?

The middle of the cross is where the action happens.

The Cross Track rests in the middle of the room for easy access all around.

Four sloped tracks meet in the center to form a cross.  Drop balls alternately on separate tracks to make them collide or have a near miss.  How many times can the balls avoid each other as they swoop back and forth?

The Loop-the-Loop

A kid's favorite track element, the loop-the-loop, can be experimented with hands-on.

The balls can be dropped at any height from either side.

The loop is made from the same sturdy plastic the other interactive elements are made of.

Watch the ball speed through the loop-the-loop up close.  See how far the ball has to be dropped up the slope to get it to loop the loop.  Try dropping more than one ball down the slope and see what happens.

The Sound Steps

Each of the 16 steps can be customized to play any combination of the 8 notes.

Kids learn musical notes, colors and letters as they organize and rearrange the sound bars.

Built-in storage shelves hold all the notes when not in use.

The Sound Steps are mounted to the wall where kids have freedom to run back and forth, releasing and collecting the balls.

The ball rolls down 16 steps, each with a customizable xylophone note that rings loud as the ball falls.  Use the steps to play a favorite tune or make up a custom jingle.  

The Skill Zone

The Skill Zone has a removable middle section that allows different skill sections to be changed, providing different experiences.

Newton's Track demonstrates the laws of motion as energy transfers through the stationary balls.

The Double Hill is a challenging section where the goal is to get a single ball to stop between the two hills.

Mounted along a wall, the Skill Zone is out of the way and features built-in storage for the unused sections.

Two curved ends converge in the center where track sections can be added or removed to the skill zone. There are 4 different track sections to choose from.  The straight section; allows the ball to move back and forth unimpeded. The steep jump; get the ball to jump smoothly straight up and back down the other side.  The double hill;  get the ball to roll over the first hill, then rest in the space between the first and second hill without rolling past the second hill.  
 The Newton’s Track;  Place 4 or more balls in the depression of this section, let a ball roll down the slope and impact the balls to see what happens.

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