Recently, Mr. Belsha, our Innovation and Design Coordinator, noticed that the preschoolers in Cypress were showing a growing fascination with monster trucks, flamingos, and unicorns. There were many trucks in the classroom but few flamingos and unicorns to add to their play. The teachers provided printed pictures of these animals, taped to wooden blocks, but the children’s imaginations quickly outgrew the paper creations.
Seeing their excitement, Mr. Belsha offered to help bring their ideas to life using his laser printer. Soon, beautifully crafted wooden flamingos and unicorns appeared in the classroom!
There was one problem: since the flamingos and unicorns were thin, they tipped over easily. During a class meeting, Mr. Belsha encouraged the children to brainstorm ways to help the wooden figures stand upright. Drawing connections to real life, the children suggested the toys could use “shoes” for balance—just like people do.
To test the idea, our preschool teachers, Mrs. Stacey Harper and Mrs. Tarantino, pressed playdough into a small shoe for a flamingo toy, and it worked perfectly. From there, Mr. Belsha showed the children how to design oval-shaped wooden “shoes” on the laser printer that could attach to the bottom of each toy. The children were fascinated as they watched the laser cut out their designs, transforming their brainstorm into tangible pieces.
The project expanded when Mr. Belsha invited the children to create their own monster trucks. Using Sharpies, they sketched unique vehicles, experimenting with shapes, wheels, and details like windows, headlights, and even surf racks. Their drawings were then sent to the laser printer, and before long, Mr. Belsha returned with a tray of freshly cut wooden trucks.
The children were delighted to see their designs come to life in wood, recognizing the details they had drawn now made real. It was a proud and joyful moment—one where imagination, problem-solving, and creativity came together in toys they could play with and share.
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