Year 5 Students Turn Cardboard into Creative, Sustainable Arcade Games

Year 5 Students Turn Cardboard into Creative, Sustainable Arcade Games

This term in Year 5 Design and Technologies, students were inspired by the story of Caine’s Arcade, where a young boy transformed discarded cardboard boxes into a working arcade complete with games, tickets, and prizes. Taking inspiration from Caine’s creativity and perseverance, our Year 5 students set out to design and construct their own arcade style games, with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation.

To bring their ideas to life, students used the Make:Do program. It is a set of simple, safe, and reusable construction tools specially designed for children. With saws for cutting cardboard, scrus (plastic screws) for fastening, and fold rollers for shaping, the Make:Do tools encouraged students to think like engineers, exploring how everyday materials can be transformed into functional designs. The program also emphasised environmental responsibility, showing students how recyclable materials like cardboard can be repurposed into imaginative and purposeful creations.

A key part of the project was collaboration. Students worked together in small groups, learning to share ideas, test solutions, and adapt their designs when things didn’t go as planned. This fostered not only problem-solving and critical thinking skills but also resilience and teamwork. The Year 5 classrooms quickly became a hub of creativity, with students experimenting, troubleshooting, and celebrating their progress along the way.

The final products were a fantastic showcase of originality and ingenuity. From cleverly designed game mechanics to creative decoration, each arcade game reflected the students’ hard work and collaborative spirit. The project highlighted the power of hands-on learning, where design thinking, engineering skills, and imagination come together to create something truly memorable.

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