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Maths In Jobs

Be a junior toy designer for a day maths challenge

An imaginative role-play challenge where children use shapes, measurement, testing and packaging like a real toy designer.

Quick answer

You can be a junior toy designer for a day by using maths to design, measure, test, and package toys – just like real toy designers do!

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to use shapes, measurement, and packaging maths to design a toy like a real toy designer. Success signs:
  • You can describe the shapes used in a toy design
  • You can measure and compare lengths, widths, and heights
  • You can work out how much packaging material you need
  • You can explain how testing toys helps improve them

Why this matters

Toy designers use maths every day to make sure their toys are fun, safe, and fit in the right boxes. They use shapes to build toys, measure things to make sure they’re the right size, and calculate how much packaging they need. When you play with toys, you’re using maths too – and now you’ll understand how designers use maths to make them!

How it works

Here’s how you can be a junior toy designer for a day:
  1. Choose a toy idea – think of something fun to build, like a toy car or a robot
  2. Design with shapes – use 2D and 3D shapes to make your toy
  3. Measure your toy – find the length, width, and height
  4. Test your toy – see if it works well
  5. Package it – work out how much space it needs

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you’re designing a toy robot. Here’s how you use maths: Step 1: Choose shapes Your robot might have:
  • A square head
  • A rectangle body
  • Cylindrical legs
  • Spherical eyes
Step 2: Measure the toy You measure your robot:
  • Height: 12 cm
  • Width: 8 cm
  • Depth: 6 cm
Step 3: Test it You roll the robot across the floor and notice it wobbles. You fix it by making the base wider. Step 4: Package it You need to fit your robot in a box. You add 1 cm extra space all around, so the box must be:
  • Height: 13 cm
  • Width: 9 cm
  • Depth: 7 cm

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: Design Your Own Toy! You are a junior toy designer working for a toy company. You have been asked to design a new toy for children. Here’s your challenge:
  1. Draw a picture of your toy (4th time: ?)
  2. Identify the shapes used in your toy (5th time: ?)
  3. Measure the toy’s length, width, and height (6th time: ?)
  4. Test it with a friend (7th time: ?)
  5. Decide how big a box it needs to fit in (8th time: ?)
Let’s say your toy is a flying car made from:
  • 2 rectangles for the body
  • 4 circles for the wheels
  • 1 triangle for the roof
Your car is 10 cm long, 6 cm wide, and 5 cm tall. Your friend says it flies too high and crashes. You fix it by making it lighter. Your box must be at least 11 cm long, 7 cm wide, and 6 cm tall.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking that shapes don’t matter in toy design. Why it happens: Children might not see how shapes make a toy work. Fix: Use everyday objects to show how shapes make toys (e.g., a ball is round, so it rolls).
  • Mistake: Forgetting to add space when measuring packaging. Why it happens: Kids might think the toy fits exactly in the box. Fix: Always add 1 cm extra space on all sides.
  • Mistake: Not testing the toy before packaging. Why it happens: Kids might rush to the final step. Fix: Always test your toy first to make sure it works.
  • Mistake: Confusing length, width, and height. Why it happens: Kids often mix up these terms. Fix: Use a real toy to show how to measure each side (e.g., long side = length).

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child by:
  • Encouraging them to draw or build their toy
  • Helping them measure with a ruler
  • Asking questions like, “How tall is your toy?” or “What shape is the wheel?”
  • Letting them test their toy with a friend or family member
  • Practising packaging ideas using boxes or containers
You don’t need to be a toy designer to help! Just ask questions, encourage creativity, and let them explore maths in a fun way.

Practice questions

  1. What 3D shapes could you use to build a toy house?
  2. If a toy car is 8 cm long and 5 cm wide, what size box do you need to fit it with 1 cm extra space?
  3. How many circles are needed for 3 toy wheels?
  4. What 2D shapes make up a robot’s head?
  5. If a box is 10 cm tall, 8 cm wide, and 6 cm deep, what is the total volume in cubic centimeters?
Answers:
  1. A cube, a rectangular prism, and a triangle
  2. 9 cm x 6 cm x 11 cm
  3. 3 circles
  4. A square or rectangle
  5. 480 cubic centimeters

FAQ

What kind of maths do toy designers use?

Toy designers use shapes, measurement, area, volume, and packaging maths.

Can I be a toy designer when I grow up?

Yes! Toy designers need creativity, maths, and problem-solving skills. You can study design, engineering, or art to become one.

How does packaging use maths?

Packaging uses maths to work out how much space a toy needs, how much material to use, and how to fit it neatly in a box.

Why do toy designers test their toys?

Testing helps toy designers make sure their toys are safe, fun, and work the way they should.

Do I need to be good at maths to be a toy designer?

You need to understand shapes, measurement, and basic calculations. But creativity and imagination are just as important!