Physics is not very popular with both children and adults alike. Studies show that one of the causes for the current situation might be a discordance between topics taught in the school curriculum and experiences from everyday life. Children are also too often put in passive roles during classes which, in many teachers’ opinions, is mostly due to lack of appropriate experimental equipment. A common remedy for both issues can be found in using toys in physics education. Many toys offer opportunities to explore interesting physics principles that children are mostly unaware of during play. In this way, toys can bridge the gap between everyday life experiences and the process of learning physics laws during formal classes. Using physics toys in classroom activities can help children assume an active role which, in return, boosts their motivation and improves their attitude towards physics education. The Diploma thesis will describe some opportunities for the usage of toys in physics education with its advantages and disadvantages. Also, some conclusions from various studies dealing with this topic will be outdrawn. The criteria for the selection of toys suitable for use in class will be formed. Toys will be described in brief, sorted according to topics included in the curriculum for physics education at lower secondary level. Further, selected toyswillbeshownwithashortdescriptionoftheirunderlyingphysicsprinciples and their possible usage in performing experiments. Magnetic toys will be presented in more detail together with extended usage scenarios in class. Some results acquired during hands-on experiments with toys on an extracurricular course in natural sciences which we led, will be presented. All measurements were performed by the children themselves.
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