[Creative Treasure Box EP10] Your All-in-One Construction Vehicle Adventure! Drive Three Construction Machines in One!

Hello everyone, I'm Teacher Sloth! In this series, Teacher Sloth will share some block creations, some may be complex mechanical designs, while others may be simple model creations, so that every time you click on an article, it's like opening a "Creative Treasure Box," always full of unexpected surprises!

In the toy market, there's one category that never goes out of style — construction vehicles! These toys never fail to make little boys' and girls' eyes light up with excitement. Even today, many manufacturers continue to innovate and produce new designs, and you can still find construction vehicle toys in convenience stores everywhere.

Construction vehicle toys are known for their realistic and practical designs. Through playing with them, children can develop an early understanding of basic mechanical principles. They also get the chance to connect with real-world experiences by engaging in imaginative role-play as construction workers or drivers — all while having fun. Today’s construction vehicle toys are more advanced than ever, with some models featuring lights, sounds, and even the ability to transform!

Today, let's use Gigo A Series building blocks and flexible tubes (A-FLEXI-TUBE) to build a versatile construction vehicle that can easily transform into a dump truck, excavator, or bulldozer — letting you enjoy three kinds of fun all in one!

★ Parts Preparation
Below is the list of components needed for this model. Feel free to choose the colors you like.

★Assembly steps

Construction Vehicle

1. First, we connect three A-2×3 HOLE BASE as shown in the figure below, making two groups in total.

After completion, place the two sets of rectangular parts in opposite directions.

2. After completion, use the A-TRACK CONNECTOR in the middle to connect them to complete the body of the car.

3. Next, angle an A-2×3 Hole Base and attach it to the front of the vehicle’s cab.

Assembling it at an angle can better present the curves of the construction vehicle!

4. Combine six A-OD70 WHEEL with six A-80mm CONNECTOR and place them on the left and right sides of the vehicle body.

Construction vehicles often have machinery installed in the rear half, so a common design features two front wheels and four rear wheels for better support and balance.

Cockpit

Of course, a construction vehicle needs a cockpit for workers to operate it!

We use a A-3 HOLE ROUND ROD and two A-2 HOLE ROD to make a U-shaped structure and place it on the front of the car.

★How to Play
Once you’ve built the basic model, you can customize it with different accessories to transform it into three unique construction vehicles!

1. Gravel Truck
Attach two A-3 HOLE ROUND ROD, three A-4 HOLE ROD, and two A-FLEXI-TUBE to the rear of the vehicle, as shown below.

Now, you can put the goods on the platform, transport them to the designated location, and bend the A-FLEXI-TUBE to unload the goods!

2. Bulldozer
Attach two A-3 HOLE ROUND ROD, two A-4 HOLE BENDED ROD, and two A-FLEXI-TUBE to the front of the vehicle, following the assembly shown below.

Now, you can drive this construction vehicle and remove obstacles on the road!

3. Excavator

By removing the shovel in front of the bulldozer and changing the position of the curved tube, it can be transformed into an excavator.

You can now freely adjust the shovel's angle to drag things.

★Scientific Principles
This activity uses two main scientific principles: elasticity and inclined planes.

The A-FLEXI-TUBE can bend freely at different angles because it has elasticity—the ability of a material to return to its original shape after being deformed by an external force. We use the curved tube’s flexibility to experiment with movements like dumping cargo or extending to dig.

An inclined plane is a sloped surface that allows objects to slide down naturally. When we bend the dump truck’s curved tube, the cargo bed tilts and forms an inclined plane, allowing materials to slide off.

★Postscript  
When exploring more advanced mechanical structures, connecting the learning process to real-life experiences makes it much more effective for children. Since they are already familiar with how these mechanisms work in the world around them, creating and playing with realistic models helps bridge the gap between play and learning. This is exactly why so many modern toys aim for lifelike design and functionality!

◆Reference:

1. Gravel Truck: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dump_truck

2. Bulldozer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldozer

3. Excavator: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excavator

★NGSS Curriculum:

• 3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. ​
• 3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

• 3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. ​

• 3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. ​

• 3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.