Maze Development: Student Summary Examples

 

These screenshots from this post represent some of our students work combining the elements of Seesaw, Tinkercad (the app and its AR/VR ability) and our students iPads.

This is of course the 'Maze' activity from our students which has included the first step of creating a virtual design, providing them with feedback and then identifying improvements that can be made.   The students then had the ability to make improvements on their design, discuss with partners that they were working with and review the design and then project it again onto a variety of locations.   Students have opted to place it on different surfaces to see how it 'popped' the design and creation.

The students variation has also led them to consider a range of designs for the ball for the maze.   As we would obviously expect - not all of these designs will make it to the physical printing process.

The AR/VR work here was conducted in a single afternoon, the designs having been made the previous day and then altered or modified depending on the feedback that the students have given each other.

Using Tinkercad as an AR/VR Design Tool

 

At the start of this year we published a post on this blog about the purchase of a pair of end of line backdrops that were brought from a major chain and marked as line discontinued.   They featured a 'tropical island/volcano backdrop and a second design as shown left.

The cost for these items was NZD $2.00.    The measure 2.5m by 1.8m.

The first instance led itself to animals and some of the pre-made Tinkercad designs.  In this instance we wanted to push the design skills of the students but the intention was not for a 3D Printed model it the end, the intention was for Tinkercad to be used to design the figure and for it to be projected into place as part of the design but not to be physically printed.

We have previously published entire slideshows along this theme, accessed by clicking here.

Students needed to consider their ability to design something that would potentially seem authentic within the scene.

We tasked students with not trying to 'hide' something but think about scale and think about setting.

Once this had been designed in Tinkercad students then used the Tinkercad App and its AR/VR button to project their original image onto the scene.   There were a number of aspects to this design the students had to consider.

An example is shown left where the student has created a cloud that is designed to fit into the scene.  The brightness of the cloud makes it stand out relative to the other objects in the background.

The student wanted to then edit the photo to change the brightness of photo and in particular find a way of reducing the brightness of the cloud.

In the second example shown left the student wanted to introduce something that was implied to be there by the shape of the scene.   They created a cable and a hook by using the basic Tinkercad shapes and had it 

Again there is a subtle difference between the colour of the yellow from the cable connector to the hook to the other yellow present in the scene which the student was going to undertake to alter.

Scale was an important consideration for this task as well as the colour and shade of the additions created by the students.   In the further example shown left the student added a figure who is sitting on the crane which needed to be manipulated by the student so that it appeared to be the correct size - when you compare this image to the photo above you can clearly see the figure that has been added.

We completed this task in an afternoon session with a whole class of students who were working individually (as we are luckily a 1:1 iPad School) however it could also be completed as a group activity.   As it was completed without the need for any physical object that came as a result the results could be completed and it was instantly available, instead of having to wait for a 3D Printing process to be completed.   Completed independently by eight year old students.

3D Design Puanga Art Piece

 

We've explained the process where we've been identify the group of stars that makes up the Matariki constellation of stars that is celebrated as part of our national holiday.

Regionally there is some variation - in our area where Auroa School is based, Taranaki, we celebrate rather than Matariki, Puanga.    You can view the difference between the two celebrations here.

While it is important to understand Matariki for our students, it is equally important for us to focus on Puanga.   For this we used the knowledge that we had built from the process in the last few days.

For the building of this group of stars we wanted to make sure that Puanga is the most significant from the group as it needs to be the focus.

The Tinkercad App was used with the students iPads (we are an #Apple Distinguished School) to create the group of stars.   We then used a specific feature of the app - the ability of the combination of the app and the iPad to AR/VR the design into another location.  We have extensively used this feature for a number of times which we have featured on this blog - you can search for additional examples by clicking on the link in the search box and inputting 'AR/VR'.

Once this had been completed (such as the student shown left, who projected the image onto the sky) the students then applied a Pic Collage feature.    This allowed considerable manipulation of the image - however as we had described in previously some of this manipulation altered the image to the point that the original design was completely reworked, overshadowed or altered.

One of the challenges for the students was to find innovative and creative locations to then apply a filter.  An example of this process was the use of the school playground in the example left.   We have a swing bridge as part of playground, this image here shows the bridge which then had the AR/VR image projected onto the bridge and the filter applied afterwards.

Puanga was labelled to ensure that it was the most significant star and that it was still visible with the differing background.

Summary of Half Way Point: Term One 2026

 

Students have completed the introductory task which was the creation of a name badge/plate.   This was detailed on the blog here.   This print them morphed into a series of prints based around the development of a generic stencil and then a stencil which was personalised for the students.   You can view all of these posts by clicking on the links above.

These posts were completed by seven and eight year students from our rural school in New Zealand using Tinkercad and their iPads.

We have had students refining their designs based around the repairing of a piece of play furniture, which in this case in a barn/farm set.

While it is not immediately obvious if you haven't seen a post before about this item the door shown left, in white has been created by a student and then using the Tinkercad App and the apps AR/VR feature the students have 'projected' the door into place to see how it visually looks - there is no 3D Printing of the part at this stage, the students are designing and crafting thier ideas and applying them in a virtual sense.   Eventually the doors will be printed and an attempt will be made to complete the play set by developing a solution to the roof which will need to be produced in several stages.  You can view examples of this work throughout this blog by using the search bar top right or clicking on examples here.

We have spent considerable time exploring the AR/VR design aspect of Tinkercad.   Students have made a range of creations and used the pre-made items and also used original designs such as the donut shown left which was then projected into a students lunchbox.    When this was completed we have taken the adapted image and combined it with another level of AR/VR by running it through one of a number of Pic Collage filters that are available via that App.

Our students do not have time to allocate to this other than our 'design' or 'investigate' time in the classroom which is usually in the afternoon.   

Junior Cohort Challenge - Bottle

 

We are encouraging students as much as possible to come up with original designs and creations, thinking about objects and shapes that students can create and detail using programs - in this case Tinkercad is our design tool.

Students are using Tinkercad with their iPad to create designs such as this.   This was created by a cohort two student, that is student who has used Tinkercad previously last year and this year we are looking at projects to extend their design skills.

While there is a range of objects that can be selected to design one of the best items for honing the design skills of the students (again as we have pointed out numerous times are seven and eight year olds).   

The concept of the design and the production process are some of the most important process.

The original Tinkecad main interface item is the bottle shown left of the pair, the original being shown above.   The main difference between the two designs at this early stage (as the student has had precisely one block of time in class being able to design this) is that the student has not hollowed out their design by using the 'hole' tool accessible from the main page.

This is something that the student will have the skill to complete independently and should be able to succeed with shortly.

The student also was able to look at using the final stage of the testing, which was to use the AR/VR function that is present in Tinkercad to project both of the bottles into different locations in the classroom.

In the example shown left the project virtually of the objects allows the students to compare how they look in a real settings, what they might need to do to adapt the design and how the could compare to each other.   The student also put a 'real' bottle into the mix as well but decided against the photograph as they had labels and stickers on them which meant it was very visual to see what was the 'real' bottle.

The students next step is to refine the design again so that both of the designs are closer to each other with their dimensions so the two are identical.

AR/VR Supreme Tinkercad Exemplar

 

The example shown left is a original student design created by a cohort two (more experienced student in the use of Tinkercad, having spent one year in the classroom previously).   

The student used the various shapes from the main interface and included the paws/claws which can be located with a quick search.   The body, mane and details were all created quickly.    The student then used the AR/VR Tinkercad app to project the image into a location which would demonstrate its scale - in this instance it was in the middle of our school field in summer, which provided an excellent backdrop.  While this looked fantastic and the student was thrilled with the result - pic collage took it to the next stage.

With the 'festive winter' themed pic collage filter the design really comes into its own - the expression in the face provides the detail that was previously absent.   The background and foreground also really suited the  composition of the picture - which again when shown left looks particularly striking.

The student wanted to use the image as a creation (art) based however it would obviously make an amazing writing prompt or potential card etc.  The entire process took under half an hour to complete (independently) with the student working with the app and their iPad.

This is the students summary on Seesaw which is draft combining all of the elements that the student put into it from the original Tinkercad design and then into two additional versions 

The student is going to refine the post to ensure that it is grammatically correct and then post it to be shared with the classroom and their family.

 

Using Tinkercad to AR/VR Designs

 

We have started into the school year completing some basic tasks with the students focussed around producing their first design steps.   We are again using the #Tinkercad app for design in conjunction with the students with their iPads.     We are very fortunate to be a 1:1 iPad school as well as an Apple Distinguished School.

There are a number of reasons why we have used Tinkercad consistently for over ten years in the classroom and with our students.      It is a multi-layered design tool which the students take to (in terms of designing, creation and innovation) quickly and successfully.

One aspect of the design tool that we have used extensively with students (a reminder that we have a year 4 class of eight year olds for 2026, last year it was combined with seven and eight year olds) is the ability for students to AR/VR their designs while in Tinkercad using the Tinkercad App.

There are a number reasons that we do this primarily it allows the students to test the visibility of their designs but it also creates the potential for a further range of innovation with the use of technology.   Our first steps for 2026 have been to combine the AR/VR function to look at our stencil activity - shown in these pictures in the classroom and outside on the deck (one of the awesome things about the AR/VR aspect of Tinkercad is there is no green screen required).  We have also begin work for the year by looking at both our country and the mountain that dominates our region and our school.

We have 3D Printed both of these objects as we have previously posted about, but with the .stl file which are both prints we are able to share them with the students.   They are able to manipulate, shape and create using these files and the app.

In the example shown left students have taken the map of New Zealand and projected it onto the swing in the playground, to make it further stand out, its colour has been modified and then a screenshot has been taken with the students iPad.   The students have been encouraged to think about interesting and creative locations where they can project both images and also to think about 'super sizing' the prints so they dominate the areas around the school.

By sharing ideas and creations with the students (such as the photo shown left, which is the map of New Zealand on the 'wall' of the classroom) the students are both developing their own skills and also working with something that they are able to familiarise themselves with.

This task is being completed by juniors - which is seven and eight year olds however we have had students as young as five able to pick up the concept and use it as a challenge.   You can read numerous examples of this process and how we have used it by searching this blog and using the label 'AR/VR' or you can click on the link to an example here.

2026: Using Tinkercad for AR/VR Building Design

 

We have posted extensively in the past about how we are increasingly using Tinkercad and the Tinkercad App to AR/VR students designs for the purpose of prototyping.

This means that prior to potential printing students can apply a design, consider it, rework and potentially then reflect and design - with 3D Printing being the final potential step.

We wrote last year after school finished that we had made a series of purchases for potential classroom projects - including the design shown left.

In this instance the students decided to start with potentially one of the basic designs - a door to work in conjunction with the structure.  Apart from a basic design  of the door the challenge for the student is to consider the design of a hinge.  There is a small bracket which is on the door frame on the right.  In the example shown left the student (who is eight years old) has used the app and then projected the image into the design to see if it 'looks right' and therefore can advance further with the design, make adjustments or reconsider their approach.   The key area of the design is the hinge and allowing the ability for the door to be open and closed.   Students are aware from completing the 'badge' process that the anticipated print time for this project is in the region of thirty minutes.

3D Printing Projects for 2026: AR/VR Modelling

 

In 2025 we had a number of projects that our students were involved in, and as part of our planning for 2026 we have started looking at what projects that we might be involving our students in.

Our 2025 Dolls House project involved taking a item that was destined for the rubbish skip and was remodelled, redesigned and rebuilt using our school technology - you can see the overview of the project in this post here.

Recently when visiting local hospice/red cross stores we found an item that potentially we could use for a project work in 2026.   We selected this item for a number of reasons.

Firstly the dimensions of the object are considerably smaller than the dolls house and some of the associated 3D Printing will be subsequently smaller.   When we worked with the Dolls House we essentially laser cut the body while we 3D Printing the matching furniture.    The main building is 30cm by 20cm.  Some of the potential replacement items such as the doors will be 70mm by 90mm.

The building has a farm theme to it.   Our school is in a significant dairy farming area in New Zealand, this will allow the students to consider items and vehicles etc. that they would see at their home location.

There are other features of this item that would lead to potential 3D Printing projects.   There are caps missing on the tops of the chimney, there are holes on the outside of the structure, which would be suited for small vegetation or trees.

The students are going to be starting projects in two tiers this coming year.   Tier one will consist of students who have had no experience with 3D Printing prior to being in the classroom.   The second group of students are tier two students who have had a years experience with using Tinkercad and 3D Printing they will be working on more complex and challenging prints and designs.   

This is the sort of task that the second tier of students will begin the year with.   When the students have completed their initial designs they will follow the process of using the Tinkercads App AR/VR to test their designs and apply it to the item.  This is something that we have completed extensively during 2025 with students using their iPads to use the Tinkercad app to design the object and then AR/VR their designs into locations to check its viability.  You can see a number of examples of this process here on our blog such as the Dolls House Furniture

From this point we will then be selecting certain project pieces to advance to the printing process before we test them in viability.   

Finally the price which we paid for this item was $5.00 at the local charity shop- the fact that pieces are already missing is a bonus, the only regret is that this item has no print markings on it and at this point we have not located the original play set as we would ideally be able to identify what needs to be replaced or designed.  

Using TInkercad to create virtual Christmas Tree

 

This task took several different stages and was completed during a block of work, just over one hour, in the classroom with the class of Y3/4 (seven and eight year old students).   This task was not considered as a 3D Print project, it was completed with the intention that the AR/VR being the final stage.

Stage One: Tinkercad: Tree Design

The students used their iPads and the Tinkercad App to create a unique Christmas Tree.   The students had to do this from the start using the main design interface.   This proved to be something of a challenge however the students were able to overcome this by using the scribble feature.   This design feature was used to create the first layer of the tree which was then repeated and resized to create the next layer and then so forth to build the tree.  A basic shape was used for the trunk of the tree.

Once this had been completed to the students satisfaction the student then decided to focus on adding the decorations for the tree.   The standard decorations for the tree, baubles are obviously a basic shape.  

 In addition to this the student choose to add some additional features on the tree that would not be expected to be seen which you can see when you view the design.

Stage Two: Tinkercad: AR/VR

One the design was completed the Tinkercad App was used  (in conjunction with the students iPads) to project the tree in different locations around the school.  The students had a series of challenges that needed to be met with the tree in different directions.  For example when the tree was projected onto our school field as shown left this was the 'big' task when the tree was placed somewhere and the size of the tree was intended to be significant.  You can see other examples of this process here on this link.

The next challenge in the series was to place the tree somewhere with the 'small' tag.  This challenged the students to think about composition and where the tree could be placed.  In the example shown left here the students found a wheelbarrow here and placed it in the wheelbarrow so that it allowed some framing for the object.

We had the students take a significant number of photographs but when we came to publishing we identified five photographs that the students felt told the story of the tree and used that for the purpose of publishing.

The tree had to be rotated in different scenes.  As a result of this when the tree was originally designed we made sure the students had rotated the tree a full rotation so we could check that all sides had details and different aspects and viewpoints to it.

In the example shown left the student wanted to put the tree next to another tree as if it looked like a group of trees in a row.   This was another of the checklist criteria that we wanted the students to be able to complete.

While not trying to hide the print as such it was about thinking about where we could locate it.   The process to AR/VR involving Tinkercad is extremely easy for the students to complete independently and can be completed without the need for another App.

The next photo proved challenging to the student where they had the wire fence and wanted to place the tree on the other side of fence.  In essence they attempted to place the design in the garden but couldn't work out a way to address the fence that placed the tree in front or behind of.

Again the design was rotated again by the student and they continued to look for locations around the school where they could place the tree.

Once this was completed and the student had identified the best five photos for this sequence we had a sharing session with the students in the classroom.  The purpose of doing this was to give them feedback about what ideas and creativity the students had developed and allow them to think how they might apply it to themselves.

Potentially this tree activity could have been adapted - we made the students create the tree from scratch, however they are a class of students who have been developing ideas and creations for between six months and two years and are confident problem solvers and creators using Tinkercad.  There are very templates and models of trees available that the students could have used to shorten the process and instead focus on the decorations and the additional features.   We also could have been more descriptive with what the students could have placed or hidden in the tree.

TInkercad Vs. Minecraft Part Two

 

Yesterdays classroom challenge was to use two distinct design tools to see if the same object could be replicated as closely as possible.    

We have used Tinkercad extensively as a design tool for our Y3 and Y4 classroom this year, during this time the students design ideas and creations have grown in leaps and bounds.   Yesterdays challenge provided a range of results, the following day a number of students provided additional designs which were more refined, had more detail and also brought some of the details to the fore.

In both the examples above and below, the Panda and the Mushroom Cow the students were able to put detail and colour combinations into the prints.   The Tinkercad design is on the left on the students original design plate - the relevant animal from Minecraft is on the right with a screenshot from the educational release of the game.

The challenge has pushed the students design skills to get something right, to replicate it and to design something by following a plan.  As they do not have the exact design tools in Minecraft that they have in Tinkercad they had to be create and adapt what they were building and problem solve.

We also wanted to give students the chance to use both tools to create a static object and then use the building tools of both programs.   In the example shown left the student opted for a 'Rainbow' design and used the colour palette in both programs to complete it.  There are a considerable range of designs and prints in this run and we will be using other formats to publish these designs at a later date.

Tinkercad Vs. Minecraft

 

We are always looking for challenges to engage and encourage the students in the classroom, particularly in anything related to digital design and creation.

We are using Tinkercad with our class of seven and eight year old students (Y3/4 in New Zealand) and we have a class of 25 students working at a (regular) state school in New Zealand.  We are very lucky to be a ADE school and we have a 1:1 iPad school (of 200 students).   You can locate further information about our school by clicking on the link here.

One of the most popular and enduring games or activities that the students have used and work and design in is Minecraft and Minecraft Education.

Minecraft has a range of characters, creations and locations which are typically block based - which works in wonderfully with Tinkercad which has a design page based on a number of shapes.

This has allowed the class of students to create their own version of the Minecraft characters using Tinkercad as a creation tool.   Our students spent the afternoon choosing a Minecraft character and then attempting to replicate the character in the creation process via Tinkercad.   Students then checked in which each other about details - as we had several experts in the classroom they were able to look at the characters and provide feedback to each other about them.   They then compared the specific details of the creations with the originals and made adjustments to ensure that they were as close as possible.   There were several instances where the originals were very close.

The Tinkercad interface allows the design tool to alter the colour of the individual shapes and details.   This allowed students to introduce specific details and colouring, such as the design shown left.   The student manipulated the design of a specific colour.

We have written in the past about activities that involve 3D Design (CAD) design but do not necessarily lend themselves to 3D Printing.  

This design task was another example of this - if you click on this link it will take you to a page on this blog which labelled is 'guide/special projects'.

Once the design process was completed, the designs had been compared to the originals and then refined the next step was for the students to AR/VR their designs into the classroom setting to 'pose' them.

In this example shown left, the students have designed a Minecraft Creeper and placed it in the classroom setting.   The creeper was designed using Tinkercad in the main interface and then projected into the classroom setting using the AR/VR button on the iPad via the Tinkercad app.

This example shows a basic character from the game when the student presented this and then projected the image the next step was to challenge the student to create a more complex or detailed design.   

There is an example of the next level of design showing below.  In this example the student chose another animal that is popular in Minecraft, the axolotl.   This proved to be an extremely challenging design.

The design is shown left, the design has been AR/VR onto the floor the classroom.

The colour that was created using the design matched the colour of the design in the game.   The ability to recognise the design was high amongst the students.   This was amongst some of the most detailed creations from the students in the classroom.

There will be an additional slideshow that will be published on this learning activity explaining it in detail.

Using Tinkercad with AR/VR

 

We have spoken at length on this blog over the length of time that it has been running, about how we are using Tinkercad extensively (and essentially exclusively for our 3D design and CAD creation) with our students and their iPads.

We have spoken at length and provided examples of how we have also been using it as a design tool, which hasn't always led to 3D Printing.

At the moment Tinkercad has an exceptional series of challenges for part of Tinkercad TInktober.   These are excellent design challenges which the students have enjoyed attempting.

It also inspired our students to look at other similar tasks.  This afternoon when we were looking to experiment again with using AR/VR students located the 'skeleton' elements using the main Tinkercad interface.   By putting them together in the order a Skeleton was created which the students then looked to use the iPad Tinkercad App to project it onto a number of locations.   In this instance it has been created bigger than a classroom.