Retail Stores @ 118 Maling Rd Canterbury (Near Canterbury Train Station) Open Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5pm Call 130 000 3126 | Chadstone Shopping Centre (near Baby Bunting )
Retail Stores @ 118 Maling Rd Canterbury (Near Canterbury Train Station) Open Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5pm Call 130 000 3126 | Chadstone Shopping Centre (near Baby Bunting )
If you’ve ever watched a child play with Air Toobz for the first time, you’ll have seen their eyes light up as scarves twirl, whoosh and dance through the clear tubes. The cause-and-effect magic is instantly captivating — but beyond the excitement, Air Toobz are quietly building some of the most essential early learning skills.
Air-powered tube systems are incredible for fostering problem-solving, experimentation, and creative thinking. Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, incorporating structured challenges into play can take this already brilliant toy to the next level.
In this article, we’ll explore creative Air Toobz challenges that help children stretch their curiosity, strengthen STEM skills, and boost confidence — all while having a blast.
Explore Air Toobz at My Playroom
Before diving into challenges, here’s why Air Toobz are so effective for developing problem-solving skills:
Children experiment with airflow, direction, speed, and rotation — all core physics concepts disguised as play.
Kids constantly ask:
“What happens if I move this connector?”
“Why did the scarf go slower this time?”
“How can I make it spin longer?”
Building tube routes encourages children to think ahead and visualise outcomes.
Team challenges help children articulate their ideas, solve disagreements, and work cooperatively.
Goal: Create an airflow path that takes the scarf as long as possible to complete.
✔ Planning & sequencing
✔ Understanding airflow resistance
✔ Fine motor and spatial awareness
Lay out all tube pieces so kids can see what’s available.
Set a start and end point (e.g., begin on the floor and finish in a basket on a table).
Encourage kids to explore different connector shapes to extend the route.
Add a twist: limit the number of pieces or require at least two turns.
Time each scarf run to see which design lasts longest.
Kids quickly discover that certain connectors slow airflow or create unexpected challenges — prompting redesigns, testing, and reasoning.
Goal: Build a course that requires the scarf to overcome three “obstacles” (e.g., sharp turn, elevation, speed drop).
A vertical climb
A loop-like turn
A narrow exit
A soft landing target (bucket, scarf basket, hoop)
✔ Creativity in engineering
✔ Persistence through trial and error
✔ Understanding cause and effect
This challenge works beautifully in therapy sessions or classrooms because it can be easily adapted to age and skill level.
Goal: Build two or more tube configurations and have children predict which one will send the scarf through faster.
✔ Early physics exploration
✔ Vocabulary expansion (e.g., “pressure”, “force”, “direction”)
✔ Confidence as children see their predictions improve over time
Build two different routes.
Ask children to predict the outcome and explain why.
Test and compare results.
Introduce variables: height, connectors, number of pieces.
This challenge models real scientific thinking — hypothesis, experiment, observation, conclusion.
Goal: Direct the scarf into a specific target.
A bucket across the room
A magnet board with scoring zones
A cardboard cut-out
A toy hoop
✔ Hand-eye coordination
✔ Engineering problem solving
✔ Emotional regulation and persistence
Add extra difficulty by asking kids to hit two targets in a row or redesign the tubes to aim in a new direction.
This creative challenge is a favourite for kids who love imaginative and dramatic play.
Kids can experiment with:
Spins
Twirls
Slow falls
High blasts
Bouncing off obstacles
✔ Creativity
✔ Language skills (explaining their designs)
✔ Fine motor development
✔ Sequencing skills
Encourage children to narrate the scarf’s “dance routine” as it travels through the tube system.
Perfect for siblings, classrooms, playgroups, and therapy sessions.
Every child must add at least one piece.
No one is allowed to remove someone else’s piece without discussing it first.
The team must test and adjust together.
✔ Collaboration
✔ Conflict resolution
✔ Flexible thinking
✔ Communication skills
This challenge encourages children to plan before they build.
✔ Visual-spatial reasoning
✔ Pre-writing and drawing skills
✔ Planning and organisation
✔ Engineering concepts
For older kids, encourage adding labels, arrows, and notes.
Use words like:
pressure
force
direction
path
twist
launch
connect
Try:
“What could we change to make it go faster?”
“Why do you think the scarf slowed down?”
“How else could we reach the target?”
This deepens learning and supports metacognition.
From STEM labs to playrooms to occupational therapy spaces, Air Toobz offer a rich and engaging platform for problem-solving development. Children naturally experiment, adjust, and innovate — all essential 21st-century skills.
Ready to introduce this powerful learning tool?
Explore them here: Air Toobz by Fat Brain Toys