The Impact of Different Types of Play on Problem-Solving Skills: Students could design and conduct experiments using simple board games (created from recycled cardboard and markers), puzzles (made from recycled materials like bottle caps or cardboard), or building challenges (using recycled boxes and straws) to compare the problem-solving abilities stimulated by different types of play. They could measure problem-solving time and success rates.

Building a Collaborative Storytelling Game: Students could create a collaborative storytelling game using recycled materials like cardboard, fabric scraps, and buttons. They could then observe how the game fosters creativity and communication skills among players. Data could be collected through observation and player feedback.

The Effect of Play on Stress Reduction: Students could design a simple, relaxing game using recycled materials (e.g., a beanbag toss game using fabric scraps and filled plastic bottles) and measure the heart rate or perceived stress levels of participants before and after playing the game.

Designing a Game to Teach a Specific Concept: Students could create a game using recycled materials to teach a specific scientific concept (e.g., fractions, simple machines, or the water cycle). They could then assess the effectiveness of the game in teaching the concept through pre- and post-tests.

The Role of Play in Developing Fine Motor Skills: Students could design and build a manipulative toy (e.g., a lacing toy from recycled cardboard and string, or a stacking game from recycled containers) and observe its impact on the fine motor skills of younger children (perhaps siblings or younger cousins).

Exploring the Relationship Between Play and Creativity: Students could create a simple art project using recycled materials (e.g., collage, sculpture) and compare the creativity levels of participants who engaged in free play before the activity versus those who did not. Creativity could be assessed using a rubric or rating scale.

The Impact of Imaginative Play on Language Development: Students could create a puppet theater from recycled boxes and fabric scraps and observe how imaginative play with the puppets influences the language development and storytelling abilities of young children.

Building a Simple Rube Goldberg Machine: Using recycled materials like cardboard tubes, bottle caps, and string, students can design and build a Rube Goldberg machine to demonstrate problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The complexity and efficiency of the machine can be assessed.

Creating a Board Game to Teach Cooperation: Students can design a board game using recycled materials that requires players to cooperate to achieve a common goal. They can then observe how the game fosters collaboration and communication skills.

Investigating the Effect of Different Play Environments on Focus and Attention: Students could create two different play environments using recycled materials – one stimulating and one calming – and observe the impact of each environment on the focus and attention span of participants engaged in a simple task. Data could be collected through observation and timed tasks.