Abstract. Grade 7 and 8 students did not receive adequate instruction on the fundamental concepts of linear motion due to the impact of the pandemic. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of incorporating self-made interactive physics toys, such as a toy car with a string and beads, a balloon-powered toy car, and an acceleration toy car, in teaching the basic concepts of linear motion to 7th and 8th-grade students. The researcher employed a quasi-experimental design, specifically a one-group pretest-posttest design. Statistical tools such as percentage, mean, standard deviation, weighted mean, t-test for dependent data, and Spearman Rank-Order Correlation were used for data analysis. The study involved 21 students, divided into 7 groups with 3 members each. The results indicated a “fairly satisfactory” performance in the pretest and a “very satisfactory” performance in the posttest, with the difference in their performances being statistically significant. Additionally, the students demonstrated a “very high” level of interest in using the three self-made interactive physics toys. Moreover, this study suggests that incorporating self-made interactive toys significantly improves students' performance and interest in science. This heightened engagement results in better comprehension and retention of concepts and fosters a positive attitude toward science. Finally, a moderate and significant correlation was found between the student's interest in using the interactive toys and their post-test performance.

Keywords: Interest; Instructional approach; Physics; Self-made interactive Physics toys.