Mad Science Monday: Toy Deconstruction Lab

I don't know if I have spent nearly enough blog space singing the praises of our local county library system, but in case I have not, it is amazing. Summers at home with kids are made possible, survivable and affordable by our county libraries. Between story times, family events, a summer reading incentive program and, well, books, we've got summers covered here!

Last week, we attended an evening Toy Deconstruction event at one of our library branches. The boys (my husband included) were in HEAVEN. A room with tables strewn with rejected toys, hairdryers, and other battery operated or electronic devices otherwise on their way to a junkyard along with access to a variety of tools made for an evening of fun and learning for kids of all ages. (Lots of kids at heart, there, too!)

I can remember as a little girl that my own mother, ever ahead of her time, was always the DIY type when it came to repairs. When, on occasion, some of those repairs were not successful--again, ever ahead of her time--my mother would let my sister and I have at the remains. I have a very vivid memory of a cardboard box that housed the remains of a VCR and some screw drivers we were allowed to use to see the insides.

Now made popular by catchphrases like "STEM," "loose parts" and "tinkering," the act of encouraging and allowing children to explore a variety of real materials and real tools is common practice. But often we focus on the act of building and creating something. The equally valuable act of deconstructing and taking things apart is often overlooked. Furthermore, there is a great deal of anxiety when it comes to allowing children to use "adult" tools and handle "adult" materials.


I definitely do condone safe practices when working with young children on building and/or deconstructing activities, particularly when this includes the use of tools, potentially sharp objects and small loose parts. Know your audience, know your space and know everyone's limits. And even after considering everything you "know," be mindful and prepared for addressing safety concerns as they crop up. I would not recommend a large group of children in this type of activity without an equally large group of supporting adults. In a home setting, you also want to make sure you are available to support and supervise.

 S and Y had so much fun exploring the innards of several toys at the library that I mentally stored the idea for helping some of our own "ready-to-move-on" toys toward the next leg of their journey.

I have a Mommy Confession: I hate noisy toys. I know, that is a strong word. It is a strong feeling. I know my kids love them. I know most kids do. It's always the first thing they flock toward when at someone else's house or in a public play area. I am very grateful that they have friends and grandparents who graciously support their love of noisy toys. But I personally cannot stand them! So when an influx of new noisy toys makes its way into these quarters, it's time for an equal output in the opposite direction if you know what I mean...




This morning, the boys were greeted at their Morning Work Table by a tool box of screw drivers in assorted sizes and other potentially useful tools and a couple of pairs of safety goggles just in case we would resort to hammers at some point. A couple of toys that were falling apart or missing parts were also set out for our own little pop-up Toy Deconstruction Lab. My junior scientists had the important task of exploring these old toys and tools (with my support) to see what made them tick and sing and light up and blast sirens...oh my gosh.

S is living proof that a toy doesn't have to be in one piece or even fully functional to still be fun!

Excuse the crazy hair and the lack of glasses... Mommy is very busy
helping us explore the insides of these toys safely and that means she also
hasn't had enough coffee yet to finish getting me dressed and ready for the day...

We had so much fun with this activity. We will happily allow our study subjects to remain on the premises for further observation over the course of the next few days. And I'm willing to bet when they do make their final departure that S and Y will probably ask me where they are...gulp. I did explain that these toys are broken and on their way to being tossed, but that we would 'recycle' them first by taking them apart to see what made them "work." S, who may potentially have a future in law, was already discussing with my husband the multitude of ways the toys is still fun and still works and isn't yet broken. Oh...dear...

So yeah, there are some potential snafus with opening up your own Toy Deconstruction Lab. Safe practices with tools and toys and children are a must. I do recommend adequate adult support and supervision and the use of safety goggles if you are using hammers. Be sure to safely dispose of old batteries. I also highly recommend discussing with your young scientists that toy deconstruction is only to happen in the Lab setting--not at their whim with any toy or electronic around the house. I mused with the librarian last week that she would be flooded with emails from parents distraught that after returning home, their children deconstructed the laptop, Alexa and the Kitchen Aid mixer. Lastly, I'll make my hippie-dippie plug that if a toy can be donated and still used, it is preferable to help it find a new home in that way rather than sending it (even in bits and pieces) to the city dump. We did specifically choose toys that were too broken to be donated to the thrift shop. And in that case, I do see the act of "deconstructing" these things to be a meaningful way to extend their shelf life.

The boys really enjoyed exploring the insides of old toys both at our library and at home. Y loves to use a screw driver and has become quite proficient at it. In related new, I had to whisk him away from the emergency exit door that he was attempting to remove from its hinges at the library! S is creative in his building and his deconstructing and even in re-constructing. He got very busy finding creative ways to attach parts of different toys to one another. So before you haul those trash bags off to the curb, consider setting a few aside with a collection of small tools (you can find great little screw drivers, just perfect for little hands at Dollar Tree or Walmart or even "real" tools specifically made 
for children to use at Lowe's and Home Depot). The Toy Deconstruction Lab is a sure hit with children of all ages (even those who are young still only at heart).

Happy Playing!