International Take it Apart Day - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2014, 05:20:37 pm
content: OK, that subject is perhaps overly grand, but I take stuff apart with my kids all the time, as I suspect most of the parents on this group also do. But lots of "underprivileged" kids never have the opportunity to take any thing apart, in part because their parents would not be able to help them make sense of what they saw.I am thinking of maybe trying to do some kind of take it apart / how it works activity at my son's school. Maybe I would bring something to disassemble, or the kids could bring in things that their parents don't want anymore and we could take them apart to see how they worked.Anyone every try anything like that? I'm afraid that modern solid state devices are just too opaque for little ones (elementary age). It would be better to be something more mechanical, like a vacuum or blender.My kids is only a first grader. This might be something to put off for a couple more years.Ideas? Advice?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2014, 11:41:59 pm
content: Definitely not anything mains powered!!!Or even wall wart powered.Would we need to lock up our screwdrivers afterwards?Personally, I would be apprehensive to demonstrate a teardown to less than a 10 yr old.I know that's how many of us started our quest for knowledge, but old clocks, lawnmowers, bicycles etc much safer IMO.I was wiring mains to my projects at 14, but I had a attentive dad to ensure it was safe.But sure, any thing to get them away from TV, Tablet and PC screens is worthy of some effort.

author: JonnyBoats
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 02:51:26 am
content: Mechanical devices are generally far more interesting and easier to understand for children than electronic ones. Unfortunately things like wind up toys are almost antiques these days and hard to find. Similarly an old wind up alarm clock.One place to look for cheap and relatively safe items is a Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift store.Another thing to consider is cutaway models which one can operate with a crank to see how the internal parts move. Also something like three gears mounted on a backboard where one can turn one of the gears and see how the others move in relation to the gear being moved. While not as much fun as actually taking something apart they can still be quite educational.

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 03:34:25 am
content: I hadn't even considered the safety and liability aspects. I guess I was imagining that we'd take something broken apart and then toss the pieces in the trash. But the kids might go home and try to repeat the feat with stuff around the house. It's funny, I took a lot of stuff apart as a kid that was dangerous, and honestly, I shocked myself on more than one occasion. Oh well. Maybe I'm not careful enough. My kids have their own toolboxes with screwdriver sets and other tools! 3 and 6 years old. :-)This clearly needs more thought. I agree, the device should be mechanical and "visual." Hmm.

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 04:41:19 am
content: Broken battery-powered clock or an old camera?

author: sunnyhighway
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 10:12:03 am
content: Better be carefull what you wish for.As a young kid I was always fascinated by the antique open clock under a glass bell at my grandfathers house. Obviously there was a snowflake's chance in hell of taking it apart to see what made it tick as we were only allowed to look at it with our hands behind our back. Simply pointing at it would even result in being lectured.As a result I could not help myself wondering what would be inside my fathers mechanical alarm clock. At age 8 I took the bold step taking it apart in order to figure out how it worked. When my mother found out what I did she was very cross with me and send me to my room to think over what I had done, along with all the bits and pieces of what used to be a working alarm clock. Obviously she had no faith in my claim that I could put all those bits and pieces together and make it work again and went out to buy a new alarm clock. Determined as I was I even skipped dinner that day in my attempt to put it back together and make it work again. My determination paid off and I actually managed to get it working again. Well..., sort off.... After all there were some bits and pieces left over. Somehow I managed to make it run considerably faster, which I thought of as being a good thing. Proud as a peacock I went down to my parents to show them the "improved" alarm clock. Needles to say that my father found it very difficult to keep his composure and stay cross with me as he could not help himself being proud as well for me "improving" the alarm clock. Of-course I was lectured, but it did save me from being grounded for a week, because after all I did keep my promise of putting it back together and make it work again.Even after 40 years this story keeps coming up if something needs to be fixed or improved at my parents house.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 10:19:46 am
content: Quote from: sunnyhighway on September 07, 2014, 10:12:03 amI sympathize with your granddad.I used to tell my kids: look with your eyesnotyour fingers.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2014, 01:22:04 pm
content: I was also punished many times for taking apart things, mostly the toys in school (apparently I was - and still am - quite clever with improvising tools like screwdrivers), and "modding" them when putting them back together... but I think there has to be a certain initial interest too; from my vague memory, neither the other girls nor guys were interested beyond telling the teacher "she broke something again!"...and now I do quite a bit of reverse-engineering in my work...