Robin: Holy Humongous Hand!! - where’s Batman when I need him!?!?
CreativeDad: Your childish costume and props won’t save you now! Prepare to be torched!
Robin: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t remember when I thought about torching Robin AND videotaping it but my son and I did this several times last summer. Maybe I was thinking about magnifying glasses and ants and wanted to step it up a notch.
Destroying or deconstructing toys and other objects is an essential childhood pastime. Beyond the physical and mental kick of whacking something to pieces, taking things apart can be an educational experience (some more than others.)
I’ll admit torching is a little extreme but I was able to teach my son about avoiding toxic fumes from burning plastic, not touching melted plastic, and the hottest part of a MAPP torch flame (the inner cone). Of course, the best lesson I could give is DON”T PLAY WITH FIRE but that would require me to burn myself or burn down our house. I believe, though - like Gever Tully - that kids should be allowed to do “dangerous things”. [In the following video, my son is "playing with fire" at 3:15]
Busting things with your kids is also a good bonding experience. Showing them the right way to break glass, use a box knife, or kick a hole in drywall not only tells them that you know your stuff but that you can get down with them when they just wanna break s*t.
Not everyone has to burn their toys in a bonfire - there are plenty of other educational ways to DESTROY and DECONSTRUCT.
Tools
A MAPP torch is a tool much like a hammer - single-purpose and crude when compared to others tools like screwdrivers and pliers. But all tools can be used to take things apart. Around your house, you can find, not only toys, but appliances and electronics that are just begging to be disassembled and have one last moment as an engineering puzzle for you and your child. The lessons here are multiple - how to use tools, the inner workings of everyday items, what happens after we throw stuff in the trash, recycling.
Despite my sarcasm, I do believe in safety when allowing your kids to use tools. At a minimum, eye protection should be used. I purchased something like these for my kids - they may be hard to find at your local hardware store. Ear protection is next on the list. I’ve never seen good work gloves for kids but we probably wouldn’t use them much anyway.
Appropriate use of tools is important, too. Small tools for small hands. It’s easy for screwdrivers to slip and puncture so take time to teach kids the best ways to use them - keep arms and hands away from the tips.
If you want your children to understand how to use tools, you have to be prepared to let them injure themselves. That’s part of what Tully talks about in above video - I have my own ideas on this that I’ll post separately.
As far as what to take apart - I like printers, especially larger office printers and copiers. Lots of screws, gears, mirrors, high-voltage power supplies. Just a little more interesting than your average clock radio.
Experiments
Instead of using tools for deconstruction, the potential victims of violence can be subjected to experimentation. Can the item survive being dropped, thrown, run over, or (again) burned? A classic example is the science camp experiment involving building a egg-carrying container and dropping from a decent height. Building something and destroying it is a recurring theme in all children’s play. What happens when you run over a Barbie with a bike (avoid using the car unless your kids are older)? What happens to different fruits and veggies when they’re frozen, boiled, or fried? FYI, I’ll let my kids experiment on insects and plants but draw the line on any higher forms of life.
Adults and children are universally drawn to fire - if you’re going to use it in your “experiments”, take the proper safety precautions. Only use it in situations where you can control it and keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of water close by for extra safety. Think ahead about possible outcomes. DO NOT burn or heat pressurized containers.
Scissors and Knives
Moving into gentler forms of destruction (knives?), my daughter loves to cut up bits of paper with scissors. Magazines offer the best material for cutting at young ages. Deconstruct and reconstruct into puzzles.
As children mature, knives - especially the pocket variety - may be irresistible for some. Like ignorance about knot-tying, most adults are ignorant about using knives. Before letting your children use knives, it behooves us to educate ourselves. Look up “how to use a knife” on Google and then PRACTICE before letting your kids use them. Another good chance to bond.
Like any tool, there are different types of knives depending on the situation. You wouldn’t use a box cutter to eat a steak so why use a steak knife to cut boxes? Try to instill some common sense in your kids and yourself about using proper tools - if they are available.
I can’t let a discussion of knives go by with mentioning THROWING KNIVES - borderline destructive in my book but definitely dangerous. Throwing screwdrivers into the grass is as far as I got as a kid and I introduced that to my son just recently (screwdrivers, not knives.)
Reading backwards and destroying stories
Yeah, I read backwards to my daughter (4) and it takes awhile for her to notice. I usually do this when I’ve read the book to her every night for three weeks straight. I’ll skip pages, change words, throw in some “poopy talk” just for variety. OMG, they love the “poopy talk”.
Of course, kids can destroy or deconstruct stories, too. As writing or reading “exercises” have your kids change their favorite stories around. Make up your own MadLibs. Learn how to talk backwards (phonetically) and teach your kids how to record secret messages on the computer.
Destroying language can be a constructive experience.
Defacing
I had to throw this in because it was a favorite of mine growing up. Women’s magazines are the best for this activity. Looks for pages with pictures of people and use an eraser to remove eyes, noses, mouths, etc. Then redraw the features in the blank spaces. For reusability, place clear packaging tape on the pages and use markers. My kids and I have a blast doing this.
Destruction holds the seeds of growth. By redirecting a child’s natural desire break s*t, everyone can have fun and learn at the same time. If you have any other destruction/deconstruction tips, please start a conversation here.
