Learning to make the Sparks Fly!

Today I gave my Bug a disposable camera that I got from work, thinking of would be a fun 10 minute something to do. Boy was i wrong on how much he would learn and have fun with this thing.

He was using it for its correct function at first, advancing the film, turn on the flash, saying cheese and taking pictures. Then we got home and he ran out of pictures so the flash and button stopped working.

If this was me i would have been done and onto the next toy, but not my Bug.  What does he do next...try and figure out why it's no longer working duh. So the bug went to work. He ripped of the paper covering the camera, then split the camera in two by repeatedly dropping it on my tile floor. Once he got it open it kind of shattered into many pieces. A battery case, a battery, the front and back to camera, then the electronic board that the flash is connected to (note i have NO CLUE on the technical terms for these parts).

I was certain that the camera was trash and he was going to loose interest in it since it was all disassembled, but no the interesting part just started. My bug went to work and put the camera back together piece by piece. Not only did he put it together but he did it correctly! When he pressed the button after assembling the camera the flash went off. His face lite up he looked up clapped and said yaay! Truthfully my heart melted a little because that was a big accomplishment...well to me it is because HE IS ONLY THREE!!

He took it apart again, and when he was putting it together this time he learned that the with out the battery in the camera the flash wouldn't go off.  That's when he started messing with the wires in the camera. He moved the colors around, with the battery not in place and nothing happened.  Then he moved the wires around and put the battery in place and a big spark just popped off!

Total he had thirty more minutes with the camera experimenting on trail and error before he took it apart to build it again.  Then i ended up having to take it away...Yes I ended up taking it away and throwing it away when his engineering skills got too good. Once he started messing with the flash and the wires and a spark flew...I then confiscated it with the quickness and or disposable camera time was over.


I understand more now why this guy gets bored in school. In the schools he was in they sang the days of the week or they are required to sit still on a shape on the carpet.  He could not use trial and error doing things like taking apart a camera or working with things that give him a reward when he built it right like "making the camera flash".  So i am now on the hunt to find things to nurture my Bugs intellect and curiosity to learn in a positive growing way. 

This morning i am glad to say I have a step in the right direction.  I shared my story with my friend at work who hipped me to littleBits . The idea behind these came because the CEO saw that Lego's helped with kids with construction and architecture skills, but there was nothing circuit and electricity wise.  THIS is exactly what my Bug needs, its just a bit pricey for my single mom budget, but if it going to be something that aids in educating my Bug i will make it happen!