[Magdalen] Toys for the young engineer

[Jay Weigel]

Some of the Erector sets have, or at least did have, little motors in them.
We combined the 4 or so sets my brothers had and built fantastical
creations that took up most of the free space in their bedroom. Great fun
on a weather-y Sunday afternoon!

On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 2:17 PM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com> wrote:

> I was thinking of Erector sets too!  My friend's big brother had one
> and I lusted after it but he was pretty graphic about what he would do
> if we touched it.  I remember I gave Lexi a handheld microscope meant
> for taking on hikes and stream explorations and she loved that.  I'll
> keep it in mind for Dylan.  Right now I think I'm going to look for
> toys where you build things.  Especially flying machines.
>
> Susan
>
> On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 11:51 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Well, all that would certainly upset a kid! Good grief!
> >
> > Do they still make anything like Erector sets? My brothers and I had
> hours
> > of fun with those. It sounds like they'd be right up his alley. Or in
> > another direction, perhaps a microscope. You can find a decent used one
> on
> > eBay. My middle grandson adores his.
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 11:37 AM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> It's a little more than boredom.  He's a little boy who has been
> >> through a lot:  fractured family, parents in and out of jail, shared
> >> custody with part time spent in a less than ideal environment, the
> >> death of his great-grandaddy, his very best buddy.  He has a short
> >> fuse and a real temper, can act aggressively and oppositionally.
> >> Shelia had a very thorough evaluation done.  No ADHD, way above
> >> average verbal and analytical abilities.  She is going to start all of
> >> them going back to a therapist who worked very well with them
> >> previously.
> >>
> >> He's a great kid, just needs some help and guidance learning to
> >> channel his energies and reactions.  He has just started kindergarten,
> >> loves it very much and the school seems to take this kind of challenge
> >> in stride.   It looks like this is going to give him more scope for
> >> his interests than the pre-school he attended before.
> >>
> >> Susan
> >>
> >> On Mon, Oct 27, 2014 at 9:50 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> > Behavior issues? How much of that do you reckon is boredom and
> impatience
> >> > with the usual approaches to and supposed interests of kids his age?
> An
> >> > extraordinarily bright child, particularly a boy, might well be bored
> to
> >> > tears with that sort of stuff and much more lkely than most girls to
> show
> >> > impatience.
> >> >
> >> > On Monday, October 27, 2014, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Thank you!  I was really blown away watching him.
> >> >> Susan
> >> >>
> >> >> On Mon, Oct 27, 2014 at 9:27 PM, Grace Cangialosi <
> gracecan at gmail.com
> >> >> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >> >> > Susan,
> >> >> > These look too simple for Dylan as you describe him. There are
> >> >> electronics kits for kids that allow them to build different things
> that
> >> >> work, much like chemistry sets.
> >> >> > If you have time, I'd suggest a trip to C'ville to the toy stores
> >> >> Alakazam! or Shenanigans. They have wonderful, off-the-beaten-track
> >> >> selections and would be able to make suggestions. And I'd be happy
> to go
> >> >> with you; I love good toy stores.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> On Oct 27, 2014, at 8:30 PM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com
> >> >> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I spent Sunday with my friend Shelia and her grandchildren.  Dylan
> >> has
> >> >> >> just turned 6.  Recent evaluations have shown him with some
> behavior
> >> >> >> issues but with visual/spatial/analytical skills far beyond his
> >> years.
> >> >> >> He is passionate about airplanes and helicopters, showed my an
> >> >> >> extensive portfolio of photos, art projects, diagrams of such
> that he
> >> >> >> explained very clearly.  He has progressed from Duplos to Legos
> and
> >> >> >> spent the afternoon assembling quite complex flying machines with
> >> tiny
> >> >> >> little components.  I asked how he knew how to do them and he
> whipped
> >> >> >> out the story-board type instructions and explained that you do
> the
> >> >> >> number 1 picture, then the number 2 step and so on.  I was
> >> >> >> flabbergasted since most adults I know can't or won't read and
> follow
> >> >> >> instructions.  I tell you that the next time I have to set up
> >> >> >> electronic equipment from the wretched pictorial instructions I'm
> >> >> >> going to get him to do it.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I'm looking for toys that would appeal to this budding geek for
> >> >> >> Christmas.  Would you who are or who have raised this kind of kid
> >> make
> >> >> >> some suggestions?  I did find this promising site:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toys/toy_categories/kites_planes_rockets/index.cfm
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Thanks,
> >> >> >> Susan
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> --
> >> >> >> Before enlightenment pay bills, do laundry.  After enlightenment
> pay
> >> >> >> bills, do laundry.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Before enlightenment pay bills, do laundry.  After enlightenment pay
> >> >> bills, do laundry.
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Before enlightenment pay bills, do laundry.  After enlightenment pay
> >> bills, do laundry.
> >>
>
>
>
> --
> Before enlightenment pay bills, do laundry.  After enlightenment pay
> bills, do laundry.
>