Four year old machanic

[phildb4]

Four year old mechanic

Anyone have experience with 4 yr old birthday gifts. This little guy (my grandson), loves to play with toy cars, pedals my antique pedal cars all over the backyard, and seems to like taking things apart. What gifts would be good to encourage him to explore his auto / mechanical side, and increase the chances that we will be turning wrenches together 10 yrs from now.

 

[N8]

Lots of places offer age appropriate tool sets (+2 +4 +6 ETC.).
I have several for my two year old.
Maybe though, for a four year old a motorized (electric) car may be in order?
Also four is a good starting age for the one thing that changed my life!
LEGOS!!!!!!!!!
But I think the biggest thing to keep him motivated with the cars is the encouragement from his elders. Not just the toys!

 

[jake00]

bought my 4 year old nephew a 10lb box of nails (used em all up in a coupla weeks "building stuff" like his dad outa 2x4's

 

[Torque1st]

Leggos and blocks help spacial relations and visualization. The big general sets are better for experimentation than the little specialized models.

Scraps of anything will help a kid that is mechanically inclined to build with. Any old small appliances and wind up clocks are great to teach them about how gears and things work. Just warn him about the springs and stored energy. Show him how that stuff works. Get him some tools so that he can take everything apart. Just warn him not to take the good stuff his mother and family have apart... -Don't ask. I started taking things apart when I was about that age. An old bike to fix with him would be good in a couple of years. Let him watch you maintain the cars and lawn mower. Take apart and repair things with him. Show him how things are put together and work. I had a grandfather and a neighbor that helped me when I was young.

Remember kids like this usually have more fun with the box a present came in than the toy itself.

Good Luck!

 

[Junkman]

Get him a girlfriend, then in 10 years, you both can chase skirts that you are too old to catch, and he is too young to know what to do with them...

 

[JohnMcD348]

Get him a girlfriend, then in 10 years, you both can chase skirts that you are too old to catch, and he is too young to know what to do with them...

Oh if only that were true nowadays.........

 

[rsanter]

legos and the erector sets were some of my favorite toys

bob

 

[Der Bugmeister]

For my daughter's 4th or 5th birthday, my bro and his wife gave her a little plastic toolbox with real wrenches, paintbrushes and a tape measure. I added a little finishing hammer, then they followed up with a set of screwdrivers.

She loves it, and makes a big deal about bringing her tools out to help me with jobs.

It's never too early to start them on their collection or learning to use the right tool for the job. ;-)

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Lego's, big time. Buy him a real toolbox and some basic tools. I was using my dad's tools at about five, and by the time I was about eight, I was building treehouses all around town. Also, whenever you are working on something get the little guy involved.

 

[nissan_crawler]

get him some real tools. My nephew just turned 4 and has 1/4" metric and standard socket/ratchet sets, metric/standard wrenches, pliers, hammer, screwdrivers, level, plumb bob, square, c-clamps, etc.