Month project · Mechanics

Take apart an old appliance — find five different parts

Toaster, old DVD player, broken hair dryer. Crack it open. Catalog what's inside.

90 min ages 8–13· Screen-free

How to do it

Find an old appliance — your garage, a thrift store, the curb on big-trash day. Unplug it. Always unplug it. Use real screwdrivers. Take it apart slowly, naming what you see: motor, gear, resistor, spring, capacitor. Tape parts to a piece of cardboard with their names. Hang it on the wall.

What you'll need

Precision screwdriver set
Amazon
Parts-catalog printable
PrintableOpen
An old broken appliance
Ask a local repair shop — they have stacks
Free

Get everything ready

Opens Amazon with everything pre-loaded in your cart.