Japanese Father Creates A Toy Switch To Keep His One-Year-Old Son Away From Real Electrical Switches
His post about the toy blew up on Twitter, with parents wanting to create the same thing.
Some toddlers can turn the simplest household object into their favorite obsession. For one Japanese father, that meant the kitchen exhaust fan switch became a daily temptation.
Twitter user banzainuigurumi decided to solve the problem in a clever way, using parts from a hardware store to build a toy switch for his one-year-old son. The homemade setup gave the child something safe to play with, while keeping the real electrical switch out of reach.
The idea quickly caught attention online, and the reaction was just as playful as the invention itself. Read on.
Children tend to play with appliances even if parents prevent them from doing so.
So it's not surprising if they want to play with switches. The clicking sound they produce can be enticing to little ones.
It's part of their exploratory behavior; they want to touch and try things that catch their attention.
But we all know that playing with electrical switches can be dangerous, so it's better to help them refocus their attention on an activity that's safe for them.
banzainuigurumiTwitter user banzainuigurumi was at a hardware store when he saw a box with switch components being sold.
That was the moment when the idea struck him. He immediately remembered that his son likes playing with the switch in their kitchen.
banzainuigurumi
So he decided to create a toy switch.
It was a simple one; he didn't add any lighting or sound mechanism.
banzainuigurumi
It’s a lot like the roommate who got banned after setting off fire alarms twice while cooking.
According to the dad, who is a circuit bending enthusiast, it only took him one minute to assemble the whole thing.
The toy switch is easy to assemble, and anybody can do it.
banzainuigurumi
That little workaround made a big difference at home.
See how the toy switch works below.
According to the Japanese dad, his toddler was so happy about getting the toy switch. His son plays with it to his heart's content.
Banzainuigurumi just hopes that his son doesn't find out that it's a fake switch and doesn't start playing with real electrical switches again.
Online, plenty of parents immediately saw the appeal.
He shared his creation on Twitter, eventually gaining the attention of users online.
His post gained more than 3K retweets and 12.2K likes. Parents found the idea amazing and want to create toy switches for their children too.
Did you like this Japanese father's idea? If you want to stop your children from playing (and eventually destroying) the switches in your home, why not assemble a toy switch for them?
It was a tiny fix, but it got a huge reaction.
Wondering about boundaries, read how someone debated restricting a friend’s child from valuables.
