Why Do You Like to Break Your Toys?

For the last couple of months, we have been giving our son toys that he immediately dismantles.  This started happening just before he turned two.  At his 2nd birthday, he did receive quite a few presents, and many which could easily be "broken."   They are not really broken because they are easily repaired.  We have even set up a toy hospital in our office.  I did not want to come right out and ask "Why do you break your toys?" for fear of the accusational tone, as well as really hating to ask why questions ever of anyone - do any of us really know why we do things especially when we are put on the spot.  How presumptuous of me to assume that he really is breaking his toys.

Finally, one day, as we were playing in my son's room, and he had dismantled most of his toy cars, I said, "It sure seems like you enjoy taking apart your toys."

His response "I do, mommy, I really do!"

"What is it that you like about taking apart your toys?"

"Learning to fix them and build them!"

I thought, "oh what I wouldn't do for an old fashioned erector set!"  My family happened to be at IKEA the next day where we picked up a BYGGA - the Swedish version I guess of an erector set.  We took it home and learned how to build a motorcycle from the set.  

My son is learning to build things, and I am learning to assume that children have the best intentions at learning (not destructing).