TSO-D Day 7: Parents, Tinkerers Collaborate

During a special time of show and tell, Tinkerers were able to explain and demonstrate their Tour de Tinkering racing karts to an audience of family, mostly parents, during camper pick-up day Saturday. A meaningful time for both Tinkerers and their parents, the rewards of the camp were on full display.

Luke and Anna explain the mechanics of their racing kart.

“He had such an amazing time. It was truly collaborative,” said Erin, Chuck’s mom. “I don’t think you survive in life without collaboration. Life is a team sport,” she added.

Erin, Chuck’s mom, and another parent help push Tinkerers on the kart they built over the past week.

The level of engagement from the Tinkerers was noticeable as well. Senior Tinkerer, Marshall, gave his father a tour of the ramp he and his team built.

“The cars were very cool. The idea of the ramp was creative,” said Marshall’s father, Marshall Sr. “He’s always been into engineering, discovery and design so it’s a good fit.”

Marshall shows his father, Marshall Sr., the ramp he and his teammates built for use in the Tour de Tinkering.

For the parents, such amazing collaborative projects were reminiscent of their own childhood projects.

“We’re really impressed. I wish we had that direction [when we were kids],” Jason, Talia’s father, said as he helped his daughter deconstruct her team’s kart.

Junior Tinkerer, Talia, and her mother, Christina deconstruct a Tour de Tinkering racing kart Talia helped build.

Collaboration never stops for the Tinkerer, and they quickly deconstructed their projects with the help of their family.