Today was our much-anticipated tour of our local auto mechanic. This tour was unlike most of the tours I’ve been organizing for my local MOMS group in that we have talked about this tour for weeks. I’m not sure that Owen even slept last night.
Turns out, it was fascinating. Not only because the guy who did it kept it moving quickly and took us through parts of the shop none of us had ever seen, but because the children asked so many smart questions. Their moms (and dads!) really had them do some thinking before they arrived!
- Auto Shop Tour: There was really nothing fancy about this one, but there didn’t have to be. There were cars there–many of them–and car parts everywhere. We were living Owen’s Lightening McQueen dream. Everywhere we looked there were engines running, lifts moving, wheels turning, mechanics working. We saw an oil change! Ahhh, the dirty oil! We visited the basement tire room! There were tires of every shape and size–all around us! The children got to wear safety goggles! They felt like auto-mechanic super-stars!
It only took about 45 minutes, but it could have been two hours. Everyone who worked there seemed happy to see little excited faces who looked up at them with awe-struck eyes. The owner came out to say “hello”, and our tour guide handed out Frisbees (with the shop’s logo on them) to the kiddos. As far as tours go, this was super-easy, and it was awesome.
All I did was call my favorite auto shop and ask if they’d do this for us. Without hesitation, they agreed. I really don’t think you have to be a part of an organized group to ask for something like this, either. I have found for the past year that local businesses like the extra advertising and don’t mind sacrificing the hour or so it takes to show a couple of families around their place or show them how they do their stuff. It’s good for business, and it’s great for the kids to get a “behind the scenes” look at the people and places in their neighborhood. Plus, it’s fun and exciting real-life learning for the day.
