She wants to teach children to repair their toys. That’s why in January, the Dutch Bianca Pipping started a Repair Café Kids in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. “We’re throwing far too much stuff away.” Looking back at the first half year of this Repair Café, the initiator concludes that it was “good but also difficult”.
Children and parents both enthusiastic
It was challenging to find enough volunteers. Eventually, the organisers succeeded in forming a pool of volunteers, where each month, three repairers are available for the repair meeting. The intention is that volunteers repair with the children, and not all repairers want that. Pipping: “It’s also an art to explain and get the children involved in the repairs.”
It’s also not so easy to get the children to the Repair Café, Pipping adds. They need their parents for that. But once inside, both the children and their parents are enthusiastic. As far as that’s concerned, things are going well.
From cuddly toy to clothing
The children – 6 to 10 years old – come to Repair Café Kids with various items: cuddly toys, a wooden cash register, a crane, a watch, a clock, a remote-controlled car, and an electric train are examples of the items they have brought along. But clothing is also repaired.
Repair Café Kids Dordrecht is held once a month in Het Polderwiel community centre. Would you also like to organise a Repair Café, especially for children, but without committing yourself to a similar location or regularity? Think of Repair Café in the classroom. Together with a school, you can plan a repair lesson during school time. You can order the starter kit Repair Café in the classroom via our webshop.
This post has 0 comments