Therapy for the soul
Another example of a school with a Toy Workshop is Chungli Elementary. Xie Rongqiu, who is 70 years old and has been a volunteer at the school for 20 years, is known to the students as "Grandpa Toys." As he runs a hardware supply and works as an electrician and plumber, he's got basic abilities in all sorts of construction. In the past, he's come to help whenever the school's had a torn window screen or a broken desk. He's made a pond and done brickwork. There's even a woodworking studio in one corner of the campus, where he can be seen working away every day before dawn. Three years ago, he cut off the tip of his left forefinger while working with a saw. But after going to the hospital and getting bandaged up, he insisted on going back to volunteer.
Since the Toy Workshop opened, he's not only been fixing broken toys but also making new ones. He's used discarded wood to make tangram puzzles and bagatelle games. He's also worked with other volunteers to make toy tops out of plastic bottles by cutting off the top and bottom, gluing them together, and attaching a furniture foot pad to the bottom. He gives these toys to the local kids and shows them how to use them.
Another toy doctor at Chungli Elementary, Chen Shuling, says the sounds of the kids happily playing and their words of thanks are the greatest comforts to the Toy Workshop team. She says with a smile that as they work through a busy morning, any unhappiness they may have had usually disappears.
Chungli Elementary principal Wang Kuo-hsiung believes that the therapeutic function of the technical classes is the biggest draw of the Toy Workshop volunteer program. With Taiwan's aging population, more multifaceted forms of community education are needed in order to give those in their golden years more possibilities for learning. Wang, who has a background in art education, points to the colorful painting on the Toy Workshop wall as an example. He pointed the volunteers to the work of eighteenth-century French painter Rousseau for inspiration and let them come up with their own ideas. The results are striking.
Hong Jon-chao goes a step further in his analysis. To the silver-haired set, he says, the sound of children playing at their feet brings contentment. Also, kids are more direct and quicker to give praise-as soon as they see their toys fixed, they say, "Grandpa, you're fantastic!"
The uplifting happiness that having an outlet for creativity brings, and the sense of accomplishment, give seniors a new lease on life.
From the aspect of children's psychological development, Hong believes that if having toys is a means of psychological support for a child, then not simply throwing them away when they break is a kind of lesson in values. In other words, children who can take care of their things and cherish toys will be much less likely to be disrespectful, uncaring, or controlling to others.
Also, in addition to the Toy Hospital, Xintai Elementary has Taiwan's first Toy Exchange Center. Started in 2007, the center collects second-hand toys donated by manufacturers and owners, cleans and repairs them, and sends them to toy libraries at other schools and homes for children around Taiwan to share resources.
Tang, who's known throughout Taiwan for his work as a toy doctor, says that he hopes to expand the program to more schools in the future and serve toy patients throughout Taiwan.
beanbags,wooden cars, and bagatelles. Pictured at left are Tang Qiu-xian (left) and Li Sheng-liang (right) of Xin-tai Elementary's Toy Workshop performing "surgery."
beanbags,wooden cars, and bagatelles. Pictured at left are Tang Qiu-xian (left) and Li Sheng-liang (right) of Xin-tai Elementary's Toy Workshop performing "surgery."
beanbags,wooden cars, and bagatelles. Pictured at left are Tang Qiu-xian (left) and Li Sheng-liang (right) of Xin-tai Elementary's Toy Workshop performing "surgery."
Toys sent to the Toy Workshop come back in great shape. The Workshop not only gives the retiree "doctors" a chance to put to use a lifetime of experience, it also teaches children the environmental message of taking good care of one's things. Pictured is the team at the Toy Workshop at Chungli Elementary.
Computer games are popular, but physical toys that train kids in movement skills and hand-eye coordination remain important. Pictured are volunteers at Xintai Elementary's Toy Workshop and their homemade puppets.
Toys sent to the Toy Workshop come back in great shape. The Workshop not only gives the retiree "doctors" a chance to put to use a lifetime of experience, it also teaches children the environmental message of taking good care of one's things. Pictured is the team at the Toy Workshop at Chungli Elementary.
beanbags,wooden cars, and bagatelles. Pictured at left are Tang Qiu-xian (left) and Li Sheng-liang (right) of Xin-tai Elementary's Toy Workshop performing "surgery."
Toys sent to the Toy Workshop come back in great shape. The Workshop not only gives the retiree "doctors" a chance to put to use a lifetime of experience, it also teaches children the environmental message of taking good care of one's things. Pictured is the team at the Toy Workshop at Chungli Elementary.
Toys sent to the Toy Workshop come back in great shape. The Workshop not only gives the retiree "doctors" a chance to put to use a lifetime of experience, it also teaches children the environmental message of taking good care of one's things. Pictured is the team at the Toy Workshop at Chungli Elementary.
beanbags,wooden cars, and bagatelles. Pictured at left are Tang Qiu-xian (left) and Li Sheng-liang (right) of Xin-tai Elementary's Toy Workshop performing "surgery."
Toys sent to the Toy Workshop come back in great shape. The Workshop not only gives the retiree "doctors" a chance to put to use a lifetime of experience, it also teaches children the environmental message of taking good care of one's things. Pictured is the team at the Toy Workshop at Chungli Elementary.