Fix it, don’t bin it: a repair activity for kids

Lots of things get thrown away with only one small thing wrong. This mission finds one of them and gives it a second life.

A sturdy wooden chair, mended and standing straight.

In Gullbrae: the repair workshop

Stan’s repair workshop in Gullbrae: a wooden room with tools on the back wall. In the middle, a wooden chair has lost its seat, and the loose seat slats lie on a box beside it. — The repair workshop needs help. The wooden chair in the middle has lost its seat slats, so nobody can sit on it.

Do it together

Younger children (about 5 to 7)

Look around with your grown-up for one thing that’s broken: a toy, a book, a bag or some clothes.
Say what’s wrong with it. Is it torn, loose, missing a bit, or just dirty?
Watch your grown-up mend it, and help by holding or passing things.
Give it back its job, and draw it mended.

Older children (about 8 to 11)

Choose one broken thing, and work out what’s wrong with it.
With your grown-up, find out how it could be fixed: a stitch, some glue, a new screw or a new part.
Help with the safe jobs, like threading a needle or sanding by hand, while your grown-up does the rest.
Write down what you fixed, how long it took, and what you’d need to fix it next time.

For grown-ups: keep it safe

You do anything with sharp tools, hot glue, strong glue or power tools.
Leave anything electrical, or anything that plugs in or has a battery, to someone qualified.
Can’t fix it at home? A local repair café or repair shop might help.

When you’ve done it

We did it: put the repair workshop right

The same workshop with the wooden chair mended: its seat slats are back in place, and the lid of the box beside it is shut. — **Put right.** The seat slats are back on the chair, so someone can sit on it and use it again.

Eddie, Priya, Buddy and Wee Bin waving together.

The crew say thank you. Now stick the repair workshop on your town poster, and fill in a record sheet if you keep a learning log.

Nothing is saved when you press the button. Your progress lives on your poster.

Read the story

The wobbly chairA grown-up checks if something can be fixed, then mends it.Rowan’s planter drawingChildren can have the ideas. Grown-ups do the mending.Use it againBefore you throw something away, ask: can it be reused or mended?

Draft, 20 October 2026. The words and pictures are waiting for an educator’s review and a fact check. Gullbrae is made up; your own council’s rules are the ones to follow.