A Review · From: Learning Resources
The Machine Reveals Its True Purpose to Pete
Our critic dismisses the garish plastic as beneath him, then discovers the crank-driven gear assembly is a meditative kinetic sculpture worthy of his personal evening ritual.
My human seems to have acquired a box of garish plastic discs and sticks, ostensibly for the "educational enrichment" of a visiting small human. They call it a "Gears! Gears! Gears!" set. From my observation post on the back of the sofa, I see it's a collection of brightly colored cogs, pillars, and a crank handle, designed to be clumsily assembled into rudimentary contraptions. The appeal for a creature of my sophistication is questionable; there are no feathers, no tantalizing strings, and it smells faintly of a factory. However, the potential for a well-aimed paw to induce a catastrophic, clattering collapse of a painstakingly built tower has a certain charm. Furthermore, the spinning motion created by the crank might just be distracting enough to be worthy of a brief, disdainful glance between naps.
The thing arrived in a loud, crinkly box that was briefly more interesting than its contents. The small human, a creature of limited motor skills and excessive volume, dumped the plastic refuse onto my favorite rug. A hundred pieces of rainbow-colored junk. I flicked an ear in irritation and retreated to the dignified solitude of the armchair, watching the fumbling attempts at "construction" with the weary resignation of a king observing a court jester. The child connected a few pieces, creating a wobbly, pathetic little tower, then quickly grew bored and wandered off to investigate the irresistible allure of a power outlet.
For a long while, the plastic heap lay dormant. Then, propelled by a sudden, inexplicable urge, I descended from my throne. I padded silently around the collection, sniffing. No scent of prey. No hint of catnip. A failure on all sensory fronts. I nudged a purple gear with my nose. It rolled a few inches and stopped. Pathetic. I was about to return to my nap when my gaze fell upon the crank handle, still attached to a small base and a single blue gear. On a whim, I hooked it with my claw. I pulled. The blue gear spun.
It was the motion that changed everything. It wasn't just a spin; it was a smooth, predictable, rhythmic whir. I gave the crank a more deliberate pat, and the gear spun faster, its plastic teeth a blur of hypnotic motion. This wasn't a toy. This was a machine. A device for focusing the mind. I began to experiment, nudging a green gear into place next to the blue one. With a satisfying *click*, their teeth meshed. I turned the crank again. Now *two* worlds turned in perfect, opposing harmony. Red followed, then orange. I was no longer a cat playing with a toy; I was a master watchmaker, a cosmic engineer assembling a model of the universe itself. The gentle, rhythmic *whirrrrr* of the interlocking parts was a mantra, a mechanical purr that vibrated through the floor and up into my paws.
The small human could keep its clumsy towers. I had discovered the machine's true purpose. This was a meditative device, a kinetic sculpture of my own design. Each evening, after the household falls quiet, I return to my plastic galaxy. I rearrange the planets, connect new systems with pillars and axles, and turn the crank, watching the silent, colorful dance I have orchestrated. It is an exercise in precision and control, a reminder that in this house, I am the one who truly understands how all the pieces fit together. It is, against all odds, worthy.
Exhibit A — the specimen
The Particulars
—STEM Toys for Toddlers: Celebrate 25 years of Gears! in 2019 and set imaginations in colorful motion! Fun, bright new colors and kid-friendly pieces make this deluxe hands-on construction set a whole new building experience. Compatible with all other Gears! Gears! Gears! sets for even more imagination and screen-free fun. Get your gears moving!
—Kids Building Toys: Invite “little engineers” to explore a world of building possibilities while developing critical thinking and problem solving skills
—Steam Toys for Kids 3-5: Boost fine motor skills and cognitive skills, while promoting reasoning as children create moving experiments; learning gets more intricate as children’s abilities advance
—This versatile, interconnecting gear set is different every time you build to foster imagination and offer ways to experiment with simple mechanics and science; supports STEM by introducing children to sorting, grouping, counting, designing, constructing, and putting physics into play with spinning gear movement.100-PIECE GEARS SET: This deluxe set includes 46 Colorful gears (blue, green, orange, red, purple), 26 square pillars, 21 six-way axles, 6 interlocking bases, 1 crank handle.
—Give the Gift of Learning: Whether you’re shopping for holidays, birthdays, or just because, toys from Learning Resources help you discover new learning fun every time you give a gift! Ideal gift for Halloween, Christmas, Stocking Stuffers, Easter Baskets Stuffers or even for Homeschool.
Pete's Verdict
★★★★☆
Against all odds, worthy.
Filed under: Learning Resources