Looking back on the times I played with gas in the woods, only to have the gas melt through my Mom’s Tupperware container and catch on fire. You quickly learn how to deal with a crisis, how chemicals react and ultimately how to put out a gas fire. I could go on and on just about what I learned when playing with this dangerous combination, fire and gas (Thanks Mom and Dad!). I can’t imagine being here today without the immense knowledge gained from being shocked by an old typewriter in my parent’s basement; I was just taking it apart to see how it worked. Did I stop taking things apart? No way! I just learned to be careful when plugging them back in. The most influential dangerous activities in my life? Playing with fire and taking apart appliances.

Check out this talk from Gever Tulley where he discusses dangerous things we should let our kids do.