I was more into fossicking, Id scavenge the roadside screes for fossils and crystals. Another one of my favourite past times was digging what i called the clay farm in my parents back yard, I'd extract the clay and make pottery. Around 5,6,and 7 years of age.
At around nine or ten my dad bought an engine home and instucted me to dismantle it, and Id spend many happy hours covered in engine oil and chatting away to the tools.
About the same time he instructed me in the use of power tools, drills, grinders, sanders, planers, routers, circular saw, table saw, and arc welder. Then on the weekends Id set up shop and make stuff, boats, billy carts, sling shots, cross bows, skate boards and all sorts of 10 year old crap. I remember making a pinball machine which was the envy of my 6th grade class mates.
I found out the location of the refuse sites from early settlement days, and proceed to excavate for old bottle and crockery.
In my late childhood and early teens I started on a pyromaniac spree, mixing hydrocarbons, and combustible chemicals with other materials to produce highly volatile substances. I remember seeing the lady next door cosumed by a fireball when she asked me to help burn off some prunings, I had just the right concoction to get it burning I remember saying. Wooooooffff
Never really had one focus, if I had toys the would be dismantled and examined.I was into everything. the rest of the kids were at skate parks, water parks and kicking the footy with each other. I was always constucting in the back yard, or in the middle of nowhere digging a hole, or doing some random unusual activity not condusive to a normal childs behaviour.
Not much has changed.