Buttons and switches make things happen — Technology, 4–6 years
A control lets us tell a device what to do, such as making light, sound or movement. Technology, 4–6 years.
A control sends a message
A button, switch or handle is a control: it lets us give a device a simple message. Pressing a doorbell asks it to ring; moving a light switch asks the lamp to turn on or off. The control connects what we do with what the device does.
Why do devices have controls?
A device may be able to make light, sound or movement, but it needs a way to know when we want that. Controls solve this problem. They make a hidden action easy to start, stop or change without opening the device or touching its working parts.
Turning on a lamp
The room is dark, so we want light. First, we find the switch on the lamp or wall. Next, we press or move it once. The lamp lights up because the switch tells it to work. To make the room dark again, we move the switch back.
A button is not always a toy
A button can look inviting because pressing it feels like play. But it may start a loud machine, open something, or delete a picture. The mistake is reasonable because many safe toys use buttons. We should look at the symbol or ask an adult before pressing an unknown control.
Controls all around us
You use controls on lamps, lifts, taps, toys and kitchen devices. A traffic light uses controls too, although it changes by itself after instructions. Seeing what a control changes helps us use buses, doors and machines carefully.
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