In the first Iron Man movie there is a newspaper clip that shows that at age 4 Tony built his first circuit board and because Tony mentions Operation later on, I figured what better way to teach a child how to keep their hands steady.
Operation
"Tony," Howard calls sharply, glass of scotch in one hand and a game in the other.
Tony glances up from his book, eyes falling to the game as his father tosses it onto the table. Tony sets his book down, entirely transfixed on this new activity as he jumps down off the couch, "Operation," he reads, cocking his head at the odd cartoon version of the man with a bright red nose on the cover.
"This will teach you dexterity with your hands," Howard explains taking a sip of his drink, ice clinking against the side of the glass. "You can come down to the garage when you can get all the pieces."
"Really?" Tony asks, lighting up.
"Only when you get this done," Howard warns, turning to walk away. "Jarvis will monitor."
"Of course sir," Jarvis promises moving around to the table as Tony opens the box, pulling out all the pieces.
The buzzing startles him at first and with in an hour he's managed to remove everything but the funny bone. The tweezers bump against the walls of the thin space, his hands slick with sweat and heart pounding, the buzzer does nothing but constantly beep.
"Perhaps we should take a break Master Stark," Jarvis tries to encourage reaching out to steady his now shaking hand.
"No, Jarvis," Tony cries, pulling his hand back. "I can go to the garage," he shouts clearly becoming frustrated.
Jarvis sighs giving him a warm smile, "Alight," he concedes releasing his hand.
Tony turns back to his game, tongue slipping out in concentration, it's another half an hour before he manages to pull out the thin body, grinning triumphantly. "I did it!" he shouts, showing Jarvis the bone.
"Well done Master Stark," Jarvis praises with a large smile.
"I'm getting dad," Tony glows, jumping up from his spot on the floor, taking off through the house as Jarvis tries in vain to catch him.
"Master Stark," he calls urgently as Tony fails to heed his frantic calls.
"Dad!" Tony yells throwing open the doors to his father's office, smile slipping from his face at his father's glare.
"Anthony, you have to knock," Howard snaps looking far from pleased.
"But I-I go it," Tony tells him hesitantly.
Howard cocks an eyebrow skeptically, picking up his glass of scotch off his desk as he brushes past his son, leaving the room.
Tony trails after his father excitedly almost running into him when Howard stops at the table. Glancing down at the array of pieces he takes a sip of his drink before picking up the funny bone, dropping it back into the slot. "Pull it out," Howard instructs stirring the drink lightly in his hand. Tony's face falls instantly as he anxiously moves around his father, heart pounding and hands slick with sweat as he picks up the tweezers.
The game buzzes erratically as the tweezers bump against the sides of the slot only escalating in severity while his father continues to stare him down. "Come on Tony," Howard pushes, "I haven't got all day, you said you could do this."
"You're staring at me," Tony cries, face pinched in anger as the game buzzes again.
"People are always going to be staring Anthony," Howard tells him unsympathetically, taking a swig of his drink as turns to leave when it becomes clear Tony isn't getting the piece out any time soon. "Don't bother me again until you can get it."
Tony only groans in frustration, face twisted in concentration as he tries not to cry, focused only on the small sliver of plastic nestled in the narrow hole.