This idea can shift the paradigm from "oh, the LED doesn't work", to "Oh, the LED doesn't work, the color around that rectifier area has shifted; why?" , and I think that can help to build intuition.
Please. There's nothing wrong with "hands-on first" approach. And the tortured metaphors completely kill your argument...
Checking limits is for preventing breaks. Visualizing heat is for troubleshooting when they happen anyway. You should do both.
Have you read many datasheets? Parsing a datasheet can be pretty complex, even if it’s well written (of which many are not). There’s quite a few figures spread across many sections, and a beginner might not even realize they should be looking for the absolute maximums section. Sometimes datasheets aren’t even that explicit about certain failure modes, you could lock up a logic chip by accidentally leaving a pin floating, for example.
I can certainly see some value in a breadboard with instant feedback for when you’ve fucked up. Ideally you’re using a power supply with an adjustable current limit to begin with but this is a cool way to quickly draw your attention to an issue.
True story: When I was in college the lab mate I had reversed unknowingly reversed power and ground on a chip on a breadboard. I turned off the circuit and reached for the chip and got a blister on my finger.
Maximum power is infinite in that case (well not infinite, but pretty damn high!) I don't recall seeing a data sheet on power consumption when power and ground is reversed...
No offense, but this comes across as "This was the way I was forced to learn it, and dang it everyone else should do the same." But my experience says, I wouldn't have got a blister on my finger if I had that.