Our kids love to make things from scratch. Embree's most creative artwork has always been in 3D form. Reeves builds fantastic contraptions with his legos. Brice spends tedious time constructing the perfect train track. I've walked in on forts, haunted houses, entire dioramas made of paper figures...building is fun for them.
Now, the big kids are planning, in minute detail, the fort that their Pop has promised to build this summer. While I'm sure he has a plan in his head...they have their plans as well. They are excited to help and to add their own touches...some of which include a spy glass, a pulley system, and flower boxes.
While they've spend much time in trial and error, learning the physics of building, there has been little experience in the way of basic skills. How to hold a hammer. How to use nails to hold together wood. How one nail is not enough, but three may be too many. Basic skills and tools that can only enhance their creativity.
So, we decided to try out the free Build and Grow workshops at Lowes.
The projects are small. The hammers and goggles are kid-sized.
There's no real room for creativity, but there's the following of plans, the hammering of nails, the learning of safety.
And in a short while, there's a finished product to show for the work. A nice introduction to what I hope will be a summer of building.
Next week's project, bird feeders.
On the schedule in May...a catapult!
Then, this summer,
hammer and nails and a pile of wood.
Guess learning the handsaw is next!!
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