Grandkid's camp - need ideas!! Help!

[John Keeton]

Every year we have our tribe of grandkids for a camp. We do a lot of the usual stuff, but since they are getting older, last year I precut some bluebird houses and they assembled them and then painted them. We put them up around the homeplace and hope to have some inhabitants.

They really enjoyed that project so now the pressure is on for a follow up. Anyone have any ideas? The age range is 5 - 15, but the older ones tend to team up with a younger one or two, so need something in the 8 - 10 yr old range. Also needs to be something that I can precut the parts, predrill, etc. I will make about 8 of them.

[Rob Will]

John,

These are not really wood shop projects but how much room do you have? Does this include things like a cookout in the woods? I have a cool way to do a tree identification game. The older ones could help set up the event for the little ones.

Also, water rockets made from plactic pop bottles is an activity they will definitely remember. It is easy to get them up a couple of hundred feet in the air.

Rob

[John Keeton]

Rob, thanks for the reply. We have about 70 acres, so plenty of room for activities. Usually do a cookout, and some nature stuff. I would be interested in any ideas you have, even if not wood related. PM me with them. The kids really enjoyed the "shop time" and I want to do another project that will give them some hands on creativity with wood - maybe inspire future woodworkers! Come on creekers, give me some project ideas!

[Kurt Bird]

John,
My granddaughter and I have a pending project where we will make a sign for her room. It will have her name in cut out letters, painted or stained, and attached to the sign. I intend to let her cut out all the letters on the scroll saw, paint and glue them to the sign. This could be an idea for you.
Kurt

[Mike Sheppard]

John
How about tongue drums, you could cut them out and they can assamble and finish. The down side of them (if it is a down side) they would take them home and drive there folks nuts.
Mike

[scott spencer]

A simple press fit clock is something they should be able to handle, isn't too expensive (try clockparts.com), and is something they can use, show off, and be proud of.

Whichever you choose, have fun!

Couple of basic ideas:
1679.jpg 13.jpg

[Russ Boyd]

How about making some small stools they can take home and use for whatever (like putting on their shoes)? They could personalize them by painting or decals or ?. Russ

[Von Bickley]

John,

With 70 acres, you could have a tree identification class. You could also have a day where you set out some trees.

Building some Shaker style step stools would be fun and provide a piece of small furniture they would always have.

[John Keeton]

Some great ideas! This is our 5th year of this, so we have tried a lot of things. Usually, camp is 3 days, 2 nites, except for some of the younger ones, so we are limited somewhat on finishing times for things. We try to have a pretty tight agenda to keep the interest level up.

Scott, we did a clock a couple of years ago, and that is a great idea.

Tongue drums is a neat idea, but I haven't cranked up my scroll saw in several years. Also, never made one, so will have to do a prototype to see if it matches my patience level??!!??

I should have mentioned that we have 13 grandkids, so individual tool time has to be limited to had tools and group assembly sessions. Gets a little tricky managing that size tribe in a shop!

Von, we do the camp in mid June, and with our recent drought summers, planting trees would present some failure issues. I thought about that, but even seedlings would have a tough time getting a start without watering them, and that gets cumbersome when you have to haul water to them. But, I do like the tree identification class. That will be added this year!

Also like the stool idea from Von and Russ. Do either of you have a simple plan? Would probably need to rely on painted finish as we would not have enough time to stain and varnish. I also want the kids to do most of the project and don't know how they would do with the stain. Afraid a LOT of stuff would get stained!! That latex paint washes off pretty easily.

Still open for more ideas!! Thanks for the input.

[scott spencer]

More food for thought....A couple of years ago our Webelos den did a spaceship derby that was a blast...didn't look too intensive to setup either. The course is essentially about 40 feet of stiff line between two supports...as many lanes as you'd like. Kits are pretty cheap. You can build the ships in less than a day.



space derby ideas

[Rob Will]

John,
Here are some links to water rocket stuff:
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/educ...rktbflght.html
http://www.martinet.nl/articles/20050101.html
http://antigravityresearch.com/HTMLobj-894/Skylab11.pdf
http://antigravityresearch.com/
http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/water...Variations.htm
http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/water...etLauncher.htm

Rob

[Rob Will]

John,

With 70 acres, you could have a tree identification class. You could also have a day where you set out some trees.

Building some Shaker style step stools would be fun and provide a piece of small furniture they would always have.

Excellent ideas Von.

John,
The TREE IDENTIFICATION GAME was something we came up with when a school group visited my farm. Here's how it worked:

You set up four stations (tables) where three different trees are nearby. Small to medium trees often work best because the leaves may be more visible to the kids.

Tie a numbered sign around each tree. 1,2,3 etc.

On the table at each station, you cut a small limb sample from those three trees and place it on the table.

Label the samples: Sycamore, Gum, Oak etc.

Print up some "fill in the blank" forms. I used a pinwheel arrangement with a graphic of a tree in the center. If you can print on card stock, even better.

Each segment of the wheel has a number - the kids go from station to station matching the numbered trees to the labeled samples. Then they fill in the corresponding spot on thier form.

Not only do the kids get to identify trees, they get to write out each tree's name. All the while - moving through the woods in a scavenger hunt fashion !!

By having the trees in small groups, it was not overwhelming for the little kids - plus they got to move around a lot more.

For the older kids, you can make it a LOT harder by putting more trees in each group.

I was a little surprised that the kids took such interest in this game. It actually worked better than expected.

Rob

[Joe Scharle]

My grandkids love these.

[John Keeton]

Rob, thanks for the PM and the post. Definitely will try the tree ID game, and for sure, the bottle rockets!

Joe, what do you call your project? The pic is not very high res, but looks like the blocks roll down the rungs of the ladder?!? Pretty neat! Do you have the dimensions or a plan?

[Joe Scharle]

They're called Jacob's Ladders. Hope you can read this; if not I can email it.