Need ideas for kids projects.

[johnny means]

I've been asked by my son's school to teach a three day summer camp session. Of course, the subject would be woodworking/crafts. I think that I will have three days with about three hours a day to get a project done. This can be anything from small individual sculptures to a group project for the school. The school ranges for K through 8 and is a Christian school that also operates as a church. Throw me whatever and we'll see what sticks.

[Mike Schuch]

A tool tote comes to mind. Maybe about 5" x 10" with the sides 2" tall and the ends 4" tall and a dowel down the middle as a handle.

[Kevin Godshall]

The other year when I did one of these type "camps", we did the totes and also did simple bluebird houses. The bird houses were nice because you can google plans that don't require any drilling, only handsaw cuts, and we incorporated a lesson on bluebirds with it. The Bluebird Society (google it again), makes a nice printout which shows where to hang, how to check, etc etc. So, we didn't end up making something that set in a closet or ended up in a burn pile. I still get kids and parents giving me reports on how their birdhouses are doing.

PS. Since it's a Christian organization, it never hurts to work in some creation teaching with it (wink, wink).

[Chris Kennedy]

I know it is summer, but what about Advent candelabras/wreathes of some sort? With such an age range, several designs of varying complexity could be formulated.

Chris

[Kent A Bathurst]

+1 on birdhouses. Neighbor 6-yr old made one and was as proud as could be. Soft pine, pre-cut parts, I think there were holes pre-drilled to guide the nails in. Small brads + tack hammer. Painting station. Rattle-can clear exterior acrylic top-coat.

Older kids could use a handsaw to cut parts - maybe el-cheapo backsaw with a box of some type to help with straight cuts.

[Chris Mahmood]

For more than a few young kids I've had good luck making simple cars. If you buy the wheels and axles in bulk they are very cheap (I use bearwood.com or cherrytreetoys.com). Plane three doug fir 2x8s or similar to get boards roughly 1 3/8" x 7 1/2" and face glue them to get a 4 1/8" x 7 1/2" board. Draw two rows of the car body profiles on the 4 1/8" face and cut them out with a bandsaw. A template helps but it doesn't need to be a fancy shape; I make something that looks sort like a VW Beetle with a longer front. Then resaw the board to get two ~2" x 7 1/2" and cross cut the cars out. From here you the kids can do the rest depending on their age and abilities. K aged kids usually will need the axle holes drilled for them but they can glue it all together and do the sanding and painting. I've never done this with older kids but they can probably cut windows with a coping saw, add spoilers, bumpers, and other details, etc. The kids usually really get into the painting so it's good to have lots of bright colors (latex paint samples from a paint store are a good source). If you build a ramp with lanes the kids can race them on the last day.

[Ray Chalenski]

Birdhouse are a great idea and pretty basic for the kids. How about a birdfeeder? Just as easy and they can watch them everyday.