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 (http://clockparts.com/)), and is something they can use, show off, and be proud of.

Whichever you choose, have fun! :)

Couple of basic ideas:
87736 87737

[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.:D

[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 (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.spaceship-derby.com/space_derby3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.spaceship-derby.com/space_derby_links.htm&h=343&w=580&sz=34&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=oyxdqyTa348E0M:&tbnh=79&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSpaceship%2BDerby%2B%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3 Den%26sa%3DG)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.

http://www.simplecom.net/pack36/images/rockets_0074.jpg

space derby ideas (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.simplecom.net/pack36/images/rockets_0074.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.simplecom.net/pack36/space_derby.html&h=368&w=408&sz=14&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=FOPxPBK3cy2FRM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSpace%2BDerby%2B%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den% 26sa%3DG)

[Rob Will]

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

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.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/TumblingLadder.jpg

[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.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/195/medium/Jacobs_Ladder.jpg (javascript:;)

[John Shuk]

Joe,
Could I trouble you to e-mail that to me? It looks like a nice project.
My e-mail is:
LEVUK @ Verizon dot net
I didn't want to make a clickable link to avoid spamming.
Thanks,
John

[Steve Kohn]

Do you know any Cub Scout leaders? If not check with the local council.

The Boy Scouts of America has hundreds of games, plans, kits, etc. that are age appropriate for your grandchildren.

[Lee Schierer]

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.
Here is a stool I built for my grandkids. It is assembled with pocket hole screws.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/footstol.jpg

Be sure to make it wide enough that it won't tip easily as kids tend to stand on the edge.

Most kids love to make kites. They enjoy making them and then they can be flown for days afterwards. You can also make kite string winders to simplify winding up the string when the wind fails.

[Doug Donnell]

Since they seem to like the shop time, how about some modestly sized, old fashioned tool totes? My dad is 72 and still has one he made as a kid, keeps spent cartridge cases in it for reloading. Every kid likes to have something to tote around toys, Matchbox Cars, rock collections, whatever. Every adult needs a place to keep a hammer, pliers, a few screwdrivers, ect., even if they are apartment dwellers. Build them sturdy and they might have something that will last them a lifetime.

A variation could be an open bottomed stool with a stretcher across the length to act as a handle when inverted. Saw a plan somewhere for it, turn it over, load it with tools, take to the job, take out the tools, turn back upright, and you have a stool or short worksurface.

If you use simple joinery and pre-cut and pre-drill your screw holes, they should go together quickly and with limited difficulty.

[Dick Strauss]

John,
I got a free magazine for watching a Shopsmith demo a few years back. Their magazing has plans for all kinds of kids toys. They have plans for rocking horses, trolleys, airplanes, pecking chickens, climbing bears, space shuttles, toy trains, fire engines, toy tops, racing firefighters (like jacobs ladder but painted differently), puzzles, kite string winders, pull dogs, etc. Check their website and see if you can't find something good.

http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/
http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/issue_archives.htm (plan archives)
http://www.shopsmithhandson.com/archives/sept_oct_02/html/major_project.htm (toy train plans)

If you can't find something I mentioned, I'll scan and send the plans to you. (I have no affiliation with Shopsmith)


Good luck,
Dick

[Larry Conely]

For my son's Weblo project a few years ago, I did a duck decoy project. I cut the body and head blanks from basswood. I glued them together before the project started. I took rasps, files, sandpaper and so on. No sharp blades. They were finished with shoe polish. I was surprised by the quality of some of the decks.

[John Keeton]

Really appreciate all the feedback! Dick, I really like some of the Shopsmith projects. Lots of possibilities there!

Couple of things that make this a difficult situation - our g'kids are getting older and we have decided we need to break the shop time into "younger" and "older" and do 2 different projects. And, the older group (12-15) will be 2 boys and 2 girls!! So, I have to look at the interest level for the girls at that point.

We have always packed the camp with a tight schedule to keep everything flowing and to wear them out! Causes them to sleep at nite rather than stay up yakking with their cousins. Also, makes Granny and PawPaw sleep better!

Looks like I have about 2 - 2.5 hours of shop time in the schedule, and may be able to squeeze in a second short session if it rains, so I will take all the ideas and make some decisions.

Thanks again to all creekers - you came through again!!

[Harley Reasons]

If you have a HD BORG near you, carry all of them there for the Saturday morning Kids workshop. They all will get to assembly a project and then carry them for ice cream afterwards. We have Camp Pappaw and Nana every year with our four and do that. We also make up tee shirts using the iron on transfers that you print on your printer. Works great and they can wear them on outings to aid in identification at a distance, especially if you use funky colors.

[John Keeton]

Harley

Great idea on HD. We are about 35 minutes from the Lexington KY store, and that may fit into the schedule. We have done the t-shirts every year and they are always a big hit. We do a graphic on MS Publisher and print it to a transfer. Last year we ended up making a stencil and using fabric paint which also worked out great and cheaper and quicker.

We camped out one year - won't be doing that again!! Found out real quick how old we really were!

[Steve Beadle]

John, how about a bird feeder, to go along with those birdhouses from last year?

[Von Bickley]

Harley

Great idea on HD. We are about 35 minutes from the Lexington KY store, and that may fit into the schedule.

John,

How far are you away from the Shaker Community "Pleasant Hill"?

We have been there a couple of times and enjoyed seeing that.

[Harley Reasons]

John,

How far are you away from the Shaker Community "Pleasant Hill"?

We have been there a couple of times and enjoyed seeing that.

Yeah Pleasant Hill is really a nice place to visit, but depending on the age of the children it might not hold their interest for very long.
My wife & I went there a few years ago and booked one of the rooms for two nights. BIG MISTAKE. The bed was made in the authentic shaker style, hard as plane flatiron. The bed was suppose to be a double size but wasn't much larger than a twin size. There was no way two full grown adults could sleep on it so I wound up sleeping in the car for two nights. Food was good and plentiful though.

Another thought is pickup a couple of cheap handheld GPS's and go Geocaching, it is like a treasure hunt only using the GPS and compass. They learn navigation skills and learn to take a prize and leave a prize in the cache. Here is a great site with the information Geocaching (http://www.geocaching.com/)

[John Keeton]

Von, we are due east of Lexington, and it is kind of like the Atlanta airport - hard to get anywhere without going through there. Shaker Village is probably hour and half from us, but not all that far if negotiating Lexington wasn't between us. Going backroads is not very feasible.

I agree with Harley on staying there, wouldn't do that, but it is a nice place to visit. They just went through a big stink on getting a liquor license there to sell spirits. Nice day trip on a fall weekend.

Good idea on the GPS game - I will check that out.

Steve, on the bird feeder idea, we have a healthy squirrel population (probably because of the food they have stolen from us!) and feeders are just not functional. We also have put in about 13 acres of native habitat and food sources are plentiful. Seems the squirrels are the laziest and most intuitive of the animal population we have. We do have a thistle feeder for finches, although the squirrels will also get to those at times. They are persistent!

[Rob Diz]

My 6 year old nephew is coming to town in a few weeks. I think we will make a toolbox/tote, just like my Dad made with me a long time ago. I was thinking that I would precut the pieces, but leave the a little bit of machine work to do with the kids - perhaps the drill press work for the dowel handle, or either the biscuit work or the pocket screws for assembly. For a larger group, pocket screws would be the way to go.

If we won't have time to paint the tool totes, then I'll use the biscuits, otherwise the pocket screws are probably a bit safer to show him how to use.