Good ideas for stuff to make with children :)

[Brizzlebush]

I enjoyed looking through these ideas so thought I would add one: spinning tops. Cut a disk of wood about 5cm diameter, 2cm thick. Make a hole through the center (I used a 4mm palm drill). Whittle down a stick so it can be pushed through but jams with about 3cm through, slightly sharpen this end (I used a pencil sharpener) then cut down the other end of the stick to a nice length to spin with fingertips (about 3cm again). The tops can then be decorated with paint, felts, etching or burning. The closer the disk is to circular the better and tools can be matched to age/competence e.g. whittling with a peeler or a knife, the hole with a palm drill or awl or hand drill. Unfortunately I left the one I made in school so can not put a photo up atm.

In the spirit of full disclosure this idea is not my own but came from 'Easy wood carving for children' by Frank Egholm, which has many great ideas. Some do not seem easy to me, a novice getting back into bushcraft to use in outdoor learning lessons, but they are rated 1 to 3 and it gives the option of progression which hopefully will be well useful as I (and the children) get more competent!

Handy.
Thanks for the tip on the book.
My 9yr old is enjoying using my old Mora. So it would nice to have some ideas.
He does what I did when I was a kid and makes sticks pointy

 

[Robbi]

edit

 

[Erbswurst]

My 10 years old nephew learned sharpening his Opinel No7 and his Mora Companion and started spoon carving.

 

[Lacijag1]

Couple of garden/home decoration ideas, they are not too difficult to make and can be fun for the kids.

Various garden/home decoration.
Fairy doors and mushroom houses with little foxes.
.
.
.
#fairydoor #mushroomhouse #gardendecor #homedecor #woodworking #woodcarving #fafaragás #giftideas #ajándék

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Robbi]

I reckon you could make a good flood defense. If you had enough of them and stacked them high enough.

 

[MrEd]

at the mini moot recently i had fun making fairy doors, and a troll house with a few of the kids, we painted them, gathered moss, wove sticks, and made the doors out of discs of wood i cut about 3 inches across.

They loved it!

 

[fewmet]

Instructions for 3 simple projects here from a UK Crafts Council , Craft Club newlsetter. https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/documents/930/Forest_Craft.pdf Disclosure - they are free but from a book I wrote so admin please delete if this is deemed an advert.

 

[Miss Lynn]

Another copy and paste this time one of mine from years ago.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39659

Tension trays/plates
These are the simplest of things to make, use up scrap materials, can be made with anything from willow to dockens, and are very useful indeed.
The little one that I show being made here took me about ten minutes, though I generally find it takes beginners a bit longer, and it will work as a plate, keep a hot pot off the tent floor, insulate a pot or mug from the chill of the ground, and can be used as a steamer or draining tray. It's also a good base for seasonal collections of 'stuff' from acorns to pinecones and holly
Larger ones make dry comfortable seats or kneeling pads, boot racks, dish drainers, a dry bit under a hammock to put your stocking feet down onto, will stop a hot stove sinking through snow or provide a dry bed for a fire or a prop for one of those disposable bbq's.

For children who are not confident with a knife, either find a block that they can cut down onto when cutting up the weaving sticks or use pruners or the kitchen scissors
As I said, useful

Basically make a hoop. Cross two sticks through it and then fill in alternatively weaving pieces above the cross stick and then below. Trim the ends so they stick out a bit, thin the tips of the cross piece and thread back through. Finished, secure and takes little time.

Offcuts of willow from basketry making, one long rod.

The rod made into a hoop.

The cross piece in place.

Next two weavers are threaded through. Notice they're threaded over, the cross is under.

More weavers threaded into place. They could be cut to length when they're threaded.

Finished threading weavers in until the gaps are filled.

Tided off the ends of the weavers, leaving the original cross rod until last.

Trimmed the cross rod to 7 or 8 cms.

Cross rod thinned down and threaded back on itself. Not necessary but it stabilises things.

Pared ends pushed parallel with the rod, nice and tidy and secure. Finished tray

The biggest one I've made was about 70cms and it lasted for about three years

I generally use willow, it's food safe, but I have used dockens in season, privet and split hazel (very firm ), marram grass and cat tail rushes for the weavers. It's one of those useful what do you have sort of makes.

The knife is a Bruseletto Troll and is another firm favourite

atb,
Toddy

I say that is absolutely genius! I have every intention of trying this, I am not a very crafty person, but I am going to give it a try, and see what I can actually create with my own hands. I will send this to my niece in Canada who has three robust eager beaver children, who would love to try this with their Mother for sure.

Thank you ever so much for posting this craft!

Lynn

 

[VaughnT]

Can you tie the Moana Knot?

Can your kids?

Take the challenge. You got one second to get the knot tied and thrown to someone drowning in the choppy seas! :O

 

[gra_farmer]

Instructions for 3 simple projects here from a UK Crafts Council , Craft Club newlsetter. https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/documents/930/Forest_Craft.pdf Disclosure - they are free but from a book I wrote so admin please delete if this is deemed an advert.

Link does not work, I am interested as going camping with my children and we all love projects

 

[Bongonaut]

My kids and I dig clay from the local east coast cliffs (uk) and make random pots and dishes/ornaments let them dry out naturally and glaze or paint…keeps them happy and a chance to get mucky hands.

 

[Toddy]

My kids and I dig clay from the local east coast cliffs (uk) and make random pots and dishes/ornaments let them dry out naturally and glaze or paint…keeps them happy and a chance to get mucky hands.

The oldest style of pottery in the UK is made just like that, then filled with the ashes of the fire and baked in the fire for just as long as you like. While still warm, the pot is wiped clean and then washed with milk.
The lipids in the milk seal the pot, and make it capable of holding liquid. Otherwise the clay is porous since it isn't properly ceramicised.
It's very do-able, up here it's still done as a demonstration using only a peat fire. Peat gets nowhere near as hot as a hardwood or charcoal fire does, but it still works.
You do really need some kind of temper in the clay, crushed shell, very very small grit, kind of thing. The temper disrupts any large cracking that might form as the pot dries out.

M

 

[Bongonaut]

Thanks that’s great info..I’ll try some temper next time and the sealing with milk..everyday’s a skool day…

 

[VaughnT]

As a "simple" knot project, these are great fun for kids. I highly recommend you stay away from them, though, as I've found playing with the things to be extremely addictive no matter your age or how stalwart you think your constitution to be.

Great for building dexterity, causing giggling everywhere, and generally occupying the time you could be spending watching some random television show. Horrible things, these.

Definitely don't offer the kids cookies or other sweets as a reward for each new trick they learn with the things. Sugar and finger fidgets are a sure recipe for a day of interruptions as the kids blow through the house, a tempest of youthful exuberance, their eyes bright as they can't wait to show you yet another new move they picked up.

Don't say you haven't been warned!

 

[Robbi]

If they all wore little reflective jackets you could stack them up to make a fire pit reflector

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks that’s great info..I’ll try some temper next time and the sealing with milk..everyday’s a skool day…

My downloadable "Primitive Pottery" is available free if you PM me your email address .

 

[oldtimer]

Good morning Bongonaut. Primitive Pottery download emailed today. Have fun.

 

[1 pot hunter]

There are a lot of parents on the forum and a lot of interest in finding things to do with them of a bushcrafty nature.

This thread is intended as one where we can collate good ideas that inform and encourage the development of practical skills. Basically if it uses natural materials in it's construction then it's a good idea

How rich the activity becomes depends on the folks making it.
For instance, Jonr's excellent whistle making tutorial uses Elder, but Elder, or Boortree, has many other uses too.
Fill in the blanks for the children and yourselves and we all learn

atb,
Mary

Bundle bows

 

[Toddy]

NASA have a lot of good interactive things to make and do on their site.

One of them caught my eye this morning, it's a Lunar Calendar to download and build.

Student Project: Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator - NEW for 2023 | NASA/JPL Edu

Like a decoder wheel for the Moon, this calendar will show you where and when to see the Moon and every moon phase throughout the year. 2023 calendar and low-ink printout now available for download!

www.jpl.nasa.gov

 

[Ozmundo]

I appologise if it’s been suggested already but….

FELT

It’s pretty simple and uses common household/kitchen kit. A bamboo roll up mat is handy, old tea towels, hot water, soap, something to cut it, Plastic sheet or bag and the fibre it’s self. Some inexpensive kits around to start you off.

Pretty much anyone could make a useable winter hat, bag or Christmas decoration in a couple of hours.