The other day Henry and I took a trip to a nearby airplane museum. It is one of our favorite little easy museum trips. There are rarely more than two other families there at the same time as us, it's nearby with no traffic, and...it's airplanes! Sadly though, when we got there most of the exhibits were closed to the public due to some construction. Henry was really bummed that we didn't get to see the planes and that there wasn't anything really to do.
Like, really really bummed.
So, I suggested that we go home and make an airplane!
He was sceptical at first (and so was I, ha!), but then I explained to him that it was an experiment...
He was fascinated by the whole process... wood, cutting, decorating and then flying. The flying part, as you might expect, was a bit hit or miss, but good enough to make a 4 year old happy!
We had fun discussing the size and shape of the plane. And, once it was his turn to decorate he really went all out with wood markers and washi tape. He chatted about the "cute fire flames" he was adding and picked out the perfect silver tape for the tale wing.
We had fun making something together. And, while it didn't fly perfectly, we are calling this experiment a "win".
Want to make one yourself?
Supplies: 1/8" Balsa Wood (ours happened to already be painted white on one side from a previous craft idea), craft knife, Toy Airplane Template, plus markers, washi tape and stickers for decorating.
Start by using your craft knife and Toy Airplane Template , carefully cut your plane pieces out of your balsa wood. Next, carefully cut notches out for the wings. Make sure that they are wide enough to slide the wings inside, but not too wide that they slide around when they are placed in the notches.
Once your pieces are all cut out, hand it over to your kid partner and let them do the decorating!
Easy!
Then, grab it and go play...
Let it go to fly ...
or zoom it around "manually"...
either way it's high flying fun!
And, it's something that you made together!
This project got me thinking about crafting and making... with boys. I think that often times, certainly not all the time, but often we think of crafting as something girls enjoy more often that boys. And honestly for the most part, that is true here in our house, but with Henry's new found artistic abilities and his attention to details I'd like to help cultivate his creativity.
He and I have a couple of days and extras hours together each week and instead of waiting until Violet gets home from school to do our crafty things why not just do them together.
With this in mind I'm going to start a little "series" here...
BoyCraft (think aircraft, witchcraft, ya know) will be a "series" in a very loose sense, as in every once in a while...
But the crafts will be those that Henry and I have done together. Inspired by something that he likes or thinks up. Something to encourage him to create and make (something Violet already does multiple times a day!).
Of course, please, I hope you know that we are an equal opportunity household here! Girls do "boy things" and boys do "girl things" around here ALL OF THE TIME! I am by no means saying that these crafts are just for boys, because I know Violet will want to do them as soon as she gets home from school too. She's already made her own plane! Anyone and everyone should make what they'd like, right! I am simply saying that instead of following Violet's creative whims I'd like to tune myself in a bit more toward Henry's.
I think it'll be fun! And I'm sure we will make a few things that are different from the things that we typically make around here...
Now go make some planes and have a great weekend!
