Construction Time

Now that the warm weather is here, it has been a time of work, work, work.  

The tools are out and the children are building and fixing things all over the yard.  It has been a long time since the children have had their hammers, drills, tape measures, and screw drivers to play with.

I would love to keep them out all year, but having the preschool in the house and in our living space, it is hard  to find the right space to set up a work area indoors, and so it is always something to look forward to in warmer weather.

The "Construction Work" is explored in many creative and different ways.

The children first practice and develop skills as well as learn respect for the tools and safety.
Our initial exploration is always hammering tack nails into the cracks of a tree stump.  The children then practice removing the nails with the back of the hammers, pliers and screw drivers.  

  

We also have old fashion crank drills that the children love using.

Once the children are comfortable with their tools they start creating projects.

I have a pile of wood scraps that they pick through and develop what they want to make.  

It is really driven by the child, I help out when they need it, but mostly I just supervise as they assemble what they want to make.

I grew up watching and helping my father do additions and repairs on our home, and when I see these little girls using tools,  it reminds me of how my father would let me go off into the woods and make forts and bridges with his tools.  Those are some cherished memories from my childhood, but also skills, my two sister are also skilled with tools.   All children,  Boys and Girls should be given the opportunity to learn how to use tools and be creative.

A Dinosaur in the making.

The finished product, I would love to keep it, but alas I think it will be leaving me next week!

Airplanes were a very popular creation as well.

One of the workers wanted to make a race car, and  I remembered I had these wooden circles from the materials exchange, they made perfect tires.  Once he put his car together, he asked to paint it, I loved his creativity and his car.  So did the rest of the children, he graciously let many of them play with it.  You could visibly see his confidence grow as the other children appreciated the work he did.

The work did not only translate into finished projects, there was lots of  "important work" happen all over the yard.  There were slides to measure

The "Stringy things" on the tires had to be removed!

Houses needed to be measured...

...and disassembled and reassembled again.  

Of course these workers had to put plumbing into place, which later became a trap for 

"bad kitties." 

  

A final job well done,trimming the high grass by the vegetable garden with the inside cutter of the pliers, they thought of everything!