KIDS, DRILLS, AND WOOD

Kids love to work with wood and after talking about safety, they made their own personal geoboards today. They use our geoboard wall all the time and I knew they would love a small one of their own, especially one they made all by themselves.

The wood was cut ahead of time, about a 6 X 6  square that was 1.25 inches thick.

 The children sanded the edges and marked the locations for the screws with a pencil.

We decided to use screws, instead of nails, so they could have practice using the power drill.  

There's so much to learn . . .  keeping it straight, applying downward pressure, pressing the trigger slowly, fitting the bit into the screw just right, reversing if it goes crooked, holding the wood, etc.

 

The screws were 1 1/2 inches long and were just the right length.


The children screwed them in very carefully using the power drill. 

Then it was time to add the rubber bands . . . and PLAY !

Children are such capable beings!
You may notice some screws not perfectly straight or not in a straight line, or some may be crowded in the middle of the wood. . .but all that does not matter.  


The children do not see all that. 
They see something useful and fun that they made all by themselves, the way they wanted to make it.  Here's to the children!

This would make a great gift for a child with the supplies gathered together as a KIT , for them  to make and play with once finished.  If I was making it for a gift, or if only a couple of children were making them, I would make the wood larger . . . 8 -12 inches square :)


A fun suggestion for Handmade Holiday . . . and Hands On Homeschool Blog carnival
                    
                              happy day!

GEOBOARD WALL

I love to create and touch things, so it's only natural that I love to provide the means for others also ..an invite to create.  I find if you put it out, it gets used, or at least touched.

 I have always wanted a wall of geoboards and was inspired by my friend, Rue, who has one. She also a magnetic word wall.

We decided on the perfect spot, a narrow wall between our great room and kitchen, and found the black, wooden, 9x9 geoboards online. When I wanted more they were on clearance and 

I was very happy about the price reduction.

 There are 144 wooden pegs in each 9x9 geoboard. The blunt ends are especially good for younger children and those who might bump into the wall or lean against it while walking past.

The fifteen geoboards were placed three across and five down to fit the narrow wall we chose. They were glued together onto a piece of  3/4" plywood that was painted black to match the geoboards. We used a heavy duty construction adhesive  

We made the plywood three inches longer on the top and bottom so we could screw the whole board into the wall. I didn't want to glue it because I wanted to be able to take it down if I wanted to, but so far we haven't wanted to. I just stuck some black electrical tape over the screw holes so they wouldn't be noticable, until I thought of something better.

A basket of rubber bands is always accessible.

Most every person, from toddler to adult, uses the geoboard, people that live here and people who visit. It's one of the best things we have done!

The littliest ones are also quite proud of what they can do . . . 

and often find other ways to use the rubber bands  :)