Monday, September 21, 2009

Carpentry is awesome...


...or, as Jack asked me yesterday, "Would you rather be a carpenter OR build robots when you grow up?" Good question, kid. Lucky for me, I grew up to do a little bit of both!

I just met with my friend Doerte about our plans for carpentry classes this fall and winter. She is German and is just back from spending the summer over there... she came back with these absolutely wonderful hand drills that are so simple and so sturdy,all metal, so perfect for children to use. In our class last spring we used these Fiskar hand drills, partially plastic, which were neat but we really put them to the test, and they were not up to the task, oh no they were not. It is SO not fun frustrating kids who are trying to learn an exciting new skill, not our intention at all.

Anyway, we got all jazzed about this wonderful new projects we are going to do in our classes... one of those hand held wooden labyrinth games that you fuss around with to get the tiny little marble or ball bearing through the maze... real wooden puzzles... maybe one of those wooden pull-toys so popular with toddlers... all sorts of really groovy ideas are in the mix. It is one of my favorite things in the world... talking with a friend and getting all exciting about making and creating and doing. I love it!

Now on Friday we will get together and start building the prototypes. It's been a while since I've hammered and sawed and drilled... let the making commence. Hooray!

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