What kinds of craft/building projects could I do with 5-6 year old boys?
I’ve been dating a girl for almost a year now that has two children ages 5 & 6. They don’t really have any guys in their life aside from me and I’d like some suggestions for some projects, hobbies, or something we could work on together to give them their needed “guy time.”
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I operate HO trains. My grandson who is 8 has enjoyed helping Poppy. If you’re not sure, don’t invest a lot of money. Buy a couple model railroad magazines and go from there. A basic set goes for about $100. It requires thought, research and hands on work. Just think of all the good memories it will create. You can also check your museums, many of them have “Kid Zones”.
Here’s some links:
http://www.walthers.com/
http://www.carendt.us/
http://www.trains.com/mrr/
http://www.nmra.com/
http://www.hobbylinc.com/hotrainsets.htm
http://www.propmastersinc.com/
the easy asnwer here is of course fishing. However at that age you can also do some “cubscout” type stuff: Back yard camping, make wood block racecars and a small track to race them. Most important thing is to find something THEY enjoy and do with them.
There are two building projects I really like doing with kids.
For one, give them a bunch of balloons and masking tape, then have them compete to see who can build the tallest tower using the balloons (it could be a cooperative activity too, with them working together).
If you want to build a bit more “permanent” structures, use toothpicks and dried peas that you’ve soaked overnight. Use the peas as connectors to fasten the toothpicks together to build all sorts of towers. If you leave the finished towers alone to dry, the toothpicks will stay stuck together. This can build some really cool skyscrapers. Reminds me of Connex.
One that the boys (and girls too) had a lot of fun with in one of my “classes” at school was freeform structures made from tubes of newspaper. (Freeform things probably work best since kids this age won’t necessarily want to make “a thing,” unless you all want to “build something together” where you’ll be providing a lot of guidance and they’ll “help.”)
Once you’ve rolled a lot of newspaper tubes** (or these could be much smaller tubes made from smaller sheets of paper), just give them some masking tape (or other tape, or maybe even glue guns for some areas *if you’re diligent*), and let them build a structure or anything they want. Wads or scrunched rolls of newspaper or even smaller flat sheets can be attached too. It can be good to also give them a piece of cardboard or something as a base so they can start by attaching stuff to it, but completely freestanding can be fun too.
**your gf or even the kids could help with rolling the tubes since it will take awhile but could be fun in front of the TV, etc…. basically you’d put a double-sheet of newspaper on the floor, then roll it up into a tube shape (*beginning at a corner* if you want them really long!) using a fat marker or something inside the paper… put a little glue or tape at the end corner of the sheet and finish rolling up…then just tilt and slide the marker/etc out of one end of the tube
Another version of this is what we used to call “junk art.” That’s gathering just all kinds of things that might get thrown out, or miscellaneous stuff, wire, etc., and let them glue anything they want into a “sculpture” (freeform, probably) on top of a cardboard base.
Kids that young are really fine with glue guns as long as you get the low-temp kind which are most common anyway, and you don’t leave them completely alone. Just show them how to use glue guns in general and how to rub the glue off quickly when they get it on their hands accidentally (which will probably happen at least once, but they don’t seem to mind bec. they love using the guns). Gluing larger things like this (or gluing things *onto* things) would probably have less accidental glue-on-hands problems than gluing the newspaper *ends* above. Or you could try junk art with tape only.
All kinds of clays can be fun too (salt dough, purchased Celluclay–add water), etc.
Making musical instruments is fun too.
Getting outside and doing anything that involves action would be good too. They could also “collect” things, or build things (from tiny bug houses, to large cardboard forts), or make ramps for marbles to roll down, or go fishing, or do ball things (from hitting small or large balloons back and forth, or various sizes of balls, to kicking them, or using various sports equipment, etc., etc.) Just running around at the park and climbing on the structures can be good too, or tumbling around with you on the floor–never underestimate that one!
If they object to anything they think is too girly, just change the object of what’s being made or done to something that involves forts, action, cars, airplanes, etc.
More possible ideas in these links (some are books but still suggest “types” of things to try):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fun+activities+build+young+boys+5+6+years
Try to see to if each has any special interests or types of things they’re more drawn to, as well.
(And what a cool guy you must be!)
Diane B.