Wood Crafting with Children

My wood crafting project for our local 4H group finished up yesterday. Here's what we did:

• Practiced knife technique and safety; carved soap
• Debarked and whittled pine branches
• Carved an arrowhead shape out of basswood
• Made little wood "boats" and sewed a felt mast
• Sanded and stained tic tac toe boards

 

I planned activities that were entirely different than what I originally envisioned. I think that is important, to be flexible, when you're leading a group of kids and you don't know their skill or comfort level. I am still happy with how the projects turned out, and my students had a good time. When I told them it was their last class, they groaned and said, "Do we have to stop already?"