Science and Art of Kids Cardboard Projects

Any kids craft project should be designed to accomplish a few objectives.

1. Have Fun spending time together, and Make something Really Cool.
2. Kick-start and Mentor your child's Creative Spirit and Ability.
3. Teach physical Craft Skills; proper and affective use of tools and materials.
4. Save trips to the Toy store and Bank, while Reusing on hand Supplies.
5. Give a Return on Investment by providing your child with a "toy" that will occupy their imagination and time while you cook dinner.

Throughout this Blog I'm posting some pictures and video of projects as examples to excite you. Future articles will deal with the How-To aspects of a particular medium.

Then there are a few rules to follow to making the experience fun for you and your child.

1. The type of project we choose to do should be Informed by our Kids.
2. Never let our limited imagination limit our kid's.
3. In the mind of the child we should only be their Production Monkey.

In reality, the servant must retain the role of master by helping to create realistic options for the completion of a project on time and budget. That being said, really try to let them invest their imagination.

The more your child feels the project reflects their vision, the longer and greater they will enjoy it, and the time spent together. This means finding ways to do as directed, while being the guide.

A simple example of this last point might play out like this.

"Hey Jack" says dad. "I've got an hour today free and thought we could build something out of this cardboard we've got.

Should we build a toy or a vehicle or a fort with it?"

So as the "real guide" we have set up some parameters around time, and materials; offered general direction about what might be possible, but still given a wide berth for their imaginations.

Now Jack says "a rocket ship that blasts off and fires things with a computer..."

The way to respond to this overwhelming request is to satisfy the basic requests without killing yourself, but, still blowing the kid away.

Here's how it could be handled. Assuming in this case we have the cardboard to make a sizable rocket. We build the rocket, install a stomp rocket out a port hole, or mount a Nerf-gun on a tourate

, then tape a small flashlight and calculator to the inside of the rocket. Easy enough and all criteria have been met. You are a hero, and hopefully they are still in diapers, because they're gonna **** their pants.

So "Feel the force, Let it flow through you..." fight it and your toast.

The project will always be more fun if you are BOTH working on it.