What you need:
- A tree with big strong branches that you can reach from the ground
- Trainers or boots
Top tips:
- Keep three parts of your limbs (two legs and an arm, or two arms and a leg) on the tree at all times!
- Don't forget to check that it's dry before you climb as wet trees are really slippery.
- Good trees for climbing have broad trunks - ones that are thinner than your legs will probably be too little for proper climbing and won't be as much fun!
- Check out the view when you've climbed a little way and imagine you're a bird sitting on the branch - you're seeing what they see!
Here is what you could include in your woodworking set :
- A child sized hammer – small hammers are cheap and easy to find at most hardware stores, make sure you get one with a claw so you can use it to remove nails as well as hammer them!
- Nails – they need to be fairly long and with a large head for beginners
- A hand drill and drill bits.
- A clamp or a vice – for holding things together while you attach them, it makes it easier and safer to have things clamped securely in place
- A ruler and pencil for measuring and marking – a builders tape measure is fun too, but harder for little hands to use to actually measure.
- Wood glue – an easy way to attach small items and decorations.
- Sandpaper – of varying weights.
- Water colour paints and/or markers for decorating constructions.
- Various loose parts that can be nailed, glued or drilled – plastic bottle caps are easy to drill and then nail on, foam shapes nail or glue easily, beads glue and nail easily.
- Wood – you’ll need soft wood in a variety of sizes. Many hardware stores will give you pine off cuts free of charge, you can also ask at building sites (just make sure the pine is not treated) or look for services that provide recycled materials for art and craft. If you have fire wood you can also slice up small logs and sticks, and a big old lump of wood or a stump is great, safe, surface for hammering or drilling on to.
Plan to add a hack saw once your child is more confident and capable with the basics.
You’ll also need:
- A nice flat, solid, surface to work on that is the right height for your child and that can take a bit of pounding and drilling
- Eye protection for some activities like sanding
- An adult willing to show how to use the tools safely
Campfire Bread Recipe
- 300g (2 cups) self raising flour
- 240ml (1 cup) milk (or enough to bind into dough)
- ½ tsp salt
- 75g (2 tbsp) butter (optional)
- 1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
- flavourings of your choice – herbs, spices, cheese etc (optional)
- Small satchet of yeast
Make sure you have your camping bread sticks at the ready. Choose long sticks from non-poisonous trees, it’s a good idea to sterilise the top part of the stick in a flame before you had your bread. Freshly cut greenwood with sticks work really well because if the stick is wet it will smoke. Another good idea is to strip your stick of any bark. If your kids are old enough to use a pen knife they’ll love this job to practice their whittling skills!!
Once your dough is ready divide it into eight balls and take each ball and roll it into a long strip which you wrap round your stick. You’re ready now to get cooking!
