If you Give a Boy an Idea....

Joshua has been very bored lately.  Today he walked in the door from school and stomped up to me and complained, "I'm Bored!"  Apparently he needs a lot more homework.  

A few days ago when he whined about utter boredom and demanded something fun (as opposed to the chores I normally offer), I suggested he find a project.  He has been reading "The Dangerous Book for Boys" and decided he needed to make a go-kart.  The book has a materials list and schematic, I think.  Today I said he could make a list of supplies, and come up with a price quote.  After he sat at the computer for 20 minutes, I booted him off and said it had a $20 limit.

Eventually, he came over to ask if he could use materials in the garage.  I said yes, but he had to clear each item with me first.  30 minutes later, I was called outside to approve a pile of stuff in the yard.  I was impressed.  No, he could not use the tires to my bike trailer, but everything else was a yes.

I was astonished when the children called me out about an hour later.  This is what I saw:

All 5 children were "helping" in the yard.  They had come up with an idea and gone with it.  Joshua's pal Mark had helped a bit as well.   But this was what they had created.  Impressive, hmmmm?!

 Yes, this really is the size of my yard.  It makes me cry too.  Fortunately, I was so pleased with the cooperative creativity of the kids, that today they were tears of joy!

 They needed a little time after dinner to work out the front wheel, and then it was off to try it out!

This is their (currently) finished project.  They used the luggage carrier, duct taped a little kick board onto it for the seat.  They cleverly replaced the luggage carrier's wheels with the wheels from Delaney's old scooter.  Then they duct taped the third scooter wheel to the front.  I'm not sure how long it will be till someone becomes a casualty of the duct taped wheel, but so far, it has been great fun!  Callie is posing as my model here, but it sure is an odd pose!


And this picture is for my mom!

This was Marian's fairly easy, yet impressive looking hair Sunday.