Make a Bark Boat - The Magic Onions

Oh the simple joys of making our own boats. We have been on a boat-making spree lately and what masterpieces we have made. You can see our other creations here and here.

Today, we made our best boat of all… a bark boat. I can’t tell you the joy I feel when I watch my little boy’s confidence in his own creativity grow. I love to see him realize that he is a ‘maker’. I encourage and suggest, of course, and I help when I am asked, but I am also mindful to allow his own ideas to develop. Being a ‘maker’ myself, it’s not always easy to sit back and let someone else’s creative spirit control the creation, but I am happy to say that, with lots of practice, I am becoming a pro :-)

I suggested we find a nice piece of bark for our next boat and off into the neighborhood we went in search of the prefect piece.

With our gorgeous thick pine bark in hand, we found a stick for a mast and cut it to the right length.

Teddy decided where the mast should go.

And then drilled a hole for it in his bark.

He stuck the mast in some wood glue.

And glued it into the hole he had made.

I helped him choose a fabric for the sail and he cut out a large triangle which we stuck to the mast.

When it had dried we had our prettiest boat yet. But wait… it needed a motor and Teddy stuck the perfect pine cone in place.

We took it to the river to see if it would float.

Of course we needed a long stick to push it around.

And ‘drive’ it wherever we wanted it to go.

And the tiniest dragonfly landed on Teddy’s leg let to see what we were up to.

Another day of fun with our own handmade toys. Another opportunity to play in the fresh air, with sticks and water and mud. Another beautiful day with my children.

Blessings and magic,
Donni