Building Boys

In addition to chore training and our read aloud routine, I try to have an engaging activity for my preschoolers everyday. At this age, they seem to enjoy repeating the same activity each day for a week adding variations and new twists to it as we go along.

My just-turned-3-years-old really enjoyed this weeks activity so I thought I would share:


I found a scrap piece of soft pine wood and some small penny nails. I got about 6 nails started into the wood then taught him how to hold the hammer, which was a little too heavy for him, to finish driving the nails into the wood. It took some encouragement at first as he had a few misses then wanted to give up. Hoping to build a little character, I encouraged him to keep trying. By the end of our session this skill was still difficult for him, but he had some success, so I had something to build on the next day.

Each day he practiced hammering the nails and each day it became easier for him. By Thursday he could nail them in quite easily.

On the second day, after his nailing practice, we decided to cut electrical tape and put it on his board. He cut the tape himself, and was quickly bored of it. :)

However, he loved to measure the board with the measuring tape. I placed the tape on the board and counted inches as I pointed to each number. I showed him how to hook the end of the tape measure onto the end of the board. I took a marker and drew the inch marks onto the board. Again, I named the numbers as I wrote them above the inch marks.

We played a game with the numbers. I named a number and he pointed to the one I named. When he pointed to the right number I gave him a tickle. He almost always got them right so he got lots of tickles.

On the last day we did this activity, after he drove a few nails "just like Daddy", I showed him how to connect the nails with lines. He used a marker and connected the nail heads like connect-the-dots. Finally, he personalized the board by drawing what we are calling "fire crackers". ;)

Learning how to use a hammer gave him a real sense of accomplishment and a confidence that he is making progress toward becoming a man like his Dad. He really admires his Dad and has a natural desire to work at his side. I will cherish these times I have with him.