Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 4

Run a thread through the lower end of the two and the upper end of the three; then through the lower end of three and the upper end of the four; continue thus till all have been united. The result thus far will be a double pyramid of the seeds. Draw an eye in the middle of the head, paste or sew on a bit of quill for a bill and a bit of flannel for a comb. Attach a few feathers from the duster for a tail. Take two more seeds and sew to the _middle_ of the row of _five_ for the thigh of the legs, and to each sew a quill for the rest of the legs, cutting into points at one end for toes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Squash-Seed Chicken.]

Make another chicken like the above and suspend the two face to face upon a slender stick by running a thread through the head and one through the tail. When the stick is moved the chickens a.s.sume very realistic att.i.tudes. A comical toy, made with no expense save that of time and patience. (See ill.u.s.trations.)

=Pincus.h.i.+on or Penwiper= (_Five plump apple-seeds_, _sharp pen-knife_, _black thread_, _stiff card_, _square of muslin_, _emery or cotton batting_)

Save out five seeds, and cut the cuticle of the large end into two tiny points to simulate the ears of a mouse. Knot the thread and run a tiny bit through for a tail. Paste these upon a visiting card, and near them paste a tiny bag made of white muslin to simulate a flour-bag. It can be stuffed with cotton or with emery for needles or pins. Or the card can be sewn upon several layers of cloth as decoration for a penwiper.

=Imitation Water=

Muskmelon seeds placed in an undulating line in the sand-box suggest water.

SOAP

=Hammering= (_Old-fas.h.i.+oned bar soap_, _hammer_, _nails_)

A wee child will entertain himself for a long time by hammering nails into a bar of soap if the proper tools be given him. In this simple activity he exercises both mind and body. It requires good coordination on the part of the little one to strike the nail just right, and he enjoys not only the exercise itself, but also the pleasure of imitating the carpenter who uses the hammer so skilfully.

=Drawing= (_White soap_, _window-pane_)

On a day when he must stay indoors, give your child a piece of white soap and let him show you what he can draw upon the window-pane. s.h.i.+ps and trees, houses and flowers have a fairy-like appearance when drawn with this commonplace material upon the impromptu background of gla.s.s.

This allows the freedom of movement found in blackboard work. It gives scope to the child's imaginative powers and should add nothing to the housekeeper's cares, being readily removed with a damp cloth. It may reveal creative possibilities in some otherwise "mute, inglorious"

artist.

CEREAL BOXES

=Moving-Van= (_Cereal-box_, _glue_, _two skewers_, _4 b.u.t.ton-molds_, _4 nails or strong pins_)

Take a box (Quaker Oats or Force, etc.). Cut out doors and side openings for a moving-van. It may be well to draw these first. For a model, look at any van or grocer's wagon. It will be seen that models are numerous and various. If more explicit directions are required we give the following, although it is always well to have the child use his own mind as far as possible before going to others for ideas.

Remove the top of the box, which becomes the front of the wagon. The bottom of the box will be the back of the wagon. This bottom will be found to consist of two layers of cardboard. Remove the outer one and cut the inner one once through the middle to make two doors. On each side of the wagon cut an oblong window 1/2 inch from the top, 1/2 inch from the bottom, and 1/2 inch from the front. Let it be two inches wide.

Place a seat across from one window to the other; fasten with glue. It may be just a straight piece one inch wide, or may be two inches wide, folded once through the middle lengthwise to give a back.

For wheels use wooden b.u.t.ton-molds, two inches wide, or circles sawed from a broom handle. For axles use wooden skewers or cut a piece from a stick of kindling wood about 1/4 inch wide. Whittle the ends till they are slender enough to hold the b.u.t.ton-molds. Then put on the wheels, inserting a slender nail or pin outside to keep them from coming off the axle. Glue the axle to the box. If wheels are cut from broom-handle, a nail can be driven through the centre for an axle and then pushed into the side of the box, or a nail pushed through a b.u.t.ton-mold directly into the box will hold.

Punch two holes into the front of the wagon, tie cord through and the wagon can be drawn along. It may be painted if desired. For horses, trace a picture of a horse from some book or advertis.e.m.e.nt on cardboard, cut out and harness to wagon.

=Lantern= (_Box_, _scissors_, _candle_, _pencil_)

Draw on the box holes to represent eyes, nose and mouth. Then cut these out. Cut holes near the top of box to put wires through for carrying the box. Use a wire about two feet long, put the ends through the holes and bend up. Let a little of the wax drip from the end of the candle to the bottom of the inside of the box, and when a soft centre has been made push the candle down and it will stand firm. Only older children should use these, lest harm result. But children do make them at election times for transparencies. The openings may be lined with colored tissue paper.

=House= (_Cereal box_, _paste_, _scissors_, _wall-paper_, _etc._)

Remove one broad side. Stand box on one long narrow side as room of doll's house. Cut an opening in the remaining broad side for a window.

Furnish with paper furniture. (See page 85.)

EDAM CHEESE

=Lantern= (_Cheese_, _knife_, _candle_)

After the interior of one of these round, red cheeses has been scooped out and eaten by the family, the discarded red sh.e.l.l will make a fine Jack-o'-lantern, if the proper holes for eyes, nose and mouth be cut into it and a candle inserted inside. The candle may be inserted in a socket cut into the bottom of the rind, or it may be made to stand firmly in a bed of wax or tallow melted from its own lower end.

SALT

=Play for Baby= (_Fine table salt_, _spoon_, _bottle_, _small box or pan_)

If clean fine sand is not at the moment available, give the baby a box containing a heap of salt and a teaspoon and bottle, and he will be happy for a long time, pa.s.sing the salt from one bottle or box to another. To the young mother this may seem akin to foolishness, but in thus playing simply with sand or with salt the baby is exercising faculties and working out baby problems which he should be given opportunity to try. He is becoming acquainted with his environment, his little world.

TIN CANS

=Burnt-Match Safe= (_Mustard box_, _oil paints_, _brush_, _ribbon_, _nail_, _hammer_)

Punch two holes near the upper edge of a discarded mustard box, the holes to be opposite each other. These may be made by hammering a nail through the tin, holding the box firmly against a block of wood or stone for pressure.

With oil paints, one color, begin at the top to paint the box, graduating from light to darker tones as the bottom is approached.

Lighter tones may be secured by mixing the blue or red with Chinese white. A flower design may be painted by one skilled in the use of the brush.

Tie ribbon through the holes by which to suspend the box, and the result is an article both useful and pretty.

=Flower-Pot= (_Can_, _ivory paints_, _brush_)

Paint an empty can with green or brown ivory paint and use as flower-pot for growing plant. Children love to handle a paint-brush, and this offers a legitimate occasion for such occupation. A small hole should be punched in bottom of can for drainage.

=Hanging-Basket= (_Can_, _nail_, _hammer_, _cord_, _raffia_)

Punch holes for suspending as described above. Then make a covering of raffia as explained on page 46 and hang up by the cord.

=Wheels= (_Covers of baking-powder tins_, _nail_, _hammer_)

With the nail, hammer a hole through the centre of the cover, placing upon a stone step or other brace. The little wheels may be used to complete toy wagons that the child is making.