Summer is for Skills - Learning and Practicing New Skills

Here in the NorthWest, we are all about skills. Nunchuk skills, round-house kicking skills, liger-drawing skills...

One of the most valuable things that land gives to kids is the chance to explore and move about with space. And to learn and practice skills. Here the younger ones are practicing their fire-building skills out in the snow. They did great!

Last campout we went on with the church boy scouts, 3 of the older scouts had NEVER built a fire! Good thing my 10 year old was there - he and his brothers had them burning in no time.

Last week our friends gave this boy a couple of books with lots of fun project on how to "survive on a desert island" and "survive out at sea".

He has been studying and memorizing them, and pestering all of us on what the best 3 places are to poke a shark if it attacks you in the water... do YOU know what the best 3 places are?

Here he is making ROPE out of tree bark. He wanted to make a friend out of sister's volleyball, but she said NO!

Wilson!


The 5 year olds figured they would eat 'mud cake' if they were ever to survive in a NorthWest driveway... yum!

Their excitement melted when they weren't allowed to canvas the neighborhood to sell their pastries...

Still, they are having fun working on skills...



The older kids are working on great projects, too!




Pink pajamas... for Dad?







Having rope isn't enough to survive... he needs shelter!

He assured me this was only temporary... a much larger one is under construction back in the woods. Phew - it was looking crowded in there.

The oldest boy found some 'free' lawn mowers, and is putting his small motor skills to work fixing them up.

The boy has skill.

Skills are always fun, too.

Transportation is important.






Here the next generation is being trained!

Slow down there, boys!

The fun ended shortly after I reminded them to start hauling another load of manure...

oh well, not all skills are fun...