Making/building activities for 4 year old? (like model airplane...)

[laohaire]

My DH would like to do some making/building type activities with our 4 year old but I wasn't sure what she was ready for yet.

He's not like a carpenter or anything, so it's not like he's doing this stuff anyway and she can just help - the way I cook anyway, and she helps in her way (pouring ingredients, stirring, cracking eggs, etc.). I was thinking a model airplane is too unforgiving. A birdhouse, I don't see her really being able to help much.

Or is 4 too early to really be able to do a lot of such a project?

[emilysmama]

How about a 3D wooden jigsaw puzzle? It's really thin light wood, like balsa wood. The pieces are cut into a single sheet of wood, and the first task is to pop all the puzzle pieces out of the sheet of wood. At the very least, the child would have fun with that.

My dd started with this butterfly puzzle:
3D wooden jigsaw puzzle of a butterfly

She really liked doing this with her daddy.

If your child doesn't like butterflies, you can easily find a dinosaur puzzle.

They come in any range of difficulty. I'd suggest starting with one for age 5 or 6, and then working your way up to age 7.

You can find such puzzles at places like Barnes & Nobles and perhaps a teacher supply store.

Dd and her father really enjoyed doing this together.

[laohaire]

Oh, thank you, I like this! And yes, DD loves butterflies. AND puzzles! Sending the link over to my husband!!

[mainemommy1]

The first Sat of the month Home Depot has awesome FREE Kids Workshops that my husband takes my son to. Each kid gets an apron, wears safety goggles, uses child sized hammers and gets a kit for the project. They also get a pin and certificate of completion at the end. So far my son has made a rain gauge that looks like a bird house and butterfly house that is hanging on a tree near our garden. Lowes does it too but according to my husband Home Depot's was easier and less frustrating for parents and kids. If you go on their website and search Kids Workshops you can see what the upcoming projects are. I think May was a planter but we missed it.

Also I have seen birdhouse kits and such at AC Moore that would be fun!

[mainemommy1]

I should add that my son is 4.5 and is able to do a lot of the project himself at home depot-he pretty much did the entire butterfly house himself with some help from my husband.

[laohaire]

Oh, another great idea!! I love it!! Just sent my husband the link to that, too!

[One_Girl]

How about getting some kid k-nex or legos and starting small. My dd can follow some directions for building with help, but it isn't an interest she has so she doesn't often do it. Legos and K-nex come with instructions for different things to build and they are also fun to use to build without instructions. There is a wide range of ability when it comes to being able to follow building directions at that age, some kids get it and are very independent in their work and some can't read any of the directions and mostly just help find pieces while their parents or teacher does the actual work.

[erratum]

they sell these great CHEEP ($.40 to $1.00 in CA where I live.) wooden models at Michael's. They come with sandpaper, paint, and glue. I've been getting them for my almost three year old to sand (the sanding is not crucial to the construction ) and paint, and then I glue them together. I'm sure a four year old would have no problem, if there was a grown up to help them interpret the instructions.

[Marimami]

Lowes has those kids building days too every Saturday. My DD has loved going!

Holli