ABSTRACT
Figure 6.2 A well-prepared woodworking environment is full of motivation and possibility.
When selecting the resources you will make continuously available, try to ensure that children always have opportunities to:
suppliers) Large hollow wooden blocks (from Community Playthings and NES AmoM) Short lengths of planking, such as for outdoor decking Large washing powder boxes (taped closed ensuring no loose powder) Cardboard boxes - use as 3D and opened out as large sheets Large and small plastic flower pots
Bricks (small real bricks, such as block paving - ensure edges are not sharp) Soft play blocks Plastic drums (such as water dispenser bottles - any contamer that previously held
chemieals must he rigorously cleaned and sealed) Cardboard carpet-roll tuhes (from carpet stores and carpet layers) Bamboo canes (tape ends to protect eyes),lengths of2.5cm diameter doweling Broom handles - best with plastic top with hole for ropes, willow poles with a hole
drilled in one end (from Muddy Faces) Roll of plastic-coated garden mesh fencing (from garden centres) Wood off-cuts, tree trunk slices, branches cut into short lengths Clothes airers/clothes horse (old-fäshioned wo oden ones are ideal, but remove
Large pieces of fubric, blankets, sheets, net and other curtains, lengths of muslin Tarpaulin, camouflage net (from army surplus stores) Empty 0.5 and 1 ton aggregate bags (from builders' merchants) Clear market stall cover (from Muddy Faces), big plastic sheeting (from a DlY store) Shower curtains Greenhouse shading (from garden centres) -look for more than 1 m wide, decora-
tors' cover sheets (from DlY stores) Cargo netting (from scrapstores) Small parachute, pop-up tents, fishing shelters, heach windbreak Garden parasol (waterproof), parasol base Carpet tiles or pieces, plastic-backed picnic blanket, beach mat A range oflong and short, thick and thin ropes, washing line, simple pulleys (from
chandlers/boat shop) Hooks in walls and fences to provide attachment points for ropes Plastic cones, plastic cable reels and wooden cable drums Steering wheels (from scrap yards) Buckets, wheelbarrows, bikes and carts for transporting materials Natural materials, such as shells, pebbles, sticks, moss, twigs, etc. W oodwork bench and simple (hut real) tools Untreated and unpainted soft wood off-cuts (pine, fir, lime, cedar, redwood are
suitable; avoid plywood and MDF) Nails, screws, bottle tops, wood glue Safety glasses, safety gloves (where necessary) (from Muddy Faces and Open Ends) Spirit level, rules and winding tape measures
Resources for joining and fixing Trolley with pull-out trays or tool boxes for organising mobile joining and fixing
materials String, garden twine, garden twist ties Soft twisty plant ties (from DlY stores) Masking tape, carpet or duct tape, parcel tape, electrical tape, etc. Velcro strips Elastic bungee cords (from car accessories stores), ball bungees (from Muddy Faces)
Scissors Thick elastic bands, treasury tags Tent pegs and mallet Pegs - nonnal and large sizes, duvet/ quilt pegs (from Betterware and Lakelanti) Shower curtain rings and suckers Carabiners - range of sizes (from climbing stores) Garden cane holders (for making bean wigwams - a wide range is available from
garden centres and Cosy)
Figure 6.4 The range of constructions children make outdoors is surprisingly wide.
