Like the birch bark canoes built centuries ago by the Indian tribes in New England, this lightweight toy craft cuts quickly and smoothly through water.
| Prep Time: Afternoon or Evening | |
| What you need: | |
| Cardboard
Scissors Darning needle String Acrylic paints and brushes Box of paraffin wax Tall tin can Metal tongs | |
| Seasons: Rainy day, Spring, Summer, Thanksgiving, Year round | |
| Materials: cans, cardboard, chalk, paints, string, wax | |
| Instructions: | |
| 1. | Fold a 6- by 12-inch piece of cardboard in half so that the long ends match up. Draw a side view of a canoe on one side of the cardboard, using the fold for the bottom of the boat. |
| 2. | With scissors, cut through both layers along the sides and top of the canoe, but not the bottom. Then, use the needle and string to sew together the curved ends. |
| 3. | For seats, cut two 3 1/2- by 1 1/2-inch strips out of cardboard scraps. Fold in the sides of each strip 1 inch from the short edges and wedge the seats inside the boat. Next, paint the canoe and let it dry thoroughly. |
| 4. | To waterproof the canoe, put the wax in the can and set the can in a saucepan filled with a couple inches of water. Heat slowly until the wax melts (parents only). Now, use a pot holder to set the can on newspaper. |
| 5. | With tongs, dip the boat, an end at a time, into the wax.
(You may have to tilt the can.) When the wax hardens, place a few
pebbles in the hull to prevent tipping, and the boat is ready to
float in a backyard stream or bathtub.
More Thanksgiving Crafts » |
© FamilyFun. All rights reserved.
