Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 2

=Zig-Zag Fence= (_Cobs only_)

Lay down half a dozen cobs in zigzag fas.h.i.+on, with their ends not quite as far apart as the length of the cobs. Then across every two ends lay another cob, and so build up the fence.

=Post-Fence= (_Cobs_, _tacks_, _skewers_, _slats_)

Lay several cobs in a row a few inches apart as posts. Unite them by laying across them two rows of skewers or kindergarten slats. Join with tiny tacks. Use in the sand-table or dolls' farm.

=House= (_Cobs_, _nails_)

(1) Take two cobs and place them opposite to each other. Place two others across the ends of the first two, at right angles to them. Then two more directly over the first two and so on, building up alternately for log cabin. This is the first simple building experiment of the little child. Two such cabins put together will make a two-roomed house.

Thus made it will be crude with wide interstices between the logs, but this forms no objection to the child.

(2) When he does manifest the desire for something better made--a house which will not admit the rain and snow--a more solid house can be made thus: Place three cobs end to end to form three sides of a square.

Directly upon these lay three more, and nail firmly to those beneath at the ends, with slender nails. Build up in this way as high as desirable.

One side has, however, been left open. Now put in the fourth wall but leave place for the doorway. Do this by making the lower part of the wall of cobs so short that they do not even go half way across the opening. Take two such short cobs and nail each to the side of the house. A little s.p.a.ce will be left between them, say of two inches. Take two more of same length and place on top of the first two and nail in place. The third cob may be long enough to extend straight across the little house making the top of the doorway. Put another and another on top until the last row is reached. Roof with similar logs or with cardboard. The child can be trained a little in forethought when led to save anything like corncobs for possible use in the future.

=Furniture= (_4 short cobs_, _4 long slender ones_, _tacks_, _cheesecloth_, _fine cord_, _cotton batting_)

Take four short cobs for st.u.r.dy legs. Nail to these four slender cobs for bed-frame. In the inner part of the long sides of the bed hammer small tacks about 3/4 inches apart. Then string cord from one tack across to the opposite one and so on, to make springs. Make mattress of cheesecloth stuffed with cotton. Other furniture can easily be made in similar manner.

In this work, as with other suggestions here given, older children will need to help younger ones and thus the spirit of helpfulness and sympathy is exercised.

CORN KERNELS--DRY

=Portieres= (_Kernels of corn_, _straws_, _needle_, _coa.r.s.e thread_, _pan_)

Soak corn in pan of water over night or till soft. Get inch-long pieces of straw at kindergarten supply store, or, if obtainable in the country, get the straws entire and let the children cut them into inch pieces. In all this work it is desirable to let the child do as much as possible himself. Later, when familiar with materials and simple processes, let him use the prepared bought material.

Now, let him string the corn and straws alternately. He can then vary by stringing first one kernel and one straw; then two kernels and one straw; then three, etc. This gives practice in counting, and exercises also his sense of taste and proportion and his invention. A pretty effect can be secured by using kernels of the two colors, red and yellow.

Suspend a number of such strings in the doorway; they may be all of the same length or may be very short in the middle of the doorway and gradually get longer as the jamb is approached.

=Designing= (_Red and yellow kernels_)

On a rainy day let the child employ his inventive skill in making designs of the red and yellow kernels on a flat table. He can lay them in squares, oblongs, crosses, etc.

POP-CORN

There are few American children who need to be told how to pop corn; they see it done before they are able to do it themselves. But this fascinating occupation is not known to many children outside of the United States. Perhaps it is well that our children should appreciate their privilege in this respect.

If a popper is un.o.btainable, corn can be quickly and deliciously popped by putting a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter in a deep kettle and when it is hot dropping in a cupful of popcorn. Shake or rather stir to keep from burning and in a short time the kettle will be full of the white popping fairy-like kernels. Salt or sugar can be sprinkled in as desired.

=b.a.l.l.s= (_Corn_, _popper_, _sugar_, _mola.s.ses or water_)

Make a thin syrup by boiling together equal quant.i.ties of sugar and water or two cupfuls sugar, one of mola.s.ses or syrup, one teaspoonful vinegar, and b.u.t.ter size of an egg. Cook until it hardens when dropped in water, then pour it over 8 quarts of popped corn as quickly as possible and mold into b.a.l.l.s, making about twenty. If made with strawberry syrup the color will be a beautiful red.

=Festoons= (_Popped corn_, _needle_, _coa.r.s.e thread_)

Thread the kernels to adorn walls or picture frames or Christmas tree.

NUTS

=Boat= (_Walnut sh.e.l.l_, _pan of water_, _toothpicks_, _candle-wax_)

When busy with her baking the mother can give the three-year-old in his high chair a half walnut sh.e.l.l for a boat. An older child can elaborate into a sail-boat by cutting a triangular piece of paper for a sail, glueing it to a toothpick for mast, and then melting a drop of wax from a candle and inserting the mast while the wax is still warm. A burnt match can be shaped into a mast also.

Such a fleet of tiny vessels would prettily set a table for a farewell dinner to one going abroad.

=Surprise Walnuts= (_English walnuts_, _baby-ribbon_, _tiny dolls or animals_, _glue_)

Open a number of walnuts carefully so as not to break the sh.e.l.l. Remove the meats and fasten the two sides together with a tiny strip of ribbon, which serves as a hinge, glueing the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the half sh.e.l.ls. Ribbon need be only an inch long or less. Put a tiny doll or a wee china rabbit or kitten inside the sh.e.l.l and tie around with ribbon. Little china animals come in sets of five or six.

A little verse of greeting or a conundrum can be written and put inside if the toys are not available.

A group of little children could be kept busy and happy for an afternoon making some of these little souvenirs for a home dinner or for a fair.

=Nut-Animals= (_Peanuts_, _toothpicks_)

The imagination of most children will quickly perceive resemblances to all kinds of creatures in the queer shapes of peanuts. Take such a peanut and stick into it four bits of toothpicks for legs and two tiny ones for ears. If the toothpicks are not sharp or strong enough to penetrate of themselves, make incisions with a sharp pin.

One common shape suggests a cat, seated. Two vertical pieces would make the front legs and two horizontal pieces the back legs resting on the ground. Eyes and mouth can be inked in. Another shape hints at an owl with sharp, curved beak. Another will make a hen. Once started on this line of experiment, the child will discover likenesses for himself.

These creatures can be used in the toy farm.

=Peanut party= (_See page 103_)

APPLES

=Candlestick= (_Apple_, _candle_)

Cut in the top of a rosy apple a hole of right size to hold a candle.

Appropriate for Thanksgiving.