Fun Kids Projects

Kids Projects?!
I saw these two blog posts and thought wow, what great kids projects. This is only a little strange because we don't have kids. But, on the other hand, you can't let little details like that stop you from blogging. I apologize in advance if these are indeed terrible kids projects - what do you want, I'm guessing here.

Project 1: Cardboard Models

Make Magazine had this interesting article on how to design a workshop by first desgining a paper model. It struck me that creating the paper model in and of itself seems like it would make a fun project for kids.

Consider that the entire model below was constructed using cardboard, toothpicks, hot glue and model paint.

What kid wouldn't want to play with hot glue? And using cardboard seems like it would make it easy to fashion items and then throw them away if it doesn't look good. Adding a bit of paint makes it all look remarkably realistic.

If you want to throw in a math lesson, you can make the model to scale.

Project 2: Make A Font Of Your Handwriting
LifeHacker had an extensive article on how to make a font from your handwriting. This isn't a quick project, but does seem like one that a kid would find cool. You follow a series of steps, to essentially draw out your own fonts (first on paper, then scan them into the computer). In fact, the grid that you construct almost looks like a writing exercise a kid would do anyway:

I think it would be cool to walk through this procedure, and have the young fontagrapher be able to compose notes and such in their own created font.

Like the model project above, this project is pretty much free, with the primary cost being time invested. But both projects end up with cool goodies at the end.