Castles!

In history, we are studying the Middle Ages. Yesterday the kids and I started making a homemade castle out of a cardboard box. We cut the parapets out of the top and used two oatmeal canisters for towers. I cut a drawbridge and Cait used bamboo skewers to make the metal gate that lowers in the entryway (I can't remember what it's called!) Then, we all had a blast painting it. Each of us took a side of the box to paint grey. I think Quinn and Jake painted more on ME than on the box! All in all, it was messy but lots of fun. The kids are getting to an age where these projects are more independent and easier on Mommy. They have their own ideas and can physically do most of the work themselves. (Although we all banned Caitlin from painting. She just doesn't have the talent! Just kidding!) Cait got very ambitious with a needle and thread and sewed a bed and sofa and made a little tablecloth for a toothpick-legged table she made. She's very ingenious! Grant and Jake decided to make a peasant's house with a thatched roof. I didn't get a chance to explain that they would have used bundled straw so they just glued a bunch of hay from the hayfield onto the roof very haphazardly. Oh well. They are engaged and motivated. Good enough for me!
I wasn't going to do this project because it seemed messy and complicated, but on a whim, I decided to, and I'm so glad I did! They are so proud of their work of art! And I'm so proud of them! At least we'll have something to display for the table at Presentation Night!