School Time Adventures

I was racking my brain for a safe way to play with a "real" hammer, nail, and tacks. I wanted to find something that River would be able to hit a nail into and make it stay. The solution: A small box with packing peanuts inside, duck taped closed.

So this is what we used....

the small box, hammer, nails, tacks, and rubber bands

He hit the nails into the box (no, he didn't hit his fingers. I taught him the correct way to hold the nail and swing the hammer)...but the nails actually went too far inside the box, so the tacks were a better solution. 

 River was able to slightly push the tack in and then finish pounding it into the box without the tack disappearing inside the box (plus there was no need to hold the tack while swinging the hammer, I will admit at times I was a little nervous).

He loved putting the nails, tacks, and screw hooks into the box!

Then once he had the tacks in, he could put the rubber bands 

around the tacks to make whatever kind of pattern he wanted.

This activity kept him entertained for at least 1 hour... 

be able to use a hammer, play with tacks, to build and create.
It was one of our favorite hand-eye-coordination activities that we have done!