Making Covered Wagons

We made covered wagons so we could talk about what kinds of things were most important to the pioneers as they journeyed west. This is not a craft that needs much explanation (box + cardboard wheels on brads + curved paper over the top).  The older boys wanted to make supports under the wagon cover so they could hang things from them (they liked the story of how our great-great grandfather's cradle was hung from the wagon supports and he rocked in there happily as his parents drove the wagon toward Nauvoo), so they used lines of twist-ties for that.

When the wagons were made, the great delight of the project came in making all sorts of tiny, tiny things to fill them with. Abe and Seb made tiny candles, miniscule rifles to hang on hooks, little blankets, miniature scriptures,  and all sorts of other supplies.

Daisy became fixated on the tiny gold brad fasteners. After I hadn't heard a peep from her for forty minutes or so, I discovered her hard at work in the other room. She had filled her wagon with them, driven off to the art table, and begun to arrange them meticulously in little groups. I don't know if she was pretending they were people, or what?

This was at my mom's house on Pioneer Day---her ward always has an Ice Cream Party on Pioneer Day, and she has all kinds of costumes for the kids to wear. I loved Junie in a bonnet (but can't say she felt the same).

Daisy was very proud of her (teeny-tiny) French braid!