April 1, 2008

Bridge Building 101...

our homeschool park day has just held its first bridge building competition! It was so tedious fun to build a bridge with school glue and Popsicle sticks and absolutely nothing else! Some of the bridges that my children designed for Mom to help them build were amazing and I would have been super magician Mom if I could have pulled it off, but alas, I'm merely a Mom and will have to save my super status for my grand parenting days!

We finally agreed that perhaps a simpler version would be more reasonable and the gluing began. To my kids more glue = STRONGER BRIDGE! To me more glue = days of peeling glue off of everything in the area: dining room table - my fingers - the carpet!


Round 1 tested the bridges up to 90 lbs. If they held they will go on to round 2.





2yo DD was a little apprehensive about all of that gluing and those Popsicle sticks! Every time she saw a stick she said, "Who ate sicle? I want sicle too! I want a wed sicle!" I begged asked sweetly if DH would please bring home a box of Popsicles so I could stop explaining that some Popsicle sticks are sold in 1000 piece boxes. When I showed her the box all she could say was, "WHERE ARE THE POP.SIC.LES????"



The day of the contest came and when it was my kids turn they started placing weights in the bucket that was suspended from our bridge! We were all a little nervous as we had seen the destruction of quite a few bridges already! Let me tell you, it is hard to build something to be tested to failure! Every time we started to hear a popping noise from a bridge being tested, some Mom would hide her eyes and think ALL THAT WORK!!!!





As each weight was placed 2 yo and I got a little nervous!



At one point she just couldn't watch anymore!



When the bridge held, we let out a sigh of RELIEF!




Three proud engineers!



One relieved 2 yo


One relieved Momma, ya know, "I'm just happy for them!"


And we are now anxiously awaiting round 2! Except that my feelings about the bridge have slightly altered. Now if it smashes to smithereens all I will think is, "YIPPEE, I can have my counter space back!!!"


3 comments:

Chad and Rebecca said...

What a great post. I love all of your expressions. Let us know how the bridge continues to do.

Smockity Frocks said...

That looks like tons of fun! Loved the photos!

Anonymous said...

Wow - neat project. I will make sure my kids don't find your blog, because I don't want to make a bridge!

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