Although I've lived in the UK for 20 years, I still don't really understand cricket. I know there's a wicket, a bat, some serious outfits, and if you're lucky some Pimm's but other than that, am still not entirely sure how it's played. But how hard can it be? You need a bat, that looks a bit square and a ball... Last summer, when we were in Munich and had friends from London staying, we decided to BUILD a cricket bat. You might say, "Why not buy one in the shop?" And you'd have a point, but the kids spent four hours building it, and therefore cherished it more. It became their prize possession. Of course, it helps to have a granddad about, who loves his shed, but all you really need is:
- Some old bits of wood
- A hammer
- A few long nails
- A ball
- Potentially a handsaw depending on the shape of the wood you've got
After using a saw, a hammer and some nails, the kids decorated the bat with pink and purple paint and then played until dusk.
Top tip: You can make the activity even longer by getting them to design their own bats on paper first.
Top Quote: "People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results." Albert Einstein