Sailing Ship

On Tuesday, July 24, 2001, Detroit celebrated its 300^th birthday. To help commemorate this occasion, several tall ships came in to port and were open to the public for tours. Whether you are from the Detroit area or not, I would like to encourage your child to make their own tall ship using a few basic materials that can be easily found around the house.

Materials:

• Toilet paper core
• Construction paper
• Straw
• Thread
• Round toothpick
• White glue
• Markers
• Scissors
• Needle
• Stapler
• Hole punch

Procedure:

1. Cut a slit down the length of the toilet paper core. This slit will represent the top of your ship. Staple the top corners of the ship.
2. Holding the stapled corners, press the core down on your work surface, while, at the same time, pinching in the corners. This will not only produce a flat base for your ship, but will also give it a more realistic bowed look.
3. Decorate the outside of the ship with the markers, drawing boards and any other decorations you might want.
4. Cut the straw to 6 ½” long. Set inside of the ship for the mast. With the needle, "pre-drill" holes through the top middle of the ship, through the mast, and through the other side of the ship. Insert the round toothpick through the holes you made to secure the mast to the ship. **
5. Cut a piece of construction paper 3” x 6”. Punch a hole in the center of each of the 3” long sides. Fit over the mast to complete the sail.
6. Cut a length of thread. Cut a slit in the top of the mast approximately ¼” long. Place the center of the thread in this slit. Wedge the ends of the thread in-between the cardboard at the point where it was stapled together. Glue to secure and trim the thread.
7. Fold small pieces of construction paper in half and cut out flags. Glue the inside of the flags and place over the thread behind the sail.

**For younger children, I would recommend that the parent do step 4, since the child could injure themselves with the needle.

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