Long before the Wright Brothers made their famous flight at Kitty Hawk, people were fascinated by the idea of flying through the air. Although model airplanes as we know them are a rather recent development, kids through the centuries have used different materials to make and fly their own versions of flying machines.
As a kid, I bought small model airplanes made of balsa that were simple to construct and that gave us endless pleasure competing with the rest of the kids in the neighborhood to see whose plane flew the highest, the longest, and the straightest. Most of our planes eventually crashed and were rendered useless after a few flights, but that didn’t faze us. As soon as we could scrounge up a few more pennies, we were back at the local dime store, choosing our next model airplane.
These early model airplanes were printed on very thin sheets of balsa and could be punched out easily. Most of them had a slot in the middle where we inserted the wing and our plane was ready to go. Over the years, model flying has become much more complicated, but also much more fun.
My husband, a model airplane enthusiast from long before I met him, has probably built a replica of every plane ever made up until about 1965 when he succumbed to another passion; actual flying, which led to him becoming a pilot and eventually purchasing his own plane. Before this happened, though, he was so engrossed in working on his latest model, that I often had to call him twice or three times for dinner. I can tell you for sure that a person who really gets interested in building model airplanes will never be “bored.”
If this sounds like a practical solution to the, “I’m bored,” problem in your house this summer, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
1. Start small.
To start with, you need a model airplane that your child can finish in a few days. Don’t let him or her talk you into something you know is beyond their ability. Model airplane kits are like candy. Bigger always looks better, but where too much candy can turn into a tummy ache, too much model airplane can turn into a headache, and both you and your child will end up discouraged. Much better to read the recommended age limits on the outside of the kit and use your head about the skills your particular child has before you purchase his or her first plane.
2. Shop around.
You can get a lot of information online. If you are completely new to model building, read up on it before trying to introduce it to your child. When it comes to actually purchasing a kit, however, a local hobby store is often the best place to buy. Hobby store owners and operators are often full of expert advice and more than willing to share it with you.
3. Help your child with the first kit.
You’ll notice that I didn’t say, “build your child’s first kit.” I said, “help” him with it. Sometimes instructions are not totally clear to a child and you can explain them in plain English. He may not know what “sand until smooth” means. If you feel that you just cannot resist taking over, excuse yourself for an hour or so while you go buy your own kit.
Pick a nearby field, or perhaps the school athletic field when it isn’t being used. If you have more than one child or a neighbor child that would like to come along, fine. The more the merrier. Take a camera and get pictures. (Later, if the new hobby catches on, you may even want to start a separate model airplane album and label and date each picture as your young model builder makes progress over the years.)
5. Display the models your child builds.
As your child, (and perhaps your whole family), continues with this hobby, a problem may arise about what to do with them. Just like you proudly display the artwork of your kindergartner on the refrigerator door, so you need to display your child’s model airplane creations, even though lack of space may force you to limit your display to the most recent models. If they really start overflowing available space, maybe grandma and grandpa would like to have one or two, or your child might consider donating one or more to a children’s group of some kind.
6. Encourage your child to join a model airplane club.
If there is no model airplane club in your area, or none for children the age of your child, consider starting one of your own. Nothing is more fun for a modeler than to get together with others who share their interests. Meets where small inexpensive prizes are awarded will make attending the meetings even more exciting. A yearly picnic where parents and other family members are invited, is a great activity to develop local interest in the hobby. (Sending a group picture of the club members holding their favorite model airplanes to the local newspaper, will attract attention to the club, and give the club members a feeling of importance in the community.)
7. There will be some failures-use them to teach life lessons.
Not every kit will go together smoothly, or favorite models may crash. Help your child to accept failure as part of life, to show them how to pick up the pieces after each failure and go on from there, or even start over if necessary.
If you really want to avoid the “I’m bored” syndrome in your house this summer, think about my suggestions. If building model airplanes is really not your cup of tea, try some other absorbing new hobby with your family. You may be surprised to hear your little ones saying, “Hey, this is the best summer we ever had.”
