Narnia and the North!

So the title is a bit misleading but hear me out. We've
been reading a lot of the Chronicles of Narnia lately.
The girls have been galloping through the house on their
stick horses, cloaks billowing out behind them, calling out
to one other in faux British accents. I am thinking that
it won't be long before one of them asks for a bow and
some arrows. And Narnian costumes. Mmmmm.

Yesterday I asked the girls what they wanted to do after
lunch and Jenna said, "crafts" (of course). So we cut up a
corrugated cardboard box and made ships.

Emily's was the Dawntreader,

Jenna wanted a princess figurehead

and Kate had no opinion so we left the prow of her ship bare.

We started out with the basic ship, which was just
a flat bottom with two symmetrical sides.



These were hot-glued to the bottom, meeting at the bow
(front). A smaller, trapezoid-shaped piece of cardboard
was added to the back to form the stern.




If anyone is interested, here is the pattern - I thought I'd
trace it out and save it here in case we want to make these
again - like if we ever did a nautical-themed birthday
party. The ship is about 14" long and too big for a single
sheet of letter paper, so there is some cutting and
pasting to put the pattern together.

Two strips of cardboard were also glued across the
middle of the boat, each with a hole to support the
mast and sails. This way the rigging stays vertically
stable without glue, and is removable for easier access
to the deck during play. We started out with just
one strip, planning to hot-glue the mast to the
bottom of the boat, but the girls wanted it removable.


Next we added the figurehead and tail

and a command bridge and helm (steering wheel
thingy)- made with cardboard and toothpicks.

The mast was made from a dowel and a popsicle stick.
I'd have liked the masts to be taller but all we had were
these precut foot-long dowels. The sails and flags were
construction paper that the kids decorated.

The girls spent the pre-dinner hour fancying up their ships -

yes, Kate, too! -

then loaded them with passengers


and sailed off into the sunset. You could just read
Ariel's thoughts: "Attina was right about land couture -
puff sleeves! At my age! If not for my contract
with Disney.....grrrrr....Soon as I get off this boat
I'm firing my wardrobe manager."

Today we continued with anchors

and lifeboats.


I suggested we have an actual sea battle involving
cannons (bubble tea straws and playdoh cannonballs),
battering rams and gangplanks. And turn Kate's
oversized dinghy into a real pirate ship and play
Roman galleys (minus slaves) and Asterix and Obelix
meet Caspian and the Pevensies. Oo, crossover
pretend play. Chilling possibilities.


Sadly, the girls chose to stick to leisurely cruises,
traveling playmobil circuses and princess tea
parties at sea. Alas.