With a writer/editor for a mother and videographer/editor/filmmaker for a father, it should come as no surprise that my kids have a flair for the dramatic. To be clear, I don't just mean your day-to-day histrionics (though they have their fair share of those as well). My kids have developed a love of performing. Stage plays to be exact.
After seeing their tween-age cousin perform in several school and theatre camp plays over the years, my son Nate was ad-libbing his first plays by age four. His sister, being the more physical/less cerebral one, just wants to be the star of the show and the comedic relief (picture a pint-sized, pretty Jerry Lewis with a penchant for Pikachu costumes). After our kid-size picnic table got too crowded (and dangerous) with both of them using it as a makeshift stage, I got it in my head that we should build a bigger, more proper platform in the backyard (with the deck stairs making for perfect amphitheatre-style seating).
It was surprisingly easy to put together and with the addition of costumes, the three-act play that ensued (about a vampire, a talking pumpkin and three woodsmen -- complete with musical numbers!) was a hilarious, proud-mama treat. Here's how you can make one too.
What you'll need:
* A very large piece of plywood (ours is about 8 x 10, left over from a semi-complete basement reno)
* 6-8 bricks or cinder blocks
* A length of rope that can stretch from fencepost to fencepost (or tree, or whatever post-like item you might have in the yard)
* A pair of unwanted, flat sheets
* Binder clips, clothespins or vice grips to keep the sheets in place
* Old Hallowe'en costumes, dress-up gear and any hats/headgear you might have kicking around
Instructions:
1. Place the bricks/cinder blocks evenly to support edges and centre of plywood.
2. Place the plywood on top (I'm not that strong, so my husband did this part - team effort!)
3. Tie the rope across your yard (this is easy for us - our yard is only 13 feet wide)
4. Hang the sheets over the rope and tighten the rope as necessary to prevent a slump in the middle.
5. Secure the sheets with vice grips/binder clips/clothespins as needed.
5. Pass them the costumes, give them a little prompt for inspiration and watch their creativity come alive.
What you'll need:
* A very large piece of plywood (ours is about 8 x 10, left over from a semi-complete basement reno)
* 6-8 bricks or cinder blocks
* A length of rope that can stretch from fencepost to fencepost (or tree, or whatever post-like item you might have in the yard)
* A pair of unwanted, flat sheets
* Binder clips, clothespins or vice grips to keep the sheets in place
* Old Hallowe'en costumes, dress-up gear and any hats/headgear you might have kicking around
Instructions:
1. Place the bricks/cinder blocks evenly to support edges and centre of plywood.
2. Place the plywood on top (I'm not that strong, so my husband did this part - team effort!)
3. Tie the rope across your yard (this is easy for us - our yard is only 13 feet wide)
4. Hang the sheets over the rope and tighten the rope as necessary to prevent a slump in the middle.
5. Secure the sheets with vice grips/binder clips/clothespins as needed.
5. Pass them the costumes, give them a little prompt for inspiration and watch their creativity come alive.
Originally published on Sweetspot.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment