I was looking for projects for the boys to do online and there were a few out there, but there were none of the toys that we used to make when I was a kid. We traveled alot and it would take a few weeks for our stuff to catch up to us in some of the countries we moved to. So we made do with what we could. I wonder if childhood creativity in this area is becoming a thing of the past, I'm placing them here if anyone else is looking for anything similar, and the kids are tired of the same old paper airplanes.

The ten nail puzzle: You need ten nails the kind with flat heads and you tell them to balance eight nails on one. When they ask you for rules tell them there are none.

Answer to the nine nail puzzle: Hammer the tip of one nail into a small block of wood. Then take two nails with thier heads at opposite ends. slide the other nails points down between them so thier heads are balanced on the sides then balance the whole lot on the nail in the wood.

A Button Whistle: Take a yard of embroidery thread and loop it through two holes of a large four hole button. Tie the ends together and put your thumbs through each end of the loop of thread on opposite sides of the thread. let the button dangle loosely and quickly rotate your hands and arms forward a few times then pull the thread tightly. The button will make a whirring whistle noise.

Chinese Jump Rope: Loop rubberbands to each other end to end until you have a length about two yards long then tie the ends together.

Jump Rope: Take a rope or clothesline and place one end at the childs waist have them hold it there then have them stand on the rope and bring it up the other side where it reaches thier waist at the other side cut it. It will be the perfect length for that child.

Double Dutch Jump Rope: For this you loop it under the child twice before cutting the rope or laundry line.

Clomper Stompers: I saw this one on tv when I was a little girl way back in the sixties, you need two coffee cans and some laundry line/clothesline. Put a hole on each side of the coffee cans near the bottom. Thread the line through hole on one can, tie the end on the inside, and have the child stand on it bring the line up and have them hold it tightly at a comfortable height, then loop it down and cut the line a couple inches below the hole in the can. Thread the line into the can and tie it on the inside. Do this to both cans and they can stomp and clomp to thier hearts delight.

Pant Leg Bean Bags: When you cut the legs off thier old jeans for the summer you can cut those legs in half again and hem one end, fill with beans and sew them closed. Place a hula hoop on the floor or lawn and they can toss the bean bags into it from different distances.

Rainsticks from carpet tubes: You can get the tubes from carpet centers or home construction companies. Screw as amny or as few wood screws as you like into the carpet tube then cover one end with duct tape, makesure the ends go at least three inches up each side of the tube. dump a bag of rice into the tube and cover the other end with duct tape. wrap the duct tape around the tube from one end to the other.

Neck Tie Snakes: Dad tired of his old neck ties? Stuff them with batting and sew the ends shut. Use buttons for eyes and a piece of felt for the tongue.

Puppets can be made from socks or mittens that are missing partners. Finger puppets can be made from gloves that are missing partners.

Rubberband Ball: Wrap rubber bands around each other to form a ball. You can make these as large as you want, and yes they really do bounce.

Straw Beads: Cut straws into 1/4 inch lengths and let them thread them on yarn or string. With straws coming in a great variety of colors the kids can be quite creative making jewelry for playing dress up.

Draw a checker board on a piece of paper and use nickles and pennies for the men.

Tiddly Winks: Give them a small jar or finger bowl of flat buttons, show them that by placing a button on the table and holding another one between thier thumb and finger and pressing down with the button on the edge of the one on the table they can flip it. See if they can flip them back into the jar or finger bowl.