First there was a rubber band gun, a ton of fun. The rubber band would smack the back of my grandfather’s leg and there was just something funny about that.
When I turned seven, my grandfather trumped that toy with a new slingshot and turned me loose in the backyard one summer day. I spent that first afternoon armed with a stockpile of acorns at my feet under the oak tree trying to peg squirrels. Of course, there is no good reason to bump a squirrel off balance. It seemed like harmless fun at the time. Making squirrels jump was about as silly as whacking my papaw’s leg with a rubber band.
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Chas and Ford took the slingshots like ducks to water from the get go, chucking Legos across the room toward a box on the other side.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make a slingshot; I picked up a handful of these from a Mexican spice shop. They’re handmade from walnut stock. Each one has rubber tubing and a leather sling; it’s the real deal. They’re sold in different sizes for all different grips, big and small. I think they even make them for toddlers, because someone down in Mexico once sat at his workbench and thought to himself,
“Why the hell not?!”
I gave the boys a day with these slingshots and they quickly began sleuthing the backyard for slingshot-worthy sticks: healthy greenwood, stout and forked. By all means take the slingshots outside to their true realm; don’t try playing with them indoors. But if you do, make sure you’re ready for flying Legos.
By Ford’s suggestion: Stack tin cans atop the fence for target practice. Or place an empty milk jug atop the recycling can. BANG!
Adds Ford, “Oh yeah, you shouldn’t shoot when there are people in your way. Unless you shoot marshmellows at them or something! That would be so cool!”
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In related news (and still kind of silly):
students suspended for making slingshots
and follow the adventure:
several weeks back i taught the boys how to use a single rubberband for a simple (quasi) slingshot. we spent the morning slamming paper wads against the wall and window and into baskets…it went over well. very well. i’m looking forward to the real thing. slingshots rock!
Excellent post. The look of glee on Chas’s face is sweet. Also, I like Ford’s marshmellow war idea.
Awesome!
And guess what my neighbor just gifted my three sons?
A BB gun. I seriously thought my boys might EXPLODE with glee. But sling shots… those might have to be next on the list
oh congratulations, Stefani! I can tell you that I know and have witnessed it again in my kids the joy of a brand new BB gun!
Ryder: marshmellows. next campout. check. but have you ever tried flaming marshmellow spear-throwing? we’ll save that for a *beach* campout
cyndi–hope none of those wads hit the ceiling. or, rather, hope your ceilings are terribly high!
….aren’t terribly high, I should say
i LOVE these photos! you guys are so cool!
OK! That’s enough - fire police here - if you want that fire safety badge no more flaming marshmallows! Owwww, Chas what the he_ _ was that a lego?
If I were in school today I would be sent to prison - not just suspended for a day or two. Geez, I used bamboo to make a blow gun and used darts made from match sticks, needles and paper for veins to blow darts onto the nun’s desk. She just laughed and told me to quit the foolishness. Later, when I was in college, I dropped by the school and had a good visit with her and several other of the nuns that taught me. It appears that I was one of their favorites and they put up with a lot of my shenanigans as normal behavior. Oh, where have the schools one to today!!
Pop
Very cool post. My boys got a real kick out of this slingshot video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0
OMG! That guy’s incredible!! I can’t wait to show this to the kids tomorrow. Can you believe the accuracy under so many variables? He could probably hit a 2cm target tied upside-down by his toes, geez…
Nevermind the kids, I want one of those! Man, that looks fun…
No kidding! Which is why I bought myself one, too
Wow, that video is really inspiring. I better get Seth one ~ look out Mango!