Ken Denmead writes about geeky projects parents and kids can do together on the Geek Dad (part of Wired) blog and in the newly released Geek Dad book. As a kid, Ken claims he had ”serious geeky tendencies” but could hold his own at sports (“so I never had sand kicked in my face or anything”). He came from a family of engineers and physicists and had an uncle who got him hooked on The Hobbit by reading it aloud using different voices. He and his dad also built a train track in his bedroom on a piece of plywood that could be folded up against the wall like a Murphy bed.
During our phone conversation with Ken, we got schooled on everything from what a Google Voice number is to what the deal is with Star Wars to why Rick Moranis in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids isn’t a flattering depiction of a geek (“But at least he had a cute wife”). He also shared his three favourites projects for those of you with nerdly leanings who have been dying to make dorky things with your kids but aren’t sure where to start.
Ken’s favourite geeky family projects
Have a Lego demolition derby
Take remote control cars, stick Legos on them and bash them into each other so that the Legos fly off. Kids love this because it gives them license to be destructive. You can combine two separate toys, one of which is a building toy useful for imagination. The problem with remote control cars is at first you’re like, “Oh, wow, cool” and you drive them up and down the sidewalk for half an hour. Then it’s like, “Great, now what?” When you put these two things together, it gives kids a whole new thing to do.
Launch a video camera into the sky
What inspired me was watching people get weather balloons to go up 90,000 feet and getting pictures from not quite orbit and then tracking them back down. The joke I use is I really love that, but I’m nowhere near that ambitious. You can use a lightweight digital video camera (like a Flip), party tanks of helium and rubber balloons. Inflate 16 or 20 balloons and tie them to the camera. Tether everything with kite string. The secret is to use larger balloons. Some party stores sell 36-inch balloons made of rubber or even Mylar. Larger balloons get better results. I appeared on NPR’s Science Friday, and they did the project and made their own video.
Make a paper bag pirate map
A project that is much more for younger kids in preschool or kindergarten: making your own pirate maps using paper grocery bags! With a bit of creative scissor work, you can get a pretty large canvas out of a single brown grocery bag. The paper already looks like old weather parchment.
Give your kids crayons and charcoal pencils. Then let them make up a story in their heads about pirates. They can even put secret marks on the map in code. Have them draw their map, then crinkle it all up. Crunch it into a ball, jump up and down, sit on it (kids love this part). Open the paper up and it will be antiqued.
You can do little extra touches, like dripping candle wax on it or singeing the edges (under parental supervision). It becomes this magical document. You could even get your kids to draw your house’s evacuation plan, and then have it framed!
This is a great project to go along with a pirate ship sandbox.
Ken’s favourite geek dads
Stuff for unleashing your inner geek
Vintage copy of The Hobbit. Wayfarer glasses, $100.95. Star Wars T-shirt, $24. The Goonies DVD, $13.99. Harry Potter replica wand, $59.99. Lego Bioncles Baranus V7, $34.98. World of Warcraft, $24.83.
I wish Father’s Day hadn’t just passed or I would have gotten Denmead’s book for my husband! I guess I’ll have to wait a month and give it to him for his birthday. He’ll love it!