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In March of 2007 the following Children's museums had Builder Boards:
Stop by and check them out. If you know of any others let me know and I'll add them to the list.
The Monterey Children's Youth Museum, Monterey, CA
The Omaha Children's Museum, Omaha, NB
Kids N Stuff, Albion, MI
Childrens Museum of the Shoals, Florence, AL
Explora Children's Museum, Albuquerque, NM
Spokane Children's Museum, Spokane WA had a set, but now they have merged with the Mobius Science center, and I don't know if Builder Boards are used there.
Hands On Children's Museum of Olympia, WA
Kids Quest, Bellevue WA. Builder Boards are not on their web site (right now) but they do have a set.
Maine Discovery Museum, Bangor ME
Children's Museum of Walla Walla, Walla Walla, WA
Explore and More... a Children's Museum, East Aurora, NY
Buell Childrens Museum, Pueblo, CO
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg, VA
The Northeast Texas Children's Museum, Commerece, TX
Kids Imagination Discovery Space, Medford, OR

Things to Make:
A site telling how to make an amazing alcohol camp stove from two aluminum pop cans.
Marimba Music - This guy from Australia has plans for making all sorts of marimba's. He has done a lot of work with kids and marimbas both playing and building.
Monkeyc.org - Years ago I made several 8' foot diameter climbing domes from electrical conduit for various preschools. The kids loved them. They aren't too hard to build either.
Desert Domes - Cardboard domes are great fun too. Another source for a 6' cardboard dome is Making Children's Furniture and Play Structures, by Bruce Palmer.
Planet Earth Playscapes - My friend Rusty Keeler Illustrated Woodshop for Kids. He also builds amazing natural playscapes.
Alternative Energy News / pedal-power - A book published in the 1970's titled Pedal Power has all sorts of interesting pedal power equipment: a plow, grain grinder, saws, lathes, a generator and best of all a pedal powered TV.

The Boy Mechanic - This isn't a link, but a reference to a wonderful old book of projects. A huge compendium of hands-on cleverness from Popular Mechanics. Intense DIY, like how to make model railroad track from sheet metal! Published by Simon and Schuster since 1913, the edition our library has is from 1952.

Things to Do in My Town, Bellingham, WA:
Mindport Exhibits - A one of a kind museum/gallery in Bellingham, WA, to interest children and adults.
American Museum of Radio and Electricity - A huge collection of antique radio and wild, turn-of-the-century electrical equipment, with educational displays, in Bellingham, WA. They offer hands-on make-it seminars for kids, lectures, and even operate their own low power radio station, KMRE-LC 102.3 FM.

Misc Sources of Info and Supplies:
The Woodwright's Shop, for those who don't know, is a half hour PBS program where Roy Underhill makes something out of wood from the old days in a half hour while you watch. Roy Underhill also has several interesting books about making things using hand tools.
Water Wheel Factory - Its nice to know that someone is still making water wheels. Some are fairly good sized.
Doug Stowe's website - Doug is a woodworker, teacher, and author who cares deeply about wood, the environment, and learning. He has a new blog called The Wisdom of the Hands.

Home - Reviews - Purchase - About Jack - Links - FAQs - Workshops - Do It Yourself

Hands On Books - 1117 Lenora Court - Bellingham, WA 98225 - 360-671-9079 - fax 360-714-0774

mchkee@earthlink.net