HELP! Need Ideas for an Upcoming Event!

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Hello! I would like some ideas on what I could do for an upcoming event. I will be a Seabee at what we call Freedom Festival in Orem UT. Since I am doing Seabee I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for an activity kids could do at my stand that could be fun while also teaching history. I would like it to be Seabee themed.

Any ideas help.

Thanks.

[Doctorofwar]

Are you portraying a WW2 Seabee?

 

If so, and I am just spitballing here- maybe have a simple diorama there, maybe a small sandbox and have kids help construct a run way on it by lining up popsicle sticks or something similar until it is long enough for a die cast WW2 plane to “land on”.  Each kid visiting your booth could get so much of the material to add to the run way and as it grows you could add more toy planes to it, so if they circled back they could see it come together representing airfield construction on an island.  

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

That’s a great idea! Haven’t thought of that!

1 hour ago, Doctorofwar said:

Are you portraying a WW2 Seabee?

 

If so, and I am just spitballing here- maybe have a simple diorama there, maybe a small sandbox and have kids help construct a run way on it by lining up popsicle sticks or something similar until it is long enough for a die cast WW2 plane to “land on”.  Each kid visiting your booth could get so much of the material to add to the run way and as it grows you could add more toy planes to it, so if they circled back they could see it come together representing airfield construction on an island.  

 

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Anyone have any other ideas?

[Blacksmith]

On 4/28/2023 at 7:42 PM, Doctorofwar said:

Are you portraying a WW2 Seabee?

 

If so, and I am just spitballing here- maybe have a simple diorama there, maybe a small sandbox and have kids help construct a run way on it by lining up popsicle sticks or something similar until it is long enough for a die cast WW2 plane to “land on”.  Each kid visiting your booth could get so much of the material to add to the run way and as it grows you could add more toy planes to it, so if they circled back they could see it come together representing airfield construction on an island.  

This is a brilliant idea.  Simple, fun, rife with visual concept.  
 

To build on this vision, you could have two ends of the sand table:  one water (painted blue) and one jungle (plastic trees from model railroad / hobby store).  Practical application is 6’ x 4’ piece of plywood, with a lip / frame - maybe 2x2 or 2x4 - around the perimeter.  This would give it both structural support, and help contain the parts / sand.

 

You could create two or three challenge scenarios.  Example:  when the board is set to as-found / “native”, there are rocks or obstacles all along the water line.  Also sand is hilly and uneven. Trees are in natural stands.  The “mission” is to extend an LZ on the beach to a newly-created airstrip on the other end of the board.  You could use a model boat to denote the LZ, and a plane on the other end for where planners determined the airstrip needs to be.  They could have a model dozer to clear obstacles at the beach, and trees in the jungle.  Then green popsicle sticks as Marston Mats / steel planking to get to the airstrip, and black popsicle sticks to build the airstrip.

 

With the scenarios, it would be easy to adjust the difficulty based on the visitor(s) - from just playtime (forget the mission) with some discussion, to running the mission with limited materials and capping the number of obstacles (rocks,  trees, and hills) you are allowed to affect, and / or “moves” you can make to accomplish the mission.  

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Ok. Perfect. 
 

12 minutes ago, Blacksmith said:

This is a brilliant idea.  Simple, fun, rife with visual concept.  
 

To build on this vision, you could have two ends of the sand table:  one water (painted blue) and one jungle (plastic trees from model railroad / hobby store).  Practical application is 6’ x 4’ piece of plywood, with a lip / frame - maybe 2x2 or 2x4 - around the perimeter.  This would give it both structural support, and help contain the parts / sand.

 

You could create two or three challenge scenarios.  Example:  when the board is set to as-found / “native”, there are rocks or obstacles all along the water line.  Also sand is hilly and uneven. Trees are in natural stands.  The “mission” is to extend an LZ on the beach to a newly-created airstrip on the other end of the board.  You could use a model boat to denote the LZ, and a plane on the other end for where planners determined the airstrip needs to be.  They could have a model dozer to clear obstacles at the beach, and trees in the jungle.  Then green popsicle sticks as Marston Mats / steel planking to get to the airstrip, and black popsicle sticks to build the airstrip.

 

With the scenarios, it would be easy to adjust the difficulty based on the visitor(s) - from just playtime (forget the mission) with some discussion, to running the mission with limited materials and capping the number of obstacles (rocks,  trees, and hills) you are allowed to affect, and / or “moves” you can make to accomplish the mission.  

 

[Skysoldier80]

If u want something physical you could set up something like a stress shoot…

 

1. Run 50m - go over, under, or through an obstacle of your choice, then take 50x sandbags (fill them with something light like feathers or cotton, build a small fighting position; first group finished wins something like a patch or something

2. Requirements:

a. Groups of 2-4

b. 100x sandbags (50 per lane)

c 2x 50m lanes

d. Light material to fill sandbags

e. Awards

f. Obstacle x2 (something like a jumping obstacle, sewer tube, Pallets, large saw horse)

g. A white board with dimensions or picture of what you want them to build

h. Whistle or staring device

 

* you have them start off belly on the ground, each do 10 push ups, then start.

[conn]

knot tying chart , plywood painted white, stapled pieces of rope with knot, mark the ends of rope,

 

 

pre cut a bunch of hemp rope, pre glue ends a week in advance so they do not fray, have kids attempt to tie different knots that are on your board

if the kid has fun and shows interest, let him take it home with parents permission.

 

look at old navy books that have knots used by sailors.

 

good luck

 

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Another great idea. Thanks!

2 minutes ago, conn said:

knot tying chart , plywood painted white, stapled pieces of rope with knot, mark the ends of rope,

 

 

pre cut a bunch of hemp rope, pre glue ends a week in advance so they do not fray, have kids attempt to tie different knots that are on your board

if the kid has fun and shows interest, let him take it home with parents permission.

 

look at old navy books that have knots used by sailors.

 

good luck

 

 

[Corporal Kang 0311]

Have the kids color the image of the Seabee.  
 

Also, print a large image of the logo showing the different jobs of a Seabee.   “CAN DO”

 

Popsicle sticks to build a bridge, wall, etc.  that they can keep 

 

 

 

 

 

[manayunkman]

For arts and crafts they could make fake Japanese flags.

[manayunkman]

CBS were known for selling fake Japanese flags that they made in the field.

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

I like that idea!

13 minutes ago, manayunkman said:

CBS were known for selling fake Japanese flags that they made in the field.

 

16 hours ago, manayunkman said:

For arts and crafts they could make fake Japanese flags.