Handy Dad: 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids

by Todd Davis

Skate ramps, zip lines, go-carts, and more! In this super-fun book, Todd Davisextreme sports athlete and host of HGTV's Over Your Head presents 25 awesome projects for dads to build with their kids. Busy dads can choose projects that range from simple to challenging and take anywhere from five minutes to a full weekend. Readers are given all the directions they need to grab materials that can be found around the house or at the local hardware store and get to work banging up a sweet BMX ramp or half-pipe, building a tree house or tire swing, or throwing together a slip-and-slide or tie-dye station for an afternoon of fun. With plenty of color photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and detailed illustrations, Handy Dad is chock-full of creative and inexpensive ways to keep kids (and dads) entertained for hours.

Genres: Parenting, Childrens, Nonfiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2009

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought for my husband for Christmas- the rope bridge is currently being contemplated and the slip and slide is a go for this summer. Great outdoor project ideas!

[Diana of Shelved by Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtitled 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids, this is truly an awesome book. My Other Half is fairly handy, so I don't know if he'd call it a must-buy, but I sure learned plenty from the projects given.

Besides an invaluable resources page in the back of all sorts of online sources for materials and a section on knots, Davis divides his book into 3 convenient sections, based on how much time Dad might have to devote to a project.

Section 1, Easy Projects, includes Lava Lamps, Paper Airplanes, Water-Pressurized Rockets, and a Slip-n-Slide.

Section 2, Afternoon Projects, includes Tie-Dye, Rope Swing, Lion-Mane Tire Swing, Slingshot, Water Balloon Launcher, Bird Feeder, Sand Candles, Angel Wings, and Climbing Wall.

Section 3, Weekend Projects, includes Skate Longboard, Dollhouse, Treasure Chest, Bike Jump, Zip Line, Tree House, Stunt Dummy/Abominable Snowman, Light Box, Half-Pipe, Rope Bridge, Circus Tent, and Go-Cart.

What more could a kid ask for? Such a fun list :)

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

chock full of projects--many of them intended for outdoor play (even better), arranged from Easy (4) to Afternoon (9) to Weekend (12) with an appendix for (drumroll) Knots! and Resources. Here they are, in order of appearance...
lava lamp
paper airplane (bombproof bomber)
water-pressurized rocket
slip-and-slide
tie-dye
rope swing
lion-mane tire swing
slingshot
water-balloon launcher
bird feeder
sand candles
angel wings
climbing wall
skate longboard
dollhouse
treasure chest
bike jump
zip line
tree house
stunt dummy / abominable snowman (one of my favorites)
light box
half-pipe
rope bridge
circus tent
go-cart

You'll love the motivating photos of the final projects in use by real children and the step-by-step photo instructions. Is this done by a pseudoynm for a Martin Stewart? (kidding)

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I get to be both mom and dad, I was hoping to find a fun idea or two. Unfortunately, the lack of a yard, tools, time, and most important, skills, put most of the projects way out of my reach and ability. I think it will make a great gift for my brother-in-law though!

[Lindsay L. Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

www.bibliofreaker.blogspot.com

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of outdoor building type projects such as treehouse, rope bridge, and zip line. climbing wall, rope swing etc.

[Jim Tiffin Jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great list of project ideas for home or for the ambitious MakerEd classroom. Definitely considering the go-kart project for school. It's a certainty for home :-)

[Andrea Estelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhh- I want Eric to build us the zipline!!! Lots of fun projects in this book.