The other day, while I had the paper clips out, I thought it would be fun to make a barrel of monkeys type game by bending them into hook shapes.  Jack had a good time figuring out how to get them all linked together, and also how to get them apart.

15 Responses
  1. Marta Boza

    You are fantastic! just discovered your blog… I've always liked making nice things out of rubbish, but don't always succeeded… you are quite a help! I am still 23, but I already have a floder where I keep the toy ideas for my children…

    I will follow the blog! thanks!

  2. Cabelo

    Hi Joel!

    You really have a incredible works!
    I´m a father too, and like you, artist.
    I always have a great surprise visiting your blog, great ideias to play with the kids.

    Keep wondering!
    ;)

  3. momma rae

    joel, i wish you were my dad! what blessed children you have. ;) thanks for sharing with the rest of us.

  4. Lori Henriques

    looks very fun! :) and they're beautiful, too. and with the handy shiny case, perfect for cafes. . .

  5. Joel Henriques

    Thanks everybody!

    Cabelo – I really like your paintings! Very cool!

    mericherry – Thanks for the nice post! I like your colored paper clip version. Very cool!!

  6. Unfurled

    Hiya!
    Just found your blog, and I'm really enjoying it. Such imagination in great everyday places!

  7. Joel Henriques

    Unfurled – Thanks! I just had a look at your blog too. Very cool stuff! I'm super impressed with your real on your main site also. Nice animations!! Glad you found my blog.

  8. GemmaBeads

    I love your "do-dads". I love that these things you create with your children not only teach them the skills of the game, but they teach them to create with what's at hand, see possibilities, and be less commercial. Anybody can get a Barrel of Monkeys. But can they create the same activity with something from their desk drawer? The uses you come up with for a mere paper clip are so great and yet so "of course". My daughters and I are going to have a great time putting together a paper city this week. They will love it when I pull a round tin from my purse with colorful circles to put together or a pick-up game to play with.

    You're a fun Dad for sure!