Walnut Boats

April 13, 2010
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41 comments

When I was a boy, I remember making walnut boats like this with my Grandma.  My sisters and I would play with them in the bathtub.  They were so simple and fun.  This morning we had some walnuts in the kitchen, so I made some boats with the kids!

Just melt some candle wax into a walnut shell.  When the wax gets a little firm, stick a toothpick in it for the mast of the boat.  Let the wax cool. (We stuck ours in the fridge for a couple minutes.) Then attach a paper sail by poking it onto the toothpick.  Ahoy!

41 Responses
  1. Mammagiramondo.

    Last winter we've made candles with walnut shell but I've never thought about making a boat of it. Really a simple and fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing.
    xxx

  5. se7en

    Oh we have always tried to make these and never knew how to keep those pesky masts up… I love the wax, its a brilliant idea!!! Thanks again for another great idea!!!

  12. The Telfords

    Your ideas totally inspire me. Especially for a simpler, but easily just as enrichening, childhood for my three boys. I cannot wait for your craft/toy book to come out. And please keep up the wonderful photography. Simply charming.

  13. Holly

    I made something like this as a child with milkweed pods–it was in first grade and we made one to represent Columbus' ship. Cool.

  14. AG Ambroult

    We made walnut boats over the holidays! The kids love these and were playing with them just this week still. in the mud puddles, of course :)

  17. Neslihan Durmusoglu

    Gr8 idea:)Have u got a twitter account? I want to follow u ıf u have. My account @neslidrmsgl

  19. Alison

    What's the best way to crack the walnuts so you end up with two nice halves like that?

    Love this idea. Thanks.

  20. Joel Henriques

    I cracked these nuts by gently pounding them over the seam with a wooden muddler I had in the kitchen. When the seam started to come apart then I pried it open the rest of the way.

  22. conversation.compiler

    Your blog is superb. Am very inspired by it. I teach a weekly art class at a community school in Mumbai and am planning to teach something inspired by your walnut boats. Here's a link http://bit.ly/96FKTr

  26. Joel Henriques

    Thanks everybody. Your boats are fantastic!

    Mammagiramondo – What a great experience you made! Nice!

  34. Sheau

    How do you get the walnut shell to separate so perfectly? This looks very fun. Would love to make some for our little one to take to the creek. Thank you.