Experience "Beetles and Stag Beetles Made of Forest Craft Wood" at Mobility Resort Motegi!
Various activities are available at Mobility Resort Motegi.
This time, we bring you a report on experiencing the craft activity held in July.
Challenge the stag beetle made of wood!
In the forest called Hello Woods within Mobility Resort Motegi, there are various activities where you can experience nature, and this time we participated in "Forest Craft: Beetles and Stag Beetles Made of Wood."
First, we gathered at the Hello Woods information counter, then headed to a building called the craft workshop located further inside. Upon arrival, we listened to explanations and precautions from the staff and immediately started making our crafts.
First, decide whether to make a stag beetle or a rhinoceros beetle, then choose the base part for the craft from various sizes of wood. These pieces of wood are collected from the Hello Woods forest, and since the thickness, color, and texture you choose will affect the overall feel of the stag beetle or rhinoceros beetle you are about to create, this is a very important point.
This time, we decided to make a stag beetle, so we chose wood that was thick and had a noticeable texture.
After selecting the wood for the body, cut it to your preferred size with a saw. The key is to apply force when pulling the saw and be gentle when pushing it.
Cutting straight without bending is quite difficult. When the wood is thick, it requires more strength, so it’s best to proceed with help not only from the children but also from their mothers and fathers!
Once you have cut the wood to your preferred size for the body, the next step is to use a hatchet to split it in half. The direction in which you split with the hatchet will change the pattern of the tree bark, so take your time to think carefully before cutting.
Place the blade of the hatchet against the cut surface of the wood, and gently tap it from above with a wooden mallet.
It split perfectly in half with a snap. At this point, half of the beetle-making process is finally complete!
Next, use an electric sander to smooth the split surface of the wood until it is silky smooth. This electric sander requires careful handling, as contact with the skin can cause serious injuries such as skin abrasion. Therefore, it is best for parents and children to operate it cautiously together. If you want it completely smooth, you can sand for a long time. If you prefer to keep the natural texture of the wood, sanding just a little is also fine. Finish it to your desired level.
Once you have polished the wood smoothly with the electric sander, the next step is to make the parts that will serve as the "legs." Select small branches to use as legs from the material storage area and cut them to your preferred length with pruning shears. Then, drill holes with an electric drill and insert the branches. Since the wood is natural, sometimes the branches don’t fit perfectly even after drilling holes. Inserting each branch one by one was quite challenging! It’s best to carefully use tools like pruning shears and the electric drill and work hard together as a parent and child.
After inserting the legs and finally attaching the part that corresponds to the horns, it is successfully completed!
From here, as an original touch, we use carving knives to draw patterns and finish it with your favorite design. Time flew by, and we were able to complete the rhinoceros beetle within 90 minutes! I didn’t expect to start by cutting the wood with a saw, so even as an adult, it was quite a challenge! I’m glad we managed to finish it somehow.
In this activity, you can learn how to use tools that are not often used in daily life, such as saws, hatchets, electric sanders, electric drills, carving knives, and pruning shears. Recently, opportunities for children to be taught in detail how to handle blades may have decreased. However, by learning how to use these tools, children can gain various insights such as "this is the proper way to use it" and "this way is dangerous," which leads to many valuable learning experiences for them.
Also, the wood used for the craft is carefully managed by dedicated staff and collected from Hello Woods, so it is safe and secure. You can feel the texture and color of the wood through your eyes and hands, and by experiencing it with your skin, I felt that you can enjoy nature even more.
Furthermore, this activity can be enjoyed by parents and children together, allowing them to have fun while chatting as they work. Among those who participate every year, some families have shared that they could see their children’s growth, saying things like, "They have gotten better at using the saw" and "They have become more efficient." These aspects can also be considered part of the charm of this activity.
There are many more activities available that parents and children can enjoy together.
If you are interested, please be sure to check out the activities page of Mobility Resort Motegi.
Details of the activities here >>
