Pioneer crafts
provide insight into the lives of pioneer boys.
Pioneer children worked long hours helping with household duties and were often expected to help maintain the farm and farm animals. Games and handcrafted toys provided much needed recreation for boys and girls. Toys were constructed with readily-available materials found around the house or collected from the land. Pioneer crafts and toys reinforced gender-based behavior. Girls participated in activities such as doll-making and sewing, while the boys' activities encouraged behavior associated with masculine traits such as hunting, whittling and woodworking. Pioneer crafts for boys reflect the lifestyles and imagination of pioneer boys.
Coonskin Cap
The Disney character Davy Crockett sported a coonskin cap that created a craze in the United States and Europe during the 1950s and 1960s While coonskin caps weren't actually a part of pioneer life for boys, the coonskin cap has become symbolic of the pioneer spirit. An adapted version of the coonskin cap substitutes cotton for fur. A frame and tail for the cap are constructed out of cardboard and fabric. The cap and tail are covered with cotton and painted with stripes to imitate raccoon fur.
Whirligig
Whirligigs were popular toys constructed with a piece of string and a large two-hole button that create a whirling sound when set in motion. Simply thread a piece of string measuring twice the length of the arm, through the button holes and knot the ends. With the button situated at the middle of the string, swing the button in circles, winding the string. Pull the ends of the string tightly then slightly release the tension and pull tightly again. Continue creating and releasing tension as the button spins and creates a whirling whistle.
Quill Pen
Quill pens were commonly used by pioneers. Boys often made their own using turkey feathers and other hollow quills. Cut the sharp tip off the point of the quill with a craft knife and create a split down the middle of the quill measuring 1/4 inch. Remove one side of the split quill, leaving the other half intact to act as the ink well and writing point for the pen. Dip the tip in ink and write gently with the quill to avoid damaging the delicate point. Turkey quills can be purchased at a craft supplier.
Whimmydiddle
Whimmydiddles were popular toys crafted by pioneer boys, which entailed scraping a stick along the base of the toy to spin a propeller located at the end of the toy. Whimmydiddles were easily constructed requiring only three sticks of varying lengths, two nails, a hammer, and a knife to carve a few notches into the body of the toy. The largest stick provides the body with the medium-sized stick used to stroke the notches carved into the body. The smallest stick acts as a propeller that spins when the notches are stroked.
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