Newport FEI Tool Bank Project
Learning Activities
Contents Page
1. Birdfeeder
2. Making elderbeads
3. Get into the groove!
4. Kazoo
5. Marshmallow sticks
6. Raincatcher
7. Woodland animal framed pictures
8. Xylophone
Birdfeeder
Objective: To use a range of fine motor skills to make a bird feeder.
This is a nice progression from marshmallow sticks and involves
measuring, knotting and sawing.
Links to Science and DT.
Tools: Junior hacksaw, skewer, potato peeler, fire wok and trivet.
Other resources: Empty yogurt pot or bottom of a drinks bottle, sticks,
bird food – fat and seed, string, stirring stick, old pan, fire starting and
fire safety kit.
Number of participants: Could be whole class but tool use would need
to be supervised.
Activity description:
 Punch a hole in the base of the pot.
 Cut a length of string as long as your arm. Fold it in half and tie a
double knot in the looped end.
 Thread the 2 ends of the string through the hole from the inside of
the pot so that the knot anchors the string and the 2 ends can be
used for hanging.
 Punch another four holes around the rim of the pot opposite each
other. Two of them must be higher up so the sticks can cross at
different levels.
 Find 2 sticks no thicker than a pencil. Cut so that they are a finger
length wider than the pot on each side.
 Insert the sticks through the pot to make a cross. If necessary
sharpen the ends of the stick before hand with a potato peeler to
make them easier to insert.
 Build a fire in the fire wok.
 Melt the fat in an old pan – on the trivet over the fire and stir in the
seed.
 Wait until the mixture is cool enough to handle safely.
 Fill up the birdfeeder and leave to cool.
 When set firmly, hang up the bird feeder in your Forest School
area.
 Students can evaluate the product and the skills they used.
Safety note
 Follow normal tool use guidelines on the bi-lingual cards, and take
special care when punching the holes through the pot.
 Follow fire safety procedures and be aware that the fat will be very
hot when first taken off the fire.
 Avoid seed containing peanuts if participants have nut allergies.
~ Enjoy watching the birds feed ~
Making Elderbeads
Objective: To use a range of fine motor skills to make Elder
beads.
Tools: Junior hacksaw, skewer, potato peeler
Other resources: Elder, string
Number of participants: small group up to class. Tool use 2:1
adult child ratio (early years)
Activity description:
Before activity: Teacher to cut pieces of elder.
 Put children in to small groups or pairs. Demonstrate how to
peel the elder stick with a potato peeler, peeling away from
the body. They can use the peeler to make patterns in the
bark.

Then working together, ask one child to hold the stick steady
while another saws off a bead sized piece with a junior
hacksaw. They can take turns sawing until they have each
made a couple of beads.

Then putting the bead on a stable surface push the middle of
the elder out with a skewer. Ensure that this is done is a
careful and safe way.

The beads can then be threaded on string to decorate a
woodcookie or make a bracelet.
Get in the Groove!
Objective: To be able to use a rasp confidently and safely;
develop hand/ eye coordination; practice a sawing motion; learn
about properties of materials.
Tools: A variety of rasps, bow saw, gloves.
Other resources: Green or drier pieces of wood – a minimum
diameter of 4cm and ideally a minimum of 25cm long. You could
suggest cutting pieces to the length of the children’s arms.
Number of participants: Dependent on age, but suggest working
in groups of three. Two to hold the wood and one to rasp!
Suitable for all ages.
Activity description:
 Children can be encouraged to find their own sticks or be
given pre-prepared sticks. With older children, use the safety
instruction cards to demonstrate and help them cut an
appropriate length of wood.

Introduce rasps and give a safety talk (see safety card
attached to tools).

Ask for two helpers to hold either end of the piece of wood.
Ensure they are wearing gloves. Demonstrate using the rasp
to create grooves. Show the children how different effects are
created by using the different sized rasps.

Put the children into small groups e.g. 3’s and ask them to
create their own groovy instrument, using the different sized
rasps. Children can be encouraged to test their grooves as
they progress by scraping another, smaller stick along the
length. Two children need to hold the wood stable whilst one
child uses the rasp to create the grooves.

Bring the children together at the end to play your groovy
instruments as a band!
Kazoo
Objective: To improve fine motor skills by developing careful
controlled use of a knife. Or practice sawing motion with a rasp.
Tools: Knife, mallet, pruning saw and a junior hacksaw. Rasps can
also be used.
Other resources: Hazel coppice, a pencil, a wide elastic band, and
2 more elastic bands – any size.
Number of participants: Dependent on age, but suggest 1 adult :
3 children at the most. Activity more appropriate for KS2 and
above.
Activity description:
Before activity: Teacher to coppice some hazel approximately 1530cm diameter.
 Cut a length of Hazel (approx. 15cm) using a pruning saw.

Stand this piece length ways on a firm surface and place the
blade of the knife in the middle on top. Tap the top of the
blade with a mallet to split it down the middle.

You should now have two pieces. Place them together and
make a mark on the edges to indicate where you are going to
make a groove.

Using the hacksaw and knife: - Cut two small grooves into the
flat side of each piece – only a couple of millimetres down on
each side. Then use the knife to remove the section of wood
in-between the grooves. Ensure peeling occurs downwards
and away from the body.

Using rasps: - Place the rasp where you have marked the
wood and using a sawing motion create a groove in each side.

Place the wide elastic band length ways around one half, then
press the two pieces together and attach at each end with an
elastic band.

Now blow to see what noises you can create!
Marshmallow Sticks
Objective: To be able to use a potato peeler or penknife safely
To be able to make a suitable utensil to toast
marshmallows
Tools: Potato peeler or knife, gloves and secateurs.
Other resources: Hazel sticks, marshmallows and wet wipes/hand
gel.
Number of participants: Infants 1:2
Juniors 1:4 (potato peelers)
1:2 (penknives)
Activity description:

Children to cut hazel sticks to an appropriate length using
secateurs. (See safety card on how to use)

Ensure children are sitting. Ask them to tuck the stick
underarm and hold securely with a gloved hand, pointing
downwards. Ensure there is adequate space between each
pupil.

Use potato peeler/penknife (see safety card) to peel bark
from the stick using downward strokes away from the body.

Twist stick as it is being peeled making sure to press firmly
towards the end to make a point.

There only needs to be approx 2inches of bark peeled from
the end of the stick.

Once stick has been peeled clean hands using wet wipes or
hand gel.

Place a marshmallow firmly onto the end of the stick.

Kneel back on heels with arm outstretched to toast
marshmallow over embers.

Once the marshmallow is toasted encourage children to blow
on the marshmallow and count to 20 before eating!
Eat marshmallow – yum! 
Rain Catcher
Objective: Be able to safely use a potato peeler/ knife to create a
rain catcher for use in the outdoor area
Tools: Potato peeler or knife, safety gloves
Other resources: Sticks, pop bottles, pipe cleaners, masking tape,
cutting block, pens, rulers, stickers
Number of participants: 1: 3 dependent on age, ability and
experience
Activity description:
Before activity- Teachers to prepare pop bottles by cutting them in
half and inverting the top half into the bottom half. Sharp edges to
be covered with masking tape

Learners to find thin sticks in forest school area to be able to
fit within pop bottle top

Sticks to be whittled using potato peelers or pen knives

Learners to mark out appropriate measurements for
measuring amount of rainfall e.g. cms, finger spaces as
appropriate

Pop bottles to be decorated using stickers and stick inserted
into lid

Sticks to be transformed into rain people using woodland
materials

Rain catchers to be placed in outdoor area and amount of rain
observed and measured daily
Woodland animal framed pictures
Objective: To use potato peelers safely
Tools: Potato peelers. Knife and bow saw for older children.
Other resources: Mud, leaves, grass, sticks etc, multimedia
Number of participants: small group up to class. Tool use 2:1
adult child ratio (early years)
Activity description:
 Prior to activity research woodland animals using books/
internet

Gather resources around the forest school area.

Group resources for activities – eg, sticks for picture frames
and other natural materials for animal pictures.

Use potato peelers to peel twigs (could make a pattern on
frame).

Arrange four peeled sticks on the ground to make frames.

Begin constructing woodland animal inside the frame using
the other resources collected.

Use multi media to record children’s efforts.
Curriculum Links:
 MD – non standard measures; repeating patterns on frames;
shape
 LLC – describing animals, sequencing activity/ giving
instructions, evaluations
 PSWCD – co-operation, turn taking, risk taking, confidence
building
 CD – making a final product using natural materials;
 WD – Praise & instructional commands.
NB – Differentiation for older children – use other tools i.e. pen
knives & saws for cutting longer branches to size and whittling
decoration
Xylophone
Objective: Using fine and gross motor skills to create a xylophone.
To experiment with the different sounds produced by different
lengths and thicknesses of wood.
Tools: Potato peeler or knife, bow saw or loppers and hand drill.
Other resources: String
Number of participants: Small group up to class. 1:1 when using
the bow saw and monitor groups using the hand drill.
Activity description:
 Either send the children to find about 5 sticks of different
lengths / thickness, or get them to cut different length pieces
from a piece of hazel coppice. Follow tool safety instructions
if using the bow saw or loppers.

You can leave the bark on, but it is also nice to peel it off
using a knife or a potato peeler. Give clear safety instructions
ensuring that the children are sitting down, with space around
them and peeling away from their bodies.

The sticks are now ready to be put together. They can be
hung vertically or horizontally. With older children, ask them
to work in groups of 3 to drill holes through the sticks. 1 child
will need to hold the stick stable, another apply pressure to
the top of the hand drill and the third to twist the drill until it
goes through the stick.

String can now be threaded through the holes to create the
xylophone, or use a clove hitch to attach the sticks to each
other or to a central bar.

Now using another stick play your instrument!