Cub Scouts and The Last Airbender
This past weekend was our Pinewood Derby weekend! It’s like NASCAR weekend for 8-year-olds. Cars of every shape and size constructed out of pine and decorated (often constructed by DADS even though you know … you’re not supposed to, technically), racing down a 40-foot track to see who is King of Speed!
So when it came time to build the car, it was my job to help my son turn it into a mean, streamlined machine of perfect weight that would CRUSH THE OPPOSITION!
Our inspiration?
That right there is Appa, from the Nick television show “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.
It’s an American anime-styled show and frankly one of the best darn animated shows I’ve ever seen. Great for kids. Great characters, they deal with interesting things, and superbly written. It’s “kid” enough to keep a 7-year-old watching intently and goofy enough to get laughs out of parents. That beast above is the hero’s mighty steed. Appa. A flying bison.
A flying bison car. WHY NOT!?
So (with Dad’s help, of course) we carved it to shape. Bored a few holes and filled them with hot-glued BBs to get it to 4.9 ounces exactly. Hot-glued on a whole bunch of fur. Painted the arrow and horns. Glued on the eyes and the nose and set off for Pinewood Derby Day!
Here’s the boy with his “unique” car.
Now, I had a long conversation with him before this whole process started. “Son … do you want to try to build a super-fast car, or do you want to go for something you’re certain nobody is going to copy?”
He opted for creativity with this one in the hopes of winning a trophy for “most original” Pinewood Derby car.
And did he ever …
That right there is a happy little boy with a First Place trophy for “most original car”!
Next up … Regionals in late March about an hour-and-a-half from where we live. I hope there’s no other furry cars there!
As a super awesome bonus to this whole day … that fuzzy thing actually WON a race! He lost in the first round, won in the second, and finally succumbed to a speedy little car in the third round. So not only did he win a race for the first time, but got some hardware as well.
Awesome!
MADE. OF. WIN!!!!!!!!
Man, that is AWESOME. I’m helping my Bear build a speed demon today (and putting together a skunk works car of my own to take my Committee Chair down a peg in the adult races at the end…)
He’s opting for a stylish limo (don’t ask, I don’t know). Dad’s going for the stripped down speed demon.
Pics to follow…
Thanks! It was such a great day for everybody.
Adult races! That right there’s a great idea. As soon as we were done they dismantled the track. Why can’t the big ‘uns have fun too?
Good luck with it – can’t wait to see the pics!