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Wonderdog

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A couple of days ago, my 8 yr old daughter, who has never built anything beyond stacking blocks as a toddler, decided that she had watched her 10 yr old brother long enough and wanted to build and fly her OWN rocket. Before she was afraid of the noise. Wanting her first experience to be successful, I flew to WalMart and bought her a Stars and Stripes Starter Kit. Nary an Alpha III kit anywhere to be found. With advice from her "big" 10 yr old brother and myself, she did a really good job on the simple for us, but new to her build. Off we went to the nearest high school field and set up to have some fun on this 45 degree, 0-5mph windy day. My son flew several never before flown rockets he has built, being Nova Payloader, Exoskell, Skywriter, and his old standbys, Totally Tubular and Fat Boy. My sole flight was Big Betty and she landed in the asphalt parking lot again but nothing was broken. Little daughter launched her Stars and Stripes the first two times on B4s and the last three times on C5s. All launches were successful with one of hers landing about a foot in front of the launch pad! The rocket gods were with us today! Most of my time was spent showing them the safe and proper way to set up and launch each rocket and taking pictures. They've learned that the first thing they will hear from me if they make a move to the launch pad is "Controller disarmed?" On the way home my daughter said to me, "Daddy, after we have hot chocolate at home, can we go to Hobby Lobby and get a rocket that I can build and paint the way I want it?" Hee, hee, hee, why of course we can, Sugar!

Let the buying begin!

Da Dog:D :D :D
 
The more members of your family into the hobby, the more fun (or did i say chances to buy more rockets) you will have! Careful-you may start a lifelong addiction!
 
Heard at Wal-Mart with the wonderdog family:

"But honey.. We need to buy these kits... you don't want our children to be disapointed. Do we?"
 
Congrats Dog! Nothing like getting another family member hooked!
I had a great experience today my self. I gave my son (3yrs old) a Quest Apollo for Christmas. Well, today I opened it up, and we (yes WE) started on it. I would apply the glue, and let him push the parts together. When we got to a point of having to wait for glue to dry, he got very dissappointed. After a bit, I went to his room, and told him I needed his help again. He about knocked me down trying to get back to the kitchen :) The rocket doesn't look perfect, heck, I didn't even paint it, but he is so pround of it. As he told my wife when she got home this afternoon, "Mommy, look what me and Daddy built!!". It's a great feeling I tell ya :) My daughter on the other hand (13), loves to go to launches, and fly hers, but I can't get her to even try to build one :(
 
Very cool :) I was cleaning the basement the other day and stumbled across my son's and my daughter's first rockets. I'm going to have to get pix of them to post, they're really great :)

Kids and rockets, rockets and kids, it's so *apple pie* :)

jim
 
That would be a great thread: Pics of your first rocket! Old pics would be even better!!

Here is a pic of my first rocket.My Dad built it for me when I was 6 or 7. I found it drawer a few years ago. It was all smooshed, with stubbt fin remnants, and a bashed up nosecone . I restored it by stuffing tubing couplers inside, added new fins, and repainted it. Yes, I do fly it!!
 
So , who can distinguish the big kids from the little kids when it comes to rocketry ??

:)

Paul
 
Originally posted by PWALPOCO
So , who can distinguish the big kids from the little kids when it comes to rocketry ??

:)

Paul

I'm the bigger of the two! :p
 
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