Barbie Project ~ Kennedy Builds An Elevator!

It's been a few weeks since my daughter and I started the Barbie Project with seven other amazing moms and daughters.  As I mentioned in my last post this has been a great opportunity for me to step outside of my typical mommy mode and get down on the floor and 'play' with my daughter.  I found myself getting busy with my normal routine again within a few days after the project started. My daughter in her room and me running around doing a million things.  The other week I was busy putting up laundry and walked by my daughter's room. Kennedy who is 10 was busy at work, taping, measuring and cutting away.  I asked her what she was doing and she told me that she was making an elevator for her Barbie's house.  She had yarn, glue, duct tape, scissors and one small cardboard box.  She was determined and on a mission!  I dropped my laundry basket and sat down and watched her work. 

She was busy measuring and talking about how they had learned about pulley systems and simple machines in school.  It was the cutest thing seeing her mind work trying to construct this elevator. 

She started out taping the string along one corner.  The yarn kept slipping and Barbie was swinging all over the place. Kennedy didn't skip a beat, she would pick Barbie up and try different strategies  I made a few tiny suggestions but let her continue to explore what worked and didn't work.  She tried over a dozen times and just kept at it.  I was so amazed to see her determination and drive, she did NOT want to give up!

We chatted some more and I told her she was a pretty cool elevator engineer/architect.  I was truly in awe at how she was using what she learned at school during her playtime. I am a BIG advocate for girls embracing STEM, science, engineering, technology and math, so this was a project after my own heart!   After several tries and Barbie getting many bumps and bruises she finally got it to work. A little wobbly but it finally worked! The joy and pride on her face lit up the whole room!  I told her that we also needed to explore how real elevators work and to imagine all that goes into designing elevators that carry real people.

I was able to capture her special moment on my phone. Please excuse my amateur video, had to capture the moment quickly!

To view Kennedy's 1st Elevator Test Run click here! 

On a side note my oldest daughter is turning 16 in a few days and I am experiencing a lot of different emotions as I learn to balance realizing that she is growing up and wants more independence.  She is learning to drive, wants to hangout with friends, and doesn't need mommy as much these days.  I realized today in writing this blog that Kennedy's years playing with toys like Barbie will soon fade away.  I am truly grateful that this project came to really help me cherish these times with my daughters as they will be on their own one day soon. Whether it's building elevators for Barbie or panicking in the passenger seat as my daughter takes the wheel I will definitely slow down from my normal fast pace mommy mode and be in the moment more.

What things have you discovered during your playtime with your daughter? To learn more about the Barbie Project and to share your experiences visit www.barbieproject.com. To follow our journey follow our blog or visit us on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for taking the time to read about our journey! #barbieproject