Construction for Kids

A good way to occupy a child is to watch a construction project.  Several weeks ago I was babysitting by grandson.  My son and I took the grandson to a large construction and demolition project at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire campus.  My grandson particularly likes large trucks - and the site had a constant stream of trucks - so he staired intently with minimal fidgeting.

There was this immense crane moving giant girders  from trucks into the forming building.  With my probably unhealthy fixation on large machinery, I thought the crane especially cool.

Here my son and grandon watch the final demolition of the old student center.

I'm not sure why the bases of the old columns were removed in this fashion but this involved a big truck so it was good for the babysitter.

We watch the delivery of large formed concrete parts.  This was slow methodical work with just one man driving the truck and working the significant-sized crane on the truck's back.

Various kinds of loaders zipped around the worksite, doing the heavy lifting.

We have visited the site multiple times now and although the place is lousy with machines, we continue to be impressed with the contruction workers.   They may stand around at times but if you watch them steadily as we did, they work dillegently in the "building ballet".  It's unclear to me how they know what task to do next but there is a great dealing going on simultaneously.  We saw little truly unskilled work or free time.  And it made ideal watching - my grandson caused no trouble - other than insisting that he drag things out so he could watch some operation just a little longer.