Restore something old together — a chair, a bike, a lamp

How to do it

Walk the neighborhood on bulk-trash day until you find something worth bringing home — a wooden chair with a wobble, a bike with flat tires, a brass lamp with a frayed cord. Six weekends ahead. Weekend 1: assess, list what's needed. 2: clean it down to bare. 3-4: repair. 5: refinish or paint. 6: put it in your house and use it. The kid points at it for years.

What you'll need

• Whatever the repair needs

  Free

• Sandpaper variety pack

  Amazon