PSA: My career day bricklaying demo turned into a playground mess

I got invited to talk about my job at my niece's school last week. I thought showing how to lay a brick would be cool for the kids. But when I mixed the mortar, a few of them thought it was mud and started touching it. One boy even tried to stack bricks without mortar and they all fell over. It was funny but also made me see how little folks know about our trade. Now I get why we need to share more about what we actually do. What's the silliest thing someone has said to you about bricklaying?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica6811mo ago

When I do school demos, I use a small batch of mortar and let them feel a dry brick first... prevents the mud confusion. Last time, a kid told me his dad says bricklaying is just playing with blocks. I keep extra aprons and wet wipes ready now, saves cleanup later. Showing how to spread mortar with a trowel before they touch anything helps too.

the_kelly1mo ago

At Lincoln Elementary, I brought pre-cut bricks so the kids could handle them without weight issues. @jessica681 is right about the dry brick feel, it stops them from diving straight into the mortar. I also use colored mortar sometimes, like adding a bit of food dye, to make the layers clear. Having a rinse bucket right there cuts down on mess more than wipes alone. When they see the trowel work first, they get that it's a skill, not just mud play.

susanh461mo ago

Remember my friend who tried a demo at her kid's school? She didn't use colored mortar, and the whole first row just looked like a gray blob to the class. One boy kept trying to add more "icing" because he couldn't see the layers at all. She said it totally changed how she plans her materials now.