The memory of my first woodworking project is etched in my mind forever. I was six years old and I needed to stand on an old paint can to reach my father's workbench. The project consisted of a painted pine board with four nails sticking out to serve as coat hooks. It wasn't much, but I was proud of my first attempt, and it set me on a path I've followed for a lifetime.
Now I have kids of my own, and we head out to the workshop on a regular basis to spend time together doing something we all enjoy. Besides creating treasured memories of our own, I know the experience is helping my daughters to develop life skills far beyond the ability to work with wood. It's teaching them to think creatively, solve problems and recognize a sense of achievement.
If you would like to introduce kids to the benefits of woodworking, there are a few tips that will make woodworking with children a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Safety First
When kids are involved in the shop, extra pre-cautions are al-ways needed, and your safety plan should begin well before the kids arrive. Unplug power tools, hang up sharp hand tools and sweep debris from the floor. Prepare all materials in advance so you're not distracted by kids while you're working with major power tools.
Then, make sure the kids are appropriately dressed. Tie back long hair, remove watches and jewelry that can catch on machinery, and check that the kids have on sturdy pairs of shoes. Children should wear properly sized safety gear-eye protection such as safety glasses or goggles, dust masks and hearing protection. Oversized adult equipment won't do the job if it's constantly slipping off, but you can purchase safety gear specifically designed to fit young children.
Once the kids have passed inspection, it's time to get down to business. The key to protecting them while they work is constant supervision. Whenever kids are in the shop, they receive my full attention. Always be on the lookout for potentially hazardous situations. However, no amount of caution will completely eliminate the possibility of an accident. That's why a properly stocked first-aid kit is essential in every workshop, and basic first-aid training is well worth the investment of time.
Project Planning
Kids will get more out of their experience in the shop if they're fully engaged in every stage of the process, including project planning. Encourage the kids to use their imagination and sketch out their own ideas. Ask questions about the design to help them begin to think about the steps involved. Offer a few helpful design suggestions, but avoid being overly influential or you run the risk of losing sight of your young assistant's original vision. But you should speak up if the design is impractical or beyond the child's skill level. A project like the marble game is designed to suit budding workshoppers.
After settling on a design, work with the child to develop a plan that breaks the process down into a logical sequence of steps. Creating a road map for what lies ahead will help the child understand the purpose of each procedure and establish realistic expectations of the time required.
Materials
For younger children who haven't fully developed their fine motor skills, choose materials that are easy to cut. Styrofoam blocks are great because they can be formed with very little effort, using hand tools or even sandpaper wrapped around a wood block. Cork boards or old ceiling tiles can teach kids to hammer nails and drive screws. As skills progress, introduce the kids to softwoods such as cedar and pine. Most of these materials can be salvaged from the scrap bin or purchased from your lumber dealer at a nominal cost.
Another strategy is to make a kit that the child can assemble. Precut all the parts ahead of time and drill pilot holes. You can also find complete kits at building centres.
Next time you're at a wood show, purchase a bag of assorted project parts. When my kids were younger, I would dump the entire bag of wooden wheels, spindles and other interesting shapes on the floor of the shop, along with a few pieces of scrap wood, just to see what they could create.
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