Having children can be a blessing, but having them in the shop can be a handful! While some prefer to keep the shop off limits to children, I feel that inviting them in and educating them on the dangers and joys of the workshop is a great way to introduce young minds to the craft.
In order to keep kids both busy and safe in the shop, I have started putting together little builder boxes.
Each box contains a picture of a project and precut wood parts with the fastener holes predrilled for easy assembly.
When my apprentices show up for some shop time, I give each of them a box and set them up at the bench. Because all of the machining is done, there is no need for any power tools to build their projects. A child-sized hammer, screwdriver and glue are all that are required. This arrangement allows me to be nearby if I'm needed without having to be standing over their shoulders.
The first project we do is a toolbox for their very own tools. This simple project consists of five pieces of 51⁄2"-wide, 3⁄4 "-thick pine and a 151⁄4 " length of 1"-diameter dowel for the handle.
Materials required:
One 6'-long piece of 1x6 pine
One 15 1/4" piece of 1"-dia. dowel
Eighteen #6 x 1 1/2" screws or finishing nails
Glue (optional)
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