Industrial Arts: Woodworking For Kids

When children engage in woodworking projects, they have the chance to learn at every step of the way. The measuring in woodworking can improve both the sense of numbers and space of kids, and the construction and design factors of woodworking helps to exercise kids’ visual skills. In addition, constructing objects from scratch will help kids improve their self-reliance. Furthermore, woodworking is a great chance for kids to bond with their parents.

Safety First

Any time that kids are involved in a woodworking area, added safety is always necessary. Before the kids arrive, you should put sharp hand tools out of their reach, unplug any power tools, and clean debris from the floor. Next, the safety focus should be on the kids themselves. Make sure that any kids with long hair have it tied back, that anything on them that can catch on machinery is taken away, and that they are wearing sturdy footwear. As actual woodworking is happening, make certain to supervise the kids, but since supervision can’t eliminate all accidents, having a first-aid kit on hand is also needed.

• Teaching Woodworking to Kids: Article on woodworking focuses on kids being taught safety and on adults supervising them.
• Safety Tips: Veteran woodworker provides basic safety tips that everyone—young and old—must keep in mind while woodworking.
• Woodworking Safety List: 10 safety tips are provided that are supposed to cut down on the risk of accidents while woodworking.
• Safety around Machines: A guide to what people who work in woodworking can do to keep safe.
• Safety with Kids: Webpage that goes into detail about a number of safety precautions that kids should take in the workshop.
• Children and Woodworking: Article that discusses the ways that kids can stay safe while woodworking.
• Guide to Safety in Woodworking: Website that functions as a guide to all things related to necessary safety in woodworking.

Materials and Tools

Materials that are easy to cut are ideal, especially for younger kids with no previous experience. One good example of this is Styrofoam blocks, mainly due to how easily kids can form them, usually just with sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood or with hand tools. No-longer-used ceiling tiles or cork boards can educate kids about hammering in nails or screws. Later on, kids can even be exposed to softwoods like pine or cedar. Tools that are off-limits for kids until they are better trained and experienced are power tools, because of the level of danger associated with handling them.

• Woodworking Resource Page: Woodworking webpage that features several links to websites that discuss appropriate woodworking tools and materials.
• Woodworking Tools for Kids: Website that features woodworking equipment that is made especially for the smaller hands of children.
• Materials for Kids: Webpage that educates visitors on the large selection of materials and tools that kids have available to them.
• Woodworking at a Younger Age: Article that talks about how there are good tools for kids, even if some may be seen as costly or dangerous.
• Woodworking Materials for Kids: Webpage that provides a long list of materials for woodworking that are ideal for kids just starting out.
• Example of Woodworking Materials: Website that features a well-rounded offering of basic woodworking materials for those interested in projects.
• Woodworking Tool Kit Example: An example of what a good woodworking tool kit is for children.
• Comprehensive List of Woodworking Tools: Webpage that features a long list of woodworking tools that includes antiquated tools as well as more modern ones.

Learning/Education

Woodworking can even improve the skills of a child in his pursuits of art, science, and math. The hands-on aspect of woodworking teaches kids about concepts like problem-solving, counting, and measuring, which come in handy in math. The mental skills kids will pick up from woodworking as they have to plan the construction of their project will also aid them in science, helping them to think more critically about concepts. Kids will also improve their art skills with woodworking because woodworking teaches them about being creative and using their imagination, concepts so important to art, too.

• Woodworking Benefits: Informative article that explains, in part, how woodworking can help kids with concepts that are important to math.
• Benefits of Kids and Woodworking: A look at the many benefits that kids receive from woodworking, including motor-skill improvement and problem-solving sharpening.
• Woodworking and High School Kids: Article that explores how high school kids are reaping the benefits in terms of learning of woodworking.
• Math and Woodworking: List of how to improve a child’s math skills includes mentions of allowing kids to assist parents in woodworking.
• Math Skills from Woodworking: Webpage that explains how involving kids in woodworking can impact their self-esteem and improve their math skills.
• Skills in Art: Webpage that features art techniques, such as those that are improved by woodworking.

Projects and Plans

• Woodworking Projects: Webpage that lists several woodworking projects that are ideal for kids just starting out.
• Woodworking Projects for Children: Webpage that features dozens of suggestions of woodworking projects for younger children.
• Woodworking Kits: List of many woodworking kits that are good for kids, including ones for vehicles and kitchen craft kits.
• Woodworking Plans: Webpage that features nothing but free woodworking plans that kids can try their hand at.
• Kids’ Woodworking Plans: Webpage that features several links to books on woodworking ideas that children can get involved in.
• Woodworking Plans for Children: Several woodworking plans for children are offered, which includes plans to make toys.
• Free List of Projects: Webpage that features dozens of woodworking projects that those so-inclined can attempt.

Recommended Reading

• Amazon: Paperback book that features information on woodworking projects for kids.
• Book List for Woodworking: Webpage that features an extensive list of books on woodworking for children.
• Woodworking for Kids Book: Webpage for a softcover book that shows kids all about the basics of woodworking.
• Woodworking for Resource Page: Webpage that features links to many different books on woodworking projects.
• Craft Series Book: Webpage that features a book on woodworking for kids, a part of the series of books on woodworking for kids.
• Woodworking Basics Book: Webpage that features a book on woodworking that is made for do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
• Downloadable Book: Book that is downloadable contains 15 woodworking plans for children.
• Woodworking for Children Tome: Website for a book that offers parents and kids many projects they can do.