Woodworking for children

[Paddy Roxburgh]

Interesting thread.Me and my seven year old daughter are building a woodworking bench for her in the shed at our flat this half term so she doesn't have to stand on a stool to reach my vice. She sometimes does stuff in my workshop at work, a drydock (we used to live there in a boat). I've never let her use a machine though, don't imagine I will for many years to come, mostly because of danger but also if she's going to learn woodwork I want her to learn to do everything by hand first (I kinda learnt the other way round). I'm trying to come up with some design that will be useful for me for sawing and hand planing stock when she is not about. Other consideration is that she seems to get bigger every day. Has anyone here built a bench for there kids? If I can find a camera I might post some WIPs during the week
She's quite good with a saw, fine toothed japanese seems easiest for her, the spoke shave and block plane are also favorites. Last night I had her chopping her first mortice, that pig sticker looks enormous in her hands.
Paddy

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

double post deleted

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Has Meccano gone now?

 

[JonnyW]

Nope you can still buy it. I don't know if it's the same quality stuff as I've never seen a modern set. But I know it's still available to buy.

Jonny

 

[8squared]

Since building my workshed my kids have come in when I'm in there and showed an interest in what I'm doing.

So pretty soon they would sit on my work top watching... then things progressed from there quickly.

And its not hard to teach them what to do and what they shouldn't mess with.

My usual day now is having my 3 year old daughter come in asking to drill holes... So she gets her wood, I put on my drill press and away she goes without me constantly supervising as she knows to not go near the bit and only drill holes in the other end of the wood that she's holding.

She will also get her ear defenders and shout EARS as a reminder for me to put mine on as she switches on the Hoover to tidy up.

As my other kids are older they are allowed to do more stuff and are always asking questions which I answer thus allowing them to try things on their own.


It's great having them in there doing things and learning but the downside is I now get very little done myself.

 

[MrYorke]

My 2 year old the other day.....

 

[JonnyW]

Brilliant posts. My 6 year old son loves using the vac system to clean up - obviously I'll try my best to encourage that sort of behaviour.

We've just ordered this for my 3 year old daughter's Christmas present. Clever Santa!!

http://octfest2015.com/detail/B00XK...drens-tool-kit-with-real-hand-tools-incl.html

Jonny

 

[JonnyW]

Love the video MrYorke.

Fantastic

Jonny