woodworking with kids - Hands On Books

Parenting Press Review of Woodshop for Kids

What we really, really like, however, are the life lessons that woodworking can teach.

Kids and the Hand Operated Drill Press

I bought this drill press many years ago and hundreds, of kids have used it. If kids can drill bigger and straighter holes it allows them to build quite a few more projects. They like the challenge of learning to use it and are proud of their new found competence.

My First Woodworking Class with Young Children

It was the most meaningful, fun, and interesting woodworking I’d ever done.

Amanda’s Woodworking Gift

Every time I see that little car, or think about it, I remember it was Amanda who made me realize how much kids love to make presents.

This is Better than Recess

“This is Better than Recess” Back in the day one of my sons was not doing so well in school, I wanted to see what school was like for him, and see if there was anything I could do to help so I volunteered at his school. Although I didn’t...

Summer Woodworking with Kids Class

This post has pictures of the shop and description of how I organized a class of 10 kids. In the morning it was 6-8 year olds and in the afternoon it was 8-12 year olds.

Five Projects to Help Kids Learn the Craft of Nailing

Looking back at the first year I taught woodworking two mistakes were making projects too difficult and assuming kids could use tools. Wrong. Most kids had never picked up a tool, and the ones who had really didn’t know how to use them. Nailing is a perfect example.

Woodshop Safety

…… experience taught me that even very young children can be trusted to use real tools. Fifteen years of woodworking with kids has confirmed this initial experience.

It’s not much, but it’s a NUF!

When my cousin Carl’s daughter was little he designed a 30 pound boat built from one sheet of 10 foot plywood and two 10 foot fir 1 X 4s. It was a clever design meant to get kids out on the water under their own power. I built two of these boats, one for each...

A Two Year Old Plays with Builder Boards

When my grandson Lucas, was two years old he wanted to go out to my shop. It seemed to me like there wasn’t much for him to do out there but I took him anyway. The last time I’d been in the shop I had been working on a set of Builder Boards so there was a...