Getting Your Children Started in the Craft of Woodworking
Whether you're a mother, father, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle or teacher, if you have children around you, they have a natural inclination to build things. And to break things.
Why not use the hobby of woodworking as a way to refine (and even temper) those child-like inclinations before they become more destructive? It's easy, can be done in short time intervals and it's fun!
You'll need a work space for your child to create their wooden magic. It should be spacious and situated away from their normal play area. Although this new hobby of woodcrafting is fun, you are also using it as a teaching tool, so you don't want to confuse your child by making woodcrafts in the same space that they would normally play in. A corner of the basement, garage or patio will do. A separate area outside would work as well.
You will also need a workbench that is low enough for your child to bend over when they are sawing or hammering. Anything durable will do, as long as at least one end can hold a clamp. Try an old table cut down to size, a sturdy wooden box, maybe even an elementary school desk. Check thrift stores and garage sales.
Here's my suggestion when it comes to tools: purchase real ones in small sizes from a hardware store or a big box store like Home Depot, Lowe's or Menards. Don't use toy tools that you can buy in the toy department of a store. You want your child to have fun AND learn the correct way to make things out of wood. This is about refining and tempering those child-like inclinations, remember?
I tend to believe that if you start with what you have, you can add to the list as your child shows interest and progresses.
As for the list of tools, here goes:
Now we need supplies. Keep a variety of the following on hand in your work space: various grades of sandpaper, different kinds of large screws, nails with big heads, wood glue, bottle caps (if you can find any!), fabric pieces, wooden beads and the like. Last, but certainly not least; what's the most used resource in the craft of woodworking?
No guesses?
Why wood, of course! You can keep yourself in a pretty good supply of free wood by going to your local grocery store and asking for wooden boxes. Many lumber yards and construction sites have piles of wood scraps. Speak with the store/site manager about your request. And bring your child along! Call it a field trip. Give your child a paper bag with their name on it for bringing home wood pieces. I ask you, how many managers can say no to a child?
I trust that these basics of work space, tools and supplies will give you some ideas about how to prepare for introducing your child to the hobby of woodcrafting.
In future articles I will cover the subjects of the best ways to explain to your child how to use tools, store them, and even some games you and your child can play while woodcrafting.
