Introducing Kids to Some Basic Woodworking

Teaching children how to work with wood can be incredibly beneficial to their development. It teaches them how to use and respect tools, helps them develop their creativity and helps them to develop their problem solving skills. The following are a few tips for teaching kids woodworking:

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Begin slowly – Teach one skill and one tool at a time. For example, start off with a piece of wood and a piece of sand paper and show them how to sand the wood. Move into other tools and skills slowly.
Teach safety – When beginning to introduce tools such as the screwdriver, be sure to teach safety first and foremost.
Teach organization – Teach the kids the names of all the tools and how to put them back safely. Use a pegboard that has the outline of all the tools drawn on them to make it easier.
Teach kids about wood – Teach how wood comes from trees and how wood can be used. Teach kids about the grain, texture, weight and smell of wood and go over some of the different types.