When you are looking for an all round fun and learning experience for your kids, you can't go far wrong with teaching them how to make something. Woodworking goes one step further. Not only will your kids be learning to make something from scratch, from the basic materials, they are also learning to use one of the most natural materials around - wood. You can impart the love for wood and woodworking from an early stage.
Once a child reaches the age of four, they are able to use their brains and their developing motor skills to hold and use tools. How do you know when your child is ready? Once your child starts to develop the skills required to draw, they should also be able to learn the basics of woodworking. The basic skills that they develop as they learn to work with wood are transferable to many other areas in life.
First, they will learn how to use their imaginations in thinking about something that they would like to build. Next, they will learn how to transfer those imaginings onto paper, how to design their new project. They will learn how to properly measure the quantity of materials they'll need for the job, as well as make accurate measurements on the wood. They will learn how to cut and assemble the individual parts and have the thrill or satisfaction of seeing the finished product.
Don't worry about giving your kids the tools that they need to get the job done. You will be more afraid than them. As the old saying goes, it's not the tools that are at fault, only the user. If you teach your children to have respect for the tools that they are using, they will not get hurt. After all, they are not going to try and get hurt. Kids do dangerous activities all the time. Think about the sports that we put them into where there is a much greater chance of harm from cracked heads to broken bones.
Teaching safety to kids is no different than teaching it to adults. You should teach them to protect their eyes by wearing safety goggles, to protect their hands by wearing gloves, and finally to view tools as tools not as toys. Woodworking with your children can be great fun. If you start out small, measuring straight lines and work yourself up to more complex jobs, there will be no danger. It's all about mastering one thing at a time, like anything in life. Sooner than you think, your kids will be building things you will be proud of.
