Woodworking for Kids
How did you get started in woodworking? Has it been a life long hobby, or are you a recent convert? Did you get the bug from that old high school woodshop class? Do they even have woodshops in schools anymore?
I grew up in the typical Midwest blue collar family. My paternal Grandfather was a carpenter and home builder and I also had several uncles who were also quite handy. Skilled as they were at their trades, they didn’t have the time or inclination to pass along these skills. The high school I attended had shop classes, but they were not available for those who had aspirations for college. So my woodworking experience didn’t start in earnest until we purchased our current home.
To some this might sound like sour grapes, but as much as I enjoy woodworking now, I really wish I had been given an opportunity earlier in life. But I can’t change that now, it’s as they say, water over the dam. I can however pass my knowledge on to my grandchildren and hope that I can inspire them to become life long woodworkers.
The problem I have isn’t giving time to the grandkids, but finding a project that they will enjoy making. Each of my three grandkids has different skills and attention spans, so no one perfect project exists or at least I haven’t found it. The youngest, is happy to nail two boards together, but the older two actually want to make something. My imagination isn’t on the same level as the kids, so I turned to books for help. This is not a really strange idea as a lot of my ideas come from books
So take your kids or grandkids to your local book store, find a book that has projects that your kids are interested in and help them make it. This is a win-win situation. You’re spending time with your kids, and you’re introducing them to your favorite hobby.
I came across this book while looking for a project book to enjoy with my grandkids. Strange as it sounds Tinkertoys