Thread: Inspiring the young ones to take the woodbutcherin challenge

Hi Shane,

Nope, almost never too early, besides, he's obviously well supervised and having a ball of a time.

cheers
Wendy

My experience with my two (girl 13 months and boy 2 3/4 years) is that they will follow me around and copy what I do, if they think it looks fun. That includes using tools. The main thing at the moment is to keep them away form sharp tools. My theory is that once a child reacts properly to the command "Stop", they can be taught the right way to hold and use cutting tools. Also, kids seem to want to do things the "right" way (or at least mine do - my son insists that he have a full piece of steak and a steak knife rather than having his food cut up for him!) - this makes it quite easy to teach them but means that you have to live by the rules you give them (so no more opening of paint tins with a chisel!).

I am lucky in that I spent my youth building model aeroplanes and have some good "little tools" which my son can use as his own. Alll he wants when I am in the shed is some offcuts and a space of his own to hammer nails into them...Soon I willl have to make him a little workbench.

I have a copy of a book called Woodshop for Kids by Jack McKee (here is link that will get you a copy http://home.earthlink.net/~mchkee/index.html ). It has some good thoughts on how to keep things interesting.

BTW - the grandchild is beautiful and is having a great time. You must be really happy and proud

Why'd yer wait so long Shane?

I took my little fella for a berl round the shed on Saturday, and he's not even going to be born till half way through October!

My first memories are actually of making stuff with my Grandpa when I was round about three; time provided by my mum-(80) who couldn't believe the detail I was repeating to her after fifty years.

I still have the scar on my left hand ring finger where the knife slipped when he was teaching me to carve at about four years of age.

He carked it before I was five, so they were pretty important times for both of us!

Cheers,

P (Hoping to get a bit more time with my grandkids than he did!)

What's this green button do? :eek:

Nice thread, but 6 months may be a tad early

I learnt a love of tools and making things from my Godfather in my early teens.

As he was a retired RN Commander, larking about wasn't on the agenda

One thing I've noticed in my shop is that when the power-tools are running, the kiddlies skedaddle quick smart. Probably not the noise... but I tend to be a wee testy when people interrupt/distract me while my fingers are near sharp, scary, spinny-whizzy things. And kids aren't stupid.

Mind you, as soon as I hit the off-switch, before the tool's even finished winding down, I'll turn around and trip over one of 'em heading for my offcut bin. They'll sit for hours, watching me use hand-tools, playing with the offcuts or sanding anything I give 'em. Which can be convenient; I hate sanding. Talking of convenient, my nephew absolutely LOVES vacuuming! :eek:

The next gen of darksiders?

Skew- I think the offcuts are crucial. I can't swear on it but I'm pretty sure the first tool I used was a hammer. No nail- just a hammer.

I do have an early memory of admiring a piece of particularly damaged pine I created.

A good hammer swing is great fun for kids.

According to my mother my first nailing experience was when I was about 3 and I running away from my father and tripped and stuck my hand out which was skewered by a 4" nail sticking out of a short length of piece of 4 x 2.

My dad took me and the 4x 2 to the the Pemberton hospital (we lived 100 metres from the hospital) where the nurse wanted to know what I had done that was so bad that called for punishment by crucifixion.

A year later I was back in hospital getting a tetanus shot after spiking my upper leg with a bit from a brace and bit. I was holding a pine cone between my legs trying to drill some holes and slipped and apparently just missed the family jewels.

After that dad locked the shed for a few years.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

One thing I've noticed in my shop is that when the power-tools are running, the kiddlies skedaddle quick smart.

My 3 and a bit YO boy loves woodworking but no the machinery noise. Keeps asking "Are you going to use the table saw soon Dad?" If I say yes, he'll grab his ear protectors and the dog and go outside and sit in the garden until he gets the all clear from me and races back in to check the cuts.

He quickly rejected his plastic tools though as they "are for babies" and now has a collection of safe old discarded tools he carries with him.

However..........We had a man install some roman blinds in our house one morning and James watched intently for a bit. Later than afternoon he found three nails from somewhere, grabbed is hammer and imbedded then about 3/4 inch into our timber window sills. According to him the blinds needed adjusting. Wife not happy. Tools in the shed.

They seem to love it. Just teach them safely and keep your eyes open!

Cheers,
Glenn

Skew. The noise from some machines can cause physical pain in some children. I can't remember the exact reasons but it was explained to me by an ear specialist at the hospital many years ago.

My two boys, 3 and 4.5, can't get enough of being up the shed. They nagg me all weekend. "we go up shedd daddy." SHMBO loves it, they are out of her hair.

They come up the shed and trash the joint and i wear the grief when the place looks like a tip.

They are well versed on what they can and can't touch. All i have to do is turn on what they call a noise maker and they clear out outside. They have taken to wearing my earmuffs, so we now have 3 pairs waiting up the shed. The latest thrill is to turn the dusty on and off whenever needed.

They have a great time and we have only had a few banged fingers with them using the hammer. The hammer is the only real tool they go near, but they have a whole range of plastic toy tools which they use to mimic me. Its usually a great laugh and the boys get to claim credit for building everything that comes out of the shed.

Found this old thread and it reminded me of my four year lod garndaughter Emmalee. She was in the shed with me helping when I hit my finger with a hammer "Sh.." I said. Quick as a flash she said " Grandad don't use the F word"

She can't spell but she got the general idea

6 MONTHS old!
he's gonna be a big boy Wild Dingo.
could be reachin' for the sledge hammer before he looks at the claw hammer lol. ya better look out!
regards
the block

Originally Posted by buddha

Found this old thread and it reminded me of my four year lod garndaughter Emmalee. She was in the shed with me helping when I hit my finger with a hammer "Sh.." I said. Quick as a flash she said " Grandad don't use the F word"

She can't spell but she got the general idea

Wait till they grow up....remember what's it's like when your kids touch your tools and don't return them.....lol....

Best thing I've seen on the forum yet....yes...your grandchildren will grow with not just an appriciation for woodwork...but with the knowledge that 'pop' was cool.....how many of us would love to say " we practically grew up in pop's shed!....."

I remember the hammer...one nail..two pieces of wood....THE SWORD!!!!!

Who didn't make one?

Cheers Dingo....whats wrong with all the WestOz folk....they all sleeping!
Still missing my Ed....but trying to keep busy....bye from Kekemo!