Helping Children Become Handy

Woodworking is Useful and Builds Strength

“Woodworking gives me something useful to do when I’m feeling puny and it takes my mind off my troubles.”-- Gary McCarthy

 Kids and adults feel “puny” sometimes and a little woodworking can help them feel strong again and regain a great attitude when they work together.

  Anthony Carrino of the renovation show "Cousins Undercover”  suggests very young children can start with toy tools and children age 6 on up with real tools and a kid friendly tool kit.  Grandparents and parents can raid their tools and purchase a tool bag or start kids from scratch.

Starting Early!!

  Craig Stevens carpenter and author suggests starting with a small but real hammer and help kids pound some nails straight into a board or stump and then pull them out.  Help them turn a few screws on a soft pine board or tighten a loose one somewhere.  Look for both flat and Phillips head screwdrivers.

  Also, gift them with a fabric measuring tape that includes fractions and teach them to go around the house measuring furniture. Bubble levels are also fun to use. If you have new smart phone there is a level on your phone. 

  Craig Stevens has written the very popular, ” Woodshop 101 For Kids” He includes 14 woodworking projects for parents and kids to build together. His web site is woodworkersresource.com for school age children and their families.

 Needed Tools 

  Mr. Stevens suggests the following tools for this age: a 12 foot measuring tape with with fractions, a wooden 12- inch ruler with fractions, and 7-10 ounce hammer. 

Have Fun Gathering and Talking About Tools

You can include a hand saw, power drill (with supervision), auger, awl, nail and screw box sets of 1 ¼ and 1 5/8, Phillips and flat head screw drivers, western and Japanese hand saw, coping saw, block plane and rasp.  Add some sand paper (100, 120, 150, and 180), white and wood glue, clamps, combination square, speed square, and child size safety glasses that fit and won’t slip. Children may also like a wood burning kit.

Many Projects 

Bubble Measure Used in Many Projects

 His book and site have information about the science of wood and how -to directions for easy start up projects like picture frames, crayon or pencil holder, art caddy, step stool, marshmallow catapult, and many more.  Pinterest.com/ woodworking projects for kids is another good site for ideas.  Other books for teaching and ideas include: ”Easy Carpentry Projects for Children’” by Jerome Leavitt and” Kids’ Building Workshop”  by Craig Robertson. 

   There are also ready -made tool kits and projects from “Kraftic DIY Delux Carpentry Woodworking Kit” by Kraftic and “Active Kyds Tool Kits” for kids 6-13 by Active Kyds. For more project ideas to build relationships between kids and adults see grandparents teachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live and podcasts.

Photos: https://www.pexels.com/search/tools/

Adults and Kids Inspire Each Other

Maya Angelou: "You Can't Use Up Creativity"

  “Imagination is everything.  It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein
  “You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
  Creativity or divergent thinking is thinking about something in a new way. Children do this when they receive a little Lego kit and change the directions slightly or dig into their bins of Legos and engage their brains to create something new and marvelous. Many libraries have free Lego days families can attend.
  When children have the opportunity to do divergent thinking, they break down problems into parts, think in a new way, and develop their brains. Researchers have found these children also have a more positive mood and higher proficiency in language and math.
Let’s Imagine
   Play a few free creativity games. During quiet times help children retrieve information from memory, compare and contrast, and make connections between bits of information.
   If they were going on a trip to a real or imaginary place what would they take? How is playing in the summer different than during the winter, spring, or fall? How is life different for animals?
  Help kids imagine they are little mice exploring your home. Where would they go first?

How Is Life Different for Animals?

What toys might they like to explore? What if the kids were flies on the ceiling for a day? What would they see from that perspective?
  Give children three objects from the kitchen. If they had to give one back, why would they keep the other two? How many things can children do with three old ties or other objects? Can ties become seat belts for an imaginary plane trip? Can they be snakes? What can you make with three paper towel rolls or three boxes?
Creative Building
 Children may create an indoor fort

Use Brightly Colored Materials and Create

with cushions and blankets. Have a picnic with food, flashlights, stuffed animals, and books.
  This next one requires a little more work and planning, but children love to make robots out of plastic and paper recyclables. Under supervision they can connect pieces with duct tape or a glue gun. Children’s Museums often have creative robot corners and are worth a visit.
  When you think children are ready, they can hammer nails in a log you have brought in.  They can make designs with the hammered nails and add some poster paint for a beautiful sculpture.  They can also hammer the nails different heights to make interesting designs and use different colored markers on the nail heads. Then they can pull out the nails with help if they leave about an inch to wiggle in the hammer.
Children may like to create cars, houses, even a whole village from boxes, tape, papers and markers.
Photos: Fran Darling: fdarling fotos
Maya Angelou: York College ISLGP posted to Flickr.com, uploaded to Commons
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Help Discover the Young Engineers in Your Family

Have you ever observed children creating something from Legos or TRIO blocks? They are very focused. Here's how adults can help nurture these “engineering” skills in young children. 

Organize Blocks

  Sometimes young children need to be left to just play and experiment with their blocks.  Other times families can teach them some engineering skills Does this mean you have to be an engineer? Not at all, here are some simple ideas to help you interact easily. Following step- by- step pictures to build a project is a great way to start.

 Discuss how sorting and organizing materials by color and shape will help each time they build. Then provide and label some see through containers. It will be easier to search for parts and clean up.

Organize Thinking

  Ask children to choose a colored diagram of something they would like to make to make from a book of ideas provided in block kit packages. This book can be a source of ideas and help children come up with their own ideas or make modifications.     Guild children toward a simple project you think will be successful. If you are using a step- by- step book, help children look at the picture guide carefully. Count out how many of each kind of block is needed for building and place in piles. If there are enough blocks, make your own project, too.

  Discuss how you are going to start making the project. Encourage your children to think out loud and ask questions as they build. Say your thoughts out loud. Show what thinking looks and sounds like.  Show them that when they make projects with others it is fun to talk back and forth, ask questions, and share ideas even though sometimes others may not use them. You are helping young children think through math problems, since building teaches geometry and many other skills.

  Compare the project you are building with the picture of the step- by- step photos.  Do the pictures look like your project? Do children have an idea to make it better or different?

What Else Can We Do?

  Challenge each other. Play a game called “Can You Make What I Make?”  The name says it all. Take pictures of the final projects and send them to cousins.  Can they make the projects, too?

  Investigate what happens if a piece is added and it interferes with stability or balance? Encourage family members to give Mega Blocks. Duplo, K”NEX, Bristle Blocks, Gears, or other engineering toys as gifts.

Make a card game with a list of projects like house, truck, fence, airplane, or robot. Pick a card and place it face down. Can one person make the object and the other guess what it is?

  Children can help adults put something together by handing tools for a short time.

  Check the library for engineering books like ‘The Lego Ideas Book” by Lipkowitz, or the “Lego Adventure Books” series.

More Ideas and Activities

For more ways to encourage music and expend energy on long winter days see the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site www.grandparentsteachtoo.org.

Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.

Photos: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Child_playing_with_unit_blocks.jpeg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houten_blokkendoos.jpg