Woodworking can be a relaxing and fun activity for children. The most important aspect of woodworking projects is, of course, to observe safety rules. Woodworking with children is obviously not the same as working on adult projects. You have to give some advance thought to what is the right fit. Let’s explore woodworking and wood based projects for a variety of ages and interests. Wood projects for kids can be fun and creative and create functional works of art that can become valued mementos of childhood.
Project One-You Cut and They Build
There are plenty of guides and templates for how to build different wood projects online. For younger children, one of the best approaches is for an adult to cut the pieces in advance and then assemble projects together afterwards. This is a great way to get children use to working with wood and engaged in the assembly process. The real key here isn’t so much what you build, as it is the process itself. Many websites and woodworking magazines have online outlines and templates for how to begin building everything from airplanes to boxes and more.
Project Two-The Birdhouse
Building a birdhouse with your children is an amazing idea and for many different reasons. A birdhouse provides birds with a place to live and this fact can help you teach your children about birds, nature, habitats, conservation and more. Another great fact about building a birdhouse is that a birdhouse is perhaps the perfect starter wordworking project. Constructing a birdhouse is a manageable project, and it is small and lightweight enough that children can move and manipulate the pieces and contribute to construction and every phase.
Additionally, birdhouses are art projects. Once completed a birdhouse can be painted and decorated. The fact that birdhouses must be painted also gives children an opportunity to express their creativity and allows you to teach them about the importance of protecting wood from the elements. While birdhouses might seem simple there is much that children can learn from their construction. If you are looking for good birdhouse plans, check out sites such as www.freebirdhouseplans.net. This site is loaded with tips on building a birdhouse and even comes with six free plans.
Project Three-The Doghouse
Building a doghouse is a natural continuation of building a birdhouse. Once your child has mastered the basics of building a small birdhouse, he or she will feel more confident tackling a larger project such as building a doghouse. Just a word of caution, never lose sight of the fact that a beloved family pet might be inhabiting your doghouse! So keep an eye out not just for your child’s safety during the doghouse construction process but also for the long term safety of your pet.
There are many clever free doghouse plans out there. One of the best doghouse plans is for a custom, insulated dog house. Yes, doghouses can benefit from insulation as well. Check out this link to Ron Hazelton’s website to learn more about how to build an insulated doghouse that will keep your dog warm and toasty all winter. Just remember that many forms of insulation can be harmful if inhaled so when working with children opt for healthy forms of insulation, such as wool or blue jean insulation. If you are looking for a somewhat easier and very inexpensive doghouse project for children to assist you with then it is tough to beat this simple A-frame doghouse plan that can be found at Instructables. This plan is a quick and easy build, is inexpensive costing only about $75 or less and is relatively easy to put together. This plan does include using a small amount of asphalt/fiberglass singles, which if cut should be cut away from your children due to the particles they release, which can be inhaled. Your children will love the sense of satisfaction they receive from building this fairly large doghouse!
Project Four-The Bookcase
Once your child has tackled a birdhouse and a doghouse, he or she might be ready for something more advanced. Building a bookcase with your child is a great deal of fun and will definitely instill in your child a tremendous sense of accomplishment. The woodworking experts over at This Old House have a great plan for a small bookcase. It is a little more advanced than the other projects we’ve discussed so far but it will definitely help to build your child’s puzzle skills and in a major way.
Project Five-Graduate to Building a Coffee Table
Is building a coffee table with your child ambitious? Yes, especially if you haven’t started with a birdhouse and/or doghouse, but if you have taken those smaller steps then there is no reason you can’t take on something more substantial. Of course, it is vitally important that you observe excellent safety precautions to avoid any injury. There are many build-it-yourself coffee table plans out there and some are much more complicated than others.
With this in mind one of the single best options for parents and children building a coffee table together can be found at Ana White’s website. The Tryde Coffee Table is beautiful but also fairly simple to build. The plan is straightforward with only ten-steps in total!
Obviously, not all of these woodworking projects are perfect fits for children of every age, but this list has something that most children can participate in. There are many aspects to woodworking projects and that means children can help in various ways. Just don’t forget to opt for people-friendly and eco-friendly paints and finishes and keep children away from any potentially harmful dust or fumes. Best of all, these projects build memories.