4Real Forums: Setting up a child-friendly workshop

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Topic: Setting up a child-friendly workshop

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Eleanor
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Joined: June 20 2007
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Posts: 326

Posted: July 08 2007 at 1:31pm \| IP Logged

We've just inherited several boxes of tools from my late father-in-law, to add to the ones that my husband and I had before getting married. (Not to mention the ones we've bought duplicates of, since we couldn't find them when we needed them.

) It's evidently past time for us to clear out some space in our garage and set up a well-organized workshop.

Our projects are likely to include things like furniture repair, picture framing, and making wooden toys and Montessori materials, as well as some tinkering with electronics. Although space will be tight, we'd like to be able to have the children nearby, at least when we're using hand tools and non-toxic materials (which will probably be most of the time). Our toddler has no sense of danger, and is able to climb over just about any gate or playpen wall. But I'm thinking that if we have a special "children's area" gated off, with scraps of balsa wood, easy hammering activities, nuts and bolts, pencils and rulers, etc., he might be willing to accept a certain degree of confinement in exchange for the privilege of using all these fun things.

We have several books that teach specific DIY skills, but none that go into detail about setting up a compact, relatively low-tech workshop for adults, much less a similar space for young children. Most of the advice for adults seems to assume that the workshop will be centered around the almighty table saw, and other large, noisy, and dangerous items. Meanwhile, the advice about "woodworking with children" generally goes to the other extreme, and assumes that you're in a daycare or kindergarten classroom.

My dad and grandfather have a lot of accumulated knowledge, but they live far away, so they can't help much except to answer specific questions.

If you have any experience with the sort of setup we're aiming for, or can recommend any books or web sites, it would be much appreciated!

Once we get the area set up, and establish the safety rules, I'm sure we'll find lots of fun things to do. Here are some pages I've found with tips and project ideas that are suitable for young children. (Some of them are too planned and "preschooly" for my taste, but others sound great.)

Woodworking With Children

Discussion from rec.woodworking

Woodworking Ideas

Can a Woodworking Center be Safe?

CatholicMommy
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Joined: Feb 07 2007
Location: Indiana
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Posted: July 08 2007 at 2:33pm \| IP Logged

Now that we are moving out of the state and away from our monthly visits to the farm of a friend of the family, we'll be missing out on the woodworking opportunities my son has had. He's only allowed in the workroom when the saws are not in use, but he has "helped" with some of the other power tools. My nephew (2yo) has a plastic worktable of his own, but my son (3) has no interest - he wants the real stuff.

So I have been spending the last weekend figuring out ways to incrorporate this type of stuff into our home, even if it's something that comes and goes.

I'll be interested in hearing what others have said - I'll add some ideas of my own later today.

hobbitmom
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Joined: March 29 2007
Location: Maryland
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Posted: July 09 2007 at 1:39pm \| IP Logged

Eleanor, I haven't read this book yet myself, but I've been considering getting it for my own dc: Children Can Build. Montessori Services also has some great child-sized tools that might interest you.

Amy

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