Good woodworking projects for kids

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Administrator_JSVN

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Ok, so I'm sure we have a few dads here on the forum. 

My youngest son, Zac, who is in my avatar photo is now 9 years old. Yes, that photo's a few years old. But, I wanted to poll the group for ideas for a good project to work with him on. He likes using tools and wants to work on a project together.

I have a few ideas, but thought I'd get some ideas from you guys.

Thanks in advance.
 
I remember my dad and I made a small workbench for me when I was 9.  I had to use only hand tools in the construction of it.  Had to learn the basics first.
 
My 7 year old loves to scroll saw, with supervision of course. I mark out puzzles for him to cut as well as letters. 1/4" baltic birch or thin material works awesome.
 
Amanda (my now college age daughter) and I built our first boat in my avatar when she was 10.  Check out clcboats.com  .  They have everything from plans to full kits.  Also a few really easy boats designed for kids to build and use.

Having built a few boats since then, I've learned that there are a thousand little chores that a kid can perform for even short periods of time,  perfect for 9 year old attention spans.

Dan
 
When i was about that age i started making puppets out of wooden dowels. the joints where made by screwing in threaded hooks into the ends and then just pressing them closed when you put them together. and the heads where made from ping pong balls that my dad used to drawer funny faces on..........ah the good old days.
 
Boxes, cutting boards, picture frames, a table stand for the iPad that you want so much [eek].
 
How about airoplanes balsa kits loads to learn and good fun flying when compete
 
I've been making some little toy boats with mine, for them to play with in the bath!
 
I use to work with scouts a lot when my boys were both small and the main thing is keep it simple and something that will not take long to do, because the attention span is a short one.  With my scouts we would go monthly (and I think they still do) go to home depot and do a project there in the store.  We did bird houses, periscopes, boxes.  All just required basic skills and all supplies are provided and it's free!  They get little aprons and safety glasses and It was great bonding time.  The post a schedule just go by and check it out. 

My son who is in highschool still has a couple of those on his bookshelf in his room.  That's a good place to start.  My oldest (in the army now) never did get the bug for wood (and that's OK) but it did lead him to a love of working in metal and welding in high school.  I guess we all have our different tastes.    Neither really developed the wood bug, but I have two grandnephews (3yr old twins) that I have hope to turn in to wood workers.  If they do they will inherit a heck of a shop! 
 
When I was 6 or 7 my father and I made a sailing boat from a wooden shoe. OK, I live in Holland, we have a lot of water and wooden shoes, so this is only natural for us.
With a keel from a flattened piece of a tin can it sailed quite well. When I later tried to make one from the other shoe (not supervised), I almost cut off my finger. It changed my handling of knives for the rest of my life.
 
If you want your kids to be involved in nature and wildlife a bird house is a nice project. But just a little different is a beehouse, for orchard mason bees. It can be made like a birdhouse, but instead of a front with an access hole, you pack in straw or reeds with the hollow openings facing outward. Mason bees are harmless, very good pollinators and it's very interesting to see them build their nest. They're solitary but like to nest close together so a "mason bee condo" is an ideal place for them.

Just a thought.

Regards,

Job
 
Okay, I know this is off the wall but....
my father and I had very little interaction while I was under 12, and only to assist him on bricklaying projects at weekends after that, he worked so hard to keep a roof over 9 kids heads, but I would have loved to have him ask what I wanted to make with him.
My imagination used to run riot when I got to use his tools, go carts, skateboards and boats! At age 15 I built a kayak from scrap cherry veneered ply, not sucessful but re-used to refurb an old two man lath and canvass one that my great friend and I took to sea and made a 12 mile trip around the coast.

Shane, ask Zac what he would like to make, then modify the working space shuttle to something more feasable. [big grin] I love that you want to do a project with Zac.
Much respect,
Rob.
 
When I had the age of 9 I made birbhouses with my grandfather.
That's perhaps a nice thing to do together, the advantage is that
they are usually small and fast to make. Large projects can become boring
for a 9 year old.

Greetz René
 
Hey Shane.  The coolest memory I have from back then was my grandfather and dad helping me build a "soap box" derby car.  It wasn't like the crazy fancy ones the pros use in Indiana, just a simple 2x4 and plywood deal with rope steering, wooden friction brake and hard rubber garden/wagon wheels.  Boy, the hours of costing that down the street lasted for years!  Of course, you might not have a nice hill nearby... [smile]
 
I did scrollaw projects with my son.  I kept simple so there was a sense of accomplishment then made them a little harder as he got better.
 
Thanks for all of the ideas and feedback, guys. I really appreciate it.  My little man ended up sick this weekend so we'll have to postpone our project plans until another time.
 
Handy Manny tool box.  A little plywood, some dominoes and a dowel for a handle.  I gave them away to my kids schools and to vendors for their kids.
 
Shane, over the years, I have made many items first with my daughters and now with my grandchildren.  

A few of them are described in threads on this forum.  In fact, I believe that the most popular project ever has been the biplane shelves that were made for three different grandchildren and that they helped me to assemble.  This project is described in the thread:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/making-biplane-shelves-for-and-with-my-grandchildren

This year my youngest grandaughet, Jamie, has requested such a "shelf kit" for Christmas.  So, I will be making another kit and, at the same time, I will be making another kit for the grandson of a friend of mine.  My friend is not a woodworker but he does want the experience of assembling this shelf with his grandson.

Leaving that project aside, I have found that most fun projects have usually been the ones that the children suggest and that I then adapt to suit their skills.
 
Yeah, I figured he would too, Brice. Frank does have some good projects he's done for his grandchildren.
 
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