Use these ideas to get your kids in the shop with you!
Warning: A small personal photo dump is about to happen.
When I first started building, my kids were still very young. I've learned I'm not the mom that loves to play on the floor for hours with the kids. But I do love my kids. From the first project in the shop, I realized that this was an opportunity for me to connect with the girls while also doing something I really enjoy. There are endless ways I've found to include the girls in the process of creating and it's been so much fun to see their excitement in learning to work with their hands. I wanted to throw a few ideas out there for those of you looking to spend more time building and more time with your kids!
Sanding -- Kids can always grab a piece of scrap wood and a some sandpaper and learn to sand some wood. My older kids can actually do the sanding for me on some projects now!
Scrap Wood & Glue--Give them scrap wood and wood glue! What these kids can create with scrap wood is amazing. Let their imaginations run wild.
Make new wood look old. This is my FAVORITE activity for them. They are so so so good at making wood look 'rustics'. Kids are destructive by nature aren't they?? I find this activity plays into their strengths and they take such ownership in the project.
Design a Project-- Chances are, if you're savvy enough to build with wood, you'd be savvy enough to try to work with your little one to design and create something from their own imagination. This works well with elementary aged kiddos. Don't worry about the end result! Just enjoy the process.
Painting -- My girls love to help me paint. Not every project works for this, but when it does, I love to get them helping out. My favorite paint to use when they help is chalk paint. It is easy to clean and I'm generally looking for a distressed finish anyway so it's perfect for them! But you'll see in the pictures that I've been talked into a little stain too... Don't judge. I'm a sucker.
Glue -- Let them put the glue on for you!
Take Pictures -- Take pictures of them with your projects. For no reason. They love the attention. And it encourages them to join you!
Clean -- Help clean the shop.
Hammer. Nails. Wood. -- This is whatever you make it!
Prepare simple projects -- Make a kid friendly project they can assemble and finish. Let them choose their finish.
Haul wood -- For the record. I really only have them do this when it's necessary. But if you really need them busy, I guess you could just have them move wood piles around?
Shopping trips -- Somedays, a cute helper makes the shopping just so much more fun. And they love it too!
Test your creations -- Only try this if you're REALLY confident in your finished product!
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