My grandson, aged 5, is interested in helping his dad with some woodworking projects. Does anyone have a recommendation for a set of tools or individual tools sized for kids. Most of the one I have seen are play tools (plastic). Thanks for as suggestions you can provide.
Happy Holidays
Tim
Replies
My grandson, aged 5,..
My youngest China doll.. LOVES tools for some reason.. She is 4 years old.. Her plastic tools work for her..
I never heard her complain that the steel was not A2...
My kids all started about the same age. I recommend getting decent tools and not toy tools. My kids are now 28-32 years old and they still have and use some of those tools. Biggest problem I had was size. 10 oz hammers work well. Short saws were a problem in the early years but now they have "toolbox" saws and pull saws that are more manageable for someone under 5' tall. Couple of good screwdrivers, square, tape measure, and a nice tote to put them in.
My 4 yr old granddaughter has been coming to papaw's shop since she was two...she has supervised use of the LN #1 which she has been able to produce shavings since she was three. I bought her a small hammer (I think they're usually marketed to homemakers) and she has an"eggbeater drill" that I gave her. Don't forget a small measuring tape and an adjustable square. Somewhere on Knots is a post concerning where you can get childsized safety goggles, earmuffs and work gloves. I picked up a small pistol grip saw on ebay for her and finally had to make a tool tote for her because she kept leaving her tools everywhere. Marking tools like pencils and chalk also are appreciated and used as well as screw drivers, pliers, and graph paper. She also has some suspenders and a hard hat.
I have seen kits for kids with real tools at Lowe's and Harbor Freight.
Good luck and have fun. Grandkids in the shop are almost as much fun as making something in the shop, provided you have the patience, which of course you do.
Neil, the veteran of two birdhouses for grandma
My son went through two distinct stages at around that age. The first was best described as a desire to pound on things. A plastic hammer was well suited for his initial objectives, and allowed him to live long enough to graduate to real tools on a size-appropriate scale. Eventually we made him a child-sized workbench, complete with a vice and a tool-storage drawer. Sharp tools were kept in a separate cabinet. and used only with supervision.
Depends upon the 5 year old, I think. Some kids are more small motor coordinated and careful than others. What might be appropriate for one would be a certain injury for another.
My daugter, now 7, at that age liked to use small hammers, drills (with some assistance), screwdrivers, and wrenches. She could use a saw with my hand over hers, and could use a block plane with close supervision.
I've taught kids woodworking in public and private schools during collage. I'd try these tools...
1) coping saw.
2) hand drill (what I call an egg beater drill) with finish nails for drill bits. Cut the head off the nailhead. Kids usually take up to 2 seconds to snap off real drill bits.
3) block plane.
4) square.
5) small hammer, but predrill most holes, even for nails.
6) sanding block.
7) if he's ready, a back saw, but only use with a bench hook, or miter box
Thanks for all the great ideas. I was able to fine a tool set at OSH that included a hard hat, safety glasses, small hammer,screw drivers, pliers, adjustable wrench and small coping saw. It also included the parts to build a small tote box for the tools. I know that he will love the tools and I am looking forward to helping him put the tool box together.
Happy Holidays to ALL
Tim
Ideas from a Grandpa to be filed for future use.................(been there and still doing that)
If the child stays interested consider upgrading or adding a tool each birthday, Christmas and any other special occasion. I now have a teenage grandson who is in 'competition' with my son and son-in-law for any extra or spare tools I might someday come up with.
Keep costs down for youngsters by scouting out garage/estate sales and pawn shops. It makes for an enjoyable weekend day or two to "just be the two of you" out searching together.
Many companies are featuring tools for women DIYers. (lighter & smaller)
When you finally get to use them, a project for a special friend or relative is always nice. (especially when done 'in secret")
...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
I just saw a set at OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) yesterday that has real tools for a little one. My boy is only three so I will hold off for a couple years. Take a look if you have a store nearby. I don't think that you can shop with them online.
Chri7s
You have to be careful giving tools to kids.
My cousin gave his son, a set of plastic tools for Christmass a few years back when the kid was three.
His mom put him down for a nap, and ended dozing off herself. The three year old, woke up, and managed to remove most of the base boards, and the vertical trim from several doors, before his mom woke up and stopped.
In the words of my cousin, "Who would have thought he could pull off that much trim in less than an hour with a plastic screw driver and hammer."
I for one BELIEVES a child could do that!
I feel that real tools are important for the child's developement and older ones tend to be of better quality at affordable prices. I just gave my 5 year old twins their first tool box and some older tools. In this case, everything came from various tag sales, ebay, older neighbors ect. They include screwdrivers, ancient claw hammers with handles that I built, old box wrenches, pliers, and a brace with severl bits. The last is their favorite tool and gets the most use. Old auger bits are great, as smaller bits will be quickly snapped by exuberant youth. They'll drill holes in a wood scrap all day long. They are also allowed to use a block plane and hand saws with supervision. All work needs to be clamped down first in a benchtop version of a work mate.
Lee Valley for hammers, safety glasses, tool pouch, maybe other stuff, too.
Highland Hardware now carries kid-size ear muffs.
As mentioned above, pre-drilling is an excellent idea. I've been working with a past foster-charge who's now 6 - the other weekend he was drilling the holes using the drill press. He could handle a 10 oz hammer pretty well.
Have fun!
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