Beginner-friendly woodworking projects make a lovely way to spend time together during the school holidays. Whether your children are still at nursery, or they’ve just started primary school, there’s so much to learn and discover through trying woodworking at home.
Plus, you don’t need any expensive supplies or technical equipment to get started. We’ve outlined why you should get involved and listed three of our favourite projects below to help you get started.
Why should children learn to work with wood?
In early years education, extracurricular activities help to boost self-esteem and aid with development. It’s an activity that requires mental and physical dexterity, encouraging children to learn how to use new handheld tools and use their hands carefully.
As they gain experience and start to see a project come together, children develop perseverance and problem-solving skills. It also teaches children the importance of using protective equipment, like safety goggles, to complete a task successfully. In warmer weather, it’s a wonderful way to pass the time in the garden.
Our top 3 woodworking projects for beginners
- Bird house
A bird house makes for a simple project to start with – and you can keep it in your garden once you’ve finished! You’ll only need basic materials for this project, all of which can be picked up easily at a hardware or home and garden store. You can build a bird house in just a few simple steps:
- Choose a wood type: Cedar, cypress and pint are great options.
- Measures and cut the panels: Make sure an adult is on-hand for sawing or chopping up large pieces of wood.
- Assemble the walls: This involves screwing the side panels to the base, leaving some room on each side for the back panels. Children can do this with adult supervision.
- Drill holes: Let your child watch as you drill the entrance hole, along with holes for ventilation and drainage.
- Install the roof: The last step is to add a hinged roof, ready for easy cleaning once your first fledglings have flown the nest.
The last step is perhaps the best one: Now you can mount your birdhouse in the garden and wait for your first springtime visitors!
- House sign
There’s nothing better than being able to keep and treasure the things you make together. If you’re on a tighter budget or you’ve got a little bit of wood left over from another project, you could make a lovely sign for your house. If you need to cut larger panels down, you can work more efficiently with a powerful Milwaukee plunge saw.
After that, the steps involved are simple. Once you’ve cut it to size, you’ll only have to sand down your wood and then glaze it, which are both safe and beginner-friendly steps for your children to try. You can then personalise it with paint, either with writing or artwork or a combination of the two. Don’t forget to apply a stencil to keep your font neat!
- Garden planter
Why not make something that gives you more opportunities to spend time together? Building your own garden planter will give you plenty of opportunities to start gardening with your children, an activity proven to help us relax, communicate, and feel more self-assured.
It’s a thrifty way to upgrade your outdoor space too. You’ll need a few more tools than you might for a birdhouse, including a precision scare sweat and several types of gauges, but the results will be worth it. The best time to get your children involved is once it’s nearly ready for planting!
Building bonds
In a busy, digital society, woodworking gives children an opportunity to get involved with something away from the screens. Hands-on tasks, surrounded by friends and family, make a fantastic way to bond, build confidence, and make lasting memories together.