Working with your children making wood projects is a memory in the making. Children will remember the good time they spent with you while making something they can use and save for later to show their kids. It’s a great learning experience of skills and communication between parent and child, grandparents or siblings. Woodworking projects are a wonderful learning experience.
Children ages 3 and up make the wood working projects with Popsicle sticks.
Supplies:
Popsicle sticks
Paint (Craft Smart or Folk Art) acrylic craft paint
Newspaper
Foam shapes
Elmer’s Glue or Wood Glue
First you would take your child shopping with you and let them feel important by picking out what colors of paint they want to use and what foam shapes that they want to use. Lay the newspaper down on the table so you do not get glue or paint on it. The first thing that you want to do is lay out your Popsicle sticks and paint them on one side then let them dry and paint them on the other side. Then you would glue the items in the shape of a picture frame stacking them three stacks high diagonally for each stack. Then you would glue on your foam shapes or stick them on if they are the sticky back kind. Let dry and then you can tie a piece of string or glue a soda pop can top to the back to hang up. This is a great project to put their school pictures in.
Candy or Miscellaneous Boxes
You can make a candy dish or miscellaneous box to put your candy, money or jewelry in.
You use the same items as the last project. You would paint the sticks the color that you want and let them dry. Then you would lay them out to make a bottom by laying them straight and then gluing three or four of them the opposite direction to hold the bottom together. Then you would stack them up on the edges to box it in. You may want to use a hot glue gun for this project to make sure that they stay together and that the foam pieces stay on. Please supervise with a glue gun. You can put your project for display on a coffee table or kitchen table with candy or in the bedroom for personal items.
Wood (Pine)
Wood Glue
Jigsaw
Tape Measure
Sand Paper
You need to purchase a piece of wood 2 feet by 2 feet — smooth pine will work. You need to measure out four pieces, 3 inches by 4 inches and one 3 inch by 3 inch piece to cut. With supervision using the jigsaw you would cut out the pieces of wood. Then you would want to use a piece of coarse sand paper to sand the edges smooth. With wood glue you would want to glue the pieces together and let dry completely. Then paint the pieces or wood stain. Let dry and give as a gift or keep for a pencil holder.
Here is a site that sells a kit if you would prefer. http:/www.kwikcrafts.com/crafts/category/Wood-Crafts.html
Toy Box
Make a toy box that is 32″ wide by 20″ deep. With step-by-step directions and plans on how to make this simple toy box. This project uses one sheet of plywood, a list of materials. This project is for skill level. Here is the website to make this project:
http://www.woodcraftplans.com/osc/simple-plans-p-242.html
Plans on how to make a bird house. Very detailed and free on this site. You can make a decorative bird house for the yard or one that the birds will actually use. These are simple step by step directions which also gives you a material and supply list of the items that you will need. This project is for a little bit older kids that use power equipment. Here is the site for bird houses.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p;=Build/BrdHouse
Have fun and enjoy your time with your children.
