Publisher: Hands on Books
Authors: Jack McKee
Illustrator: Rusty Keeler
Price: Softcover: $21.95 - Purchase Here
Hands On Books
1117 Lenora Court, Bellingham, WA 98225
Are you ready to teach your children basic woodworking? You could be with the help of Woodshop for Kids, by Jack McKee. The friendly, easy tone of this book guides the novice parent through setting up a basic woodworking shop with tools, benches, and projects suited to children of all ages. The author uses many examples from his extensive experience with workshops and classes. Safety is stressed throughout, both in setting up the area and in completing the projects.
Any parent with basic woodworking familiarity could easily follow these instructions and set up a work area for children. McKee designed early projects to teach tool use and competence. He includes tips for adapting projects to younger or older kids and gives examples using children as young as three or four. You will also discover shop safety rules like "Use it or put it down" and "Safety glasses at all times in the shop."
After the shop is set up, fifty-two different projects keep even the busiest of under-age woodworkers busy. Earlier projects are simpler and more suited for younger children. The basic projects teach techniques that you build on in later projects. The projects include everything from a simple pencil holder to a basic birdhouse and a model boat.
The book assumes some woodworking knowledge or access to someone with the know-how. Some of the projects require the use of power tools, such as a router or table saw, for the prep work. None of the actual projects use power tools. Suggestions are given for finding the needed hand tools. You will also find tool-specific instructions and safety information. After reading this book, I wanted to go out and set up a wood working class myself.
Review by: Joy Toll
Joy Toll homeschools her two girls and one boy; she began with the oldest in 1995. She prefers a literature-based approach, gathering what works for her children's divergent learning styles.