Woodworking with kids during lockdown

Many parents are forced to work from home and it can be challenging at times with younger kids. If you feel you're running out of ideas of how to keep them occupied, there's good news from Knock On Wood; believe it or not, you can still do woodworking with your kids in the kitchen on the counter top or on the balcony. Your kids are doing online learning to follow the curriculum but they miss out on their after school activities, including arts and craft.

You must have heard it a million times from us that crafting balances the mind, enhances fine- and gross-motor skills and makes us more independent in problem solving later. One cannot emphasise enough the benefits of using our hands confidently. And there's more good news; after crafting with your kids you will feel refreshed too before going back to your desks.

We haven't had such a beautiful uninterrupted spring weather for years, so if you're not on a full lockdown, take advantage of it and find a place in nature where you wouldn't meet others. When you take your kids to the parks, forests or fields, take a bag and look for everything and anything you find out there; pine cones, branches and twigs, bamboo, wood bark, seeds, leaves, drift wood...etc.

You'll be surprised how much treasure there is out in nature. You can also dig in your basement to look for wood pieces, old shelves, furniture legs, knobs or bits-and-bobs.

Check out the following link, where we'll be adding simple project ideas. As many of you live in flats and don't have complicated tools or machines at home, we suggest projects that don't require any special equipment but will keep your kids happily occupied.

https://www.pinterest.ch/knockonwoodeurope/kids-projects/lockdown-ideas-for-kids/

This is a list of basic tools and accessories you need. Most online stores have all what you need.

- hand saw (Japanese saw is easy to handle for children)

- cutting guide (Jumbo, Conrad and Galaxus still deliver them)

- hammer

- nails, glue, tape

- Swiss army knife for whitling

- paint, ropes, elastic band

- chisel

- in case of pirography, for woodburning pen, check out CONRAD. https://www.conrad.ch/fr/p/kit-pyrogravure-24-pcs-toolcraft-md-30wbpp-30-w-220-a-580-c-192729.html

Some safety advice. Always stay with your children when they use sharp tools. Usually from age 8 they can handle tools safely but never make assumptions.

They love woodburning and it's amazing how creative they get once they start working with it. However, the woodburning pen operates at 500C, so make sure they only hold the plastic part and never leave them alone with this device.

This is a kids safety video about wood carving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euXhAlK7JSw&fbclid=IwAR28tHKjkB2xXgKTpOY43MNupxcb-Bc4PYzV8ie374EaWntKwhgCR0BPe6U

Happy woodworking and stay healthy.

KOW Team