Woodworking for Kids: 40 Fabulous, Fun & Useful Things for Kids to Make

This is a graeat kids' introduction to tools and how to use them. It starts with a section on basic wordworking tools: hammer, saw, coping saw screwdriver, hand drill, brace and bit, and a few others. (Note to nervous parents: no chisels, planes, kinves, or other sharp blades, and no power tools.) After that, the author presents more than three dozen kid-friendly projects. Most can be completed in an afternoon, and none require the kind of precision that would just frustrate a new tool-user. A few projects, like a doll crib, have obvious girl-appeal - tool use isn't a boys' club any more. Kids are all different in their abilities and familiarity with tools before picking this book up. Some kids will be able to follow the directions on their own. Others will need some amount of parental help, at least at first. Most projects involve only pieces of wood under two feet long, so any shop with a lot of offcuts will alredy have most of what's needed. Materials aren't expesive or exotic, though. I don't think any project in this bok would cost as much as a movie ticket, even if you had to buy all the materials - and, unlike a movie, you'd have something real to show for your work at the end. Kids that have already had shop classes might find this too easy. Most kids will appreciate a supportive parent close at hand, even though there's lots of "I can do it" reward to be had here. Pictures of intermediate steps aren't all they should be, but generally adequate. And, although all of the projects can be adapted in many different ways, especailly in finishing, there's not much mention of how to change proportions to suit your needs or to suit the materials at hand. Still, it's the best book I know for kids at this level. I recommend it highly for beginning tool users and for the adults who encourage them. Just add safety glasses - something this author rarely mentions, if at all. -- wiredweird

I bought this book a year ago. My son and I have had fun building some of the projects. The book puts the projects in easy to understand steps and gives a cut list for what you need. My son is 7 and understands the directions although it is aimed at a slightly older age level.