WW projects suitable for small children

[Mick David]

I have 2 kids (5 and 4) who want to do some woodworking. Any ideas / suggestions on simple, relatively safe projects for them? I have eye protection, etc., already, but am at a bit of a loss as to what to have them actually work on.

[Andrew Schlosser]

how about a 3D tic tac toe board?
Easy operations:
Drilling 9 holes
sanding flat board (8"x8") and end of dowel (4" long)
cutting 9 sections of dowel
glueing/hammering dowels into holes
painting

I used some wooden balls and drilled holes in the ball that slipped over the balls.

[Dave Lehnert]

Whatever you decide to build, the Miller Dowel is great to use. You can predrill the holes and they can hammer the dowels in.

http://www.millerdowel.com/

[Brian Loucks]

How about a simple tray bird feeder. Bottom rectangle with sides. 4 dowels for the side posts and another rectangle for the top. Attach string to each top corner, hang from a branch and enjoy watching the birdies.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Can also do a birdhouse with box joints that just need to be glued together and then sanded. Hold the roof on with dowels or something.. Then they put it together (after you build it and knock it down to make sure it works), glue it up, sand it and paint it.. They'll have a blast at it.

Tool box (tray type) with handle is good too. Especially if you pick up a couple of small (tiny) hammers or kids tools.. Then they'll feel like they're just like you..

Emulation is a fun thing..

Anyway, I like birdhouses.. They get to enjoy the birds moving in and out each season, too.

[George Sanders]

I seem to recall a book on that subject. I think the title is "Woodworking With Kids."

[Rick Neely]

I'll bet your kids have plenty of books and DVDs. A simple bookshelf might be a good project for them (and useful).

[Matt Meiser]

My daughter and I made a dog-dish holder. We also made her a workbench from some 2x4 scraps and a couple plywood scraps for a top and shelf. I've got a scroll saw that I need to get set up and have told her that she will be able to use it with supervision. She's asked me more than once in the past few weeks to get it going now that the kitchen is done so I need to make that a priority.