make projects for kids

[donek]

My 3 yr old came out to the shop with his plastic home depot tool box today and helped me rebuild one of our grinders. He desperately wants to build something with those tools. When I told him we couldn't make a garage, he cried for quite awhile.

Does anyone out there have project ideas for very small kids. Attention span is obviously an issue, so pre-cutting parts is likely best. Assembly with perhaps a couple of simple hand saw cuts and the use of a screw driver, wrenches, maybe a hammer.

Point me to some links if you have them or make suggestions. We've done cardboard gliders and cardboard marble race tracks with the drag knife, but that's all cardboard, glue and tape. He wants to use tools.

[rb99]

How about projects from this site?

http://www.makecnc.com/index.php

[myxpykalix]

you could go look at things like foam planes and lots of stuff at:
http://www.phlatforum.com
also you can go check out a previous LONG thread on making gears. Someone (I think Andrew) made a set of interchangable gears for his little boy that he posted to share here:
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14551&highlight=gears
the thread is 16 pages long

I almost forgot, there's a guy who makes some of the coolest models/toys/projects, I think it is www.cncking.com :D

[WoodMarvels.com]

I'm totally biased but check-out CNCKing.com - there are some extremely basic models on there that you can CNC but not sure a 3 year old could do very much assembly wise unless they are good with clamps and glue. I don't even remember what being that age was like - I'll find-out when I hit 80 I guess.

Jon

[myxpykalix]

yeah by that time we'll be drooling and crapping in our pants again...:eek:

[WoodMarvels.com]

... only the lucky ones Jack - the others will be worm food. Enjoy CNC'ing while you still can!

Jon

[steve_g]

I've gotten both projects and ideas here...
http://www.red-toolbox.com/our-products (http://www.red-toolbox.com/our-products)

SG

[t_vandemark]

what about linkin logs? That way he can build whatever he wants without fear of him hurting himself with tools and fasteners. Just an idea. and i'm sure the files are still kicking around here somewhere, just have to do some digging.

Tyler

[Rob Gunn]

I remember my dad just starting a hand full of nails into a chunk of 2x4 and then let us kids finish the job with a hammer. NO BATTERIES NEEDED...:D

[twelchPTM]

Use the same partfiles as your foam and cardboard projects but use .25 ply and add lots of tabs for him to cut asemmble with wood glue and let him tap the parts together with a soft face.
Also valentines day is coming up... a simple keepsake box for mom assembled with decorative screws would be cool to...

[rcnewcomb]

I remember my dad just starting a hand full of nails into a chunk of 2x4 and then let us kids finish the job with a hammer. NO BATTERIES NEEDED...:D

My dad did the same thing for us. :)
Later we got to use the hand drill to make holes.

[chiloquinruss]

First a warning! After you cut these out they MUST be removed from your shop! All works stops shortly after these are cut so this is a warning, remove them at once! :) Everyone loves them, little kids, big kids, shop workers, etc,. They cut easy and are alot of fun. Russ

http://www.linkerlogs.com/

[gene]

Russ
How do you know That? :rolleyes:
It sounds like you been there done that!;)

[myxpykalix]

c'mon Gene....do you even have to ask Russ?
think about it...this is a guy that plays with trains for a living:rolleyes:

[Ken Sully]

I have a 3 year old grandson and have gone to Lowe's and Home depot on the weekend. They have kids projects that are already cut and only need to be put together. You need to call and see what weekends they do kids stuff. I think its two times a month. Kids get to use hammers and have a great time.

[donek]

The linker log forum seems to be gone, so I'm not sure where to find the files.

Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

I had the afternoon with him today and we made him a work bench that's about right for his height. The whole time we were building it, he kept asking if we could build something when we were done.

I've started a monster truck design made from stacks of 3/8in material and linked together with dowels. I figure, I'll get him a little hack saw to cut the dowels and a small hammer to drive them. We'll see how it goes this weekend.

I should have taken my camera phone in the shop today. He looks so funny with the ear protection on.

[t_vandemark]

Sean, if you want the files for the inker logs i have them on my other computer. I will do my best to remember to post them for anyone that would like them.

Tyler

[adrianm]

The files are here - http://www.linkerlogs.com/files.html - as well.

[donek]

I made him a little bench that is his height and designed his first project. The goal was a project that would allow him to make couple cuts with his saw and pound a bit with the hammer. His sister helped as well.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OivDMGWLSfY/UPwtUmYd-cI/AAAAAAAAAho/GKcah8LFvKY/s1067/2013-01-19+17.08.36.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0ZwTG8uI2tY/UPwtKelWlYI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Lv9AWtPGeFQ/s1067/2013-01-19+17.01.07.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pXgSViw0ePY/UPwtEJAMBrI/AAAAAAAAAgw/6ZTWdLGJx4Q/s1067/2013-01-19+16.54.52.jpg

Now he wants to make a tractor. I guess I have a new project to design this week.

[zeykr]

I like that truck!

[myxpykalix]

I think the key to getting them interested in woodworking is getting sawdust in their veins. The way i'd do that is start feeding them oatmeal in the morning and sprinkle some pine sawdust in their oatmeal. Besides it's a good source of fiber right?:rolleyes:

[donek]

I like that truck!

I produced everything in partworks by tracing various layers from a photo. Does anyone know of software that will allow you to create 3d models and the slice them into layers. Preferably on the cheap.

[jerry_stanek]

Aspire will do that

[kurt_rose]

My daughter Amanda (left) does these whenever she has company over. Not that its hard or anything but she does all the programing herself. They seem to like to bunch the text together and use the trim tool to snip out the overlap. A foam brush and some paint makes for a happy but sometimes messy kid. I'm fairly sure every kid in the neighborhood has one of these on their bedroom wall. Very simple but effective. :D

[bill.young]

That is very cool..congrats to Amanda for a great idea!

[donek]

My daughter Amanda (left) does these whenever she has company over. Not that its hard or anything but she does all the programing herself. They seem to like to bunch the text together and use the trim tool to snip out the overlap. A foam brush and some paint makes for a happy but sometimes messy kid. I'm fairly sure every kid in the neighborhood has one of these on their bedroom wall. Very simple but effective. :D

I think I saw these in an earlier post. My 7 year old might be able to make this happen. It's a good way to get her introduced to programming the CNC. She's helped diecut (drag knife) and assemble base graphic for snowboards, but has not done anything like this yet.

[rb99]

Are you guys not worried about them using the router and getting hurt?

[donek]

Are you guys not worried about them using the router and getting hurt?

So far they have not used the router. I have done all of that for them. As I indicated, the original project was intended to let them use a hammer and saw. I ran the CNC. Letting my daughter program the CNC to make a sign and then run the program and help place the material on the table offers little to no risk to her safety. It's quite easy to manage risk by simply letting them watch or push a button when the power tools are in motion.

[kurt_rose]

It has to be the safest tool in my shop. I have about 4 pair of muffs to protect their hearing and I have the Bot in a separate room with a big viewing window I made from a recycled sliding glass door panel. I'm going to bet they would hurt themselves with a handsaw before they will with a hands off tool like the bot.

[WoodMarvels.com]

When I have kids, I think it's safer for them to use the ShopBot Desktop than to use a hammer and nails... being nowhere near the machine with multiple finger guards... the tough part is the design but the truck you made looks great! ShopBot also has a bunch of projects on their website too.

Jon