With the weather becoming dark and gloomy at this time of year it can be a lot trickier to convince the kids to get up from the couch and away from the TV. With the outdoors off limits most days a great alternative is to introduce them to the wonderful world of woodworking! Usually you’d be utilising an external space for your Plywood projects, but we’ve put together a number of designs that can introduce kids to the basics of woodworking while also keeping warm this winter.
This is a very good place to start when introducing kids to woodworking. Depending on their age, you’ll simply need a miter saw or jigsaw, some plywood, wood glue, and metal fasteners. All this project takes is some basic measuring, straight line cuts, and gluing and you have a beautiful picture frame that they’ve made themselves. The best part about it is that is uses very little material, meaning even if a mistake or two occurs you’re most likely going to have a plethora of Plywood to make up for it (depending on how big you want your frame to be of course). It’s nothing out of this world, but every future woodworking warrior needs to start somewhere!
Here’s another basic project that will help your kids catch the woodworking bug. Tired of toys being everywhere? Need a little bit more storage space? This is the perfect remedy. All you need is a few sheets of Plywood, a saw, and some wood glue and you’re ready to start constructing. While this might seem extremely simple and basic, there is plenty of room to flex those creative muscles. Not only can the kids decorate it to their heart’s content, but if you have the necessary tools you can make rather elaborate boxes. Experiment with different shapes and see what kind of imaginative ideas you come up with together.
This is a nice little project for those super cool parents out there with laser cutter. What better way to introduce your little ones to woodworking and laser cutting than by getting them to design their own super cool coaster. This will allow them to experience the entire process from start to finish, while also getting the satisfaction of knowing they helped design the finished product. Check out our range of Laser Plywood to see all of the various colours and details you can choose from
Don’t have access to a laser cutter? That’s okay too! You can also make incredible looking coasters with the kids if you have a scroll saw, jigsaw, or band saw. It’ll probably be a tiny bit more complicated and the kids will need some supervision and guidance, but making the coasters is still quite straightforward.
When you’re finished, make sure that you seal your beautiful handmade work! As they’ll be used around liquids you want to ensure that they’ll be able to withstand damp and wet conditions.
If you’re feeling incredibly creative (and have a sweet tooth) this is the perfect family woodworking project. You’ll need to get your hands on a drill, scroll saw, hammer and needle nose pliers before grabbing your Plywood. Because of this, we recommend trying this with older kids, as young children might have to sit on the sidelines for most of the tutorial steps. An old mason jar or something similar is also needed so you have somewhere to store your delicious jelly beans!
Not a fan of jelly beans? Well, luckily this is an extremely adaptable design and can be adapted to fit practically any type of candy.
We recommend our range of Bamboo Plywood for the jelly bean dispenser project. Not only does it give the finished product a unique look, but it’s also extremely sturdy.
Step-by-step instructions can be found at Instructables Workshop.
A chopping board isn’t necessarily something the kids would be extremely excited about making under normal circumstances. However, if you combine the construction of a stylish wooden chopping board with a delicious cooking lesson, you might just have them entertained for the entire day!
This woodworking project can be made as easy or complex as you’d like. Obviously you can just cut a square or rectangular piece and call it a day, but if you want to step outside of your comfort zone we suggest following the tutorial by Family Handyman for a truly unique final product.
Bamboo chopping boards are in vogue right now, so why not check out our range of Bamboo Plywood?
Our final recommended woodworking project for kids is a balance board. Kids love nothing more than building something they can then turn around and have hours of fun with. It’s a little bit trickier, but the effort is worth it for the amount of laughs and fun it will generate; exactly what you need during these dreary winter days! We recommend this guide from Indestructibles Workshop, as well as picking up a relatively high quality Plywood like Premium Birch Plywood.
Hopefully we’ve given you a few ideas that will keep the kids entertained during winter and will spark a lifelong love of woodworking. If you’re looking to grab some resources for your next project, check out our online store. You can shop nearly every product we stock, and with Australia-wide delivery you never have to leave the house!