What can kids do in the garage?

[mantra-multi][mantra-column width=”3/4″]A lot actually.

While I’d never let them use a router or push anything through the tablesaw, there are still heaps of things the kids do when we’re outside together.

Children want to do things, not watch; they want to help so they can show you how big they are. Once they are old enough to understand you, they are old enough to help out.

• I can point out to Monster a piece of wood, he’ll bring it to me. He may also bring another 4 pieces I didn’t want, but that doesn’t matter. 🙂 The girls know the difference between spanners / screwdrivers / chisels, etc. They understand that they’re not toys and that care must be taken when holding them, and so they are careful when they pass them to me. Easy as that.

• All kids love to hammer. If I have to nail something, I generally grab a couple of lengths of scrap and a few extra nails. The kids all get their turn at banging away on the scraps, while I in-between finish the job at hand myself.

• Painting but I must admit I only let them near the undercoat. And I have a rule, 3 kids = One brush. Don’t be tempted to give one each to save a fight, it won’t. You will waste paint, make a mess, and most likely send them away. If you show them early on that they must take turns and paint only where you say, then that is what they will do. My kiddies know they will get a turn so they don’t complain. Well, most of the time anyway.

• It may be surprising, but cleaning up. Kids love sweeping and vacuuming. Let’em go nuts. My older ones help by putting tools away. Monster likes to put things like rulers and tape measures in the drawers for me too. He also loves crawling under the table and grabbing the smaller off-cuts that have escaped me.

• Anything messy is always a winner. Watch their eyes light up the first time you let them squeeze the bottle for a glue-up! There are plenty of other jobs they can help with, but remember one really important thing, once they are bored – and they will get bored – let them stop.

[mantra-pullquote align=”right” textalign=”right” width=”33%”]“But when they are interested, give them your all!” [/mantra-pullquote]Explain everything, chat about anything, enjoy the time you are spending together. Once they decide they’ve had enough, let them go ride their bike, play with the dog, go nuts in the garden, whatever they want.

I guess I have two main points on this subject.

1. Don’t underestimate the importance of the simple act of letting your kids help you. One of the main values schools focus on, is how to help others and work together, start that sort of teaching at home while they are young.
2. Take your time when the kids are with you and enjoy it. Who cares if it takes you three times as long to finish a job, getting an extra hour or two of quality time with your kids is simply priceless.

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