Help me build a kid's tool kit

[dawg69]

My 5 year old son seems to like to hang out in the garage with me and use tools, so I thought I'd put together a tool set for him as a Christmas present. I'm looking for input on what to put in it. I'm also on the fence as far as whether to use a tool bag or box. I see ups and downs to both. Some of the things I'm probably going to put in the kit will be:

-Hammer; Likely a stubby one to use at first
-screwdrivers
-tape measure
-pliers
-torpedo level
-Crescent wrench

I'm open to ideas folks. Thanks in advance.

 

[lbhsbz]

See what is out in the open with easily accessible fasteners that you don't want taken apart, and be sure to omit that tool from the tool set.

and buy lots of cheap tape measures...5 year olds kill tape measures.

 

[Richard Cranium]

get tape measure for free at harbor freight.

 

[GarageGuy89]

I've got three kids under 4 years old and anytime they get in the shop they B-line for the tape measures...still have no clue why...

My money would go to a tool box. I still have mine from when I was a kid, they last and the bags are a pain to deal with, especially a young one.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

I'd go with box over bag..personally. Are you going more mechanics tools or carpenter type? Wrenches and a small handsaw?

 

[wolf_from_wv]

See what is out in the open with easily accessible fasteners that you don't want taken apart, and be sure to omit that tool from the tool set.

and buy lots of cheap tape measures...5 year olds kill tape measures.

And tape measures that don't retract quickly and pinch fingers.

 

[dawg69]

get tape measure for free at harbor freight.

That was the plan. I already have a few around.

 

[Hiatt1991]

Maybe a socket and ratchet set. My dad got me a set with my first tool box when I was a kid and it definitely helped me a lot.

 

[mbshop]

Maybe look at what is available as kits at this time.
as a kid I would have been thrilled to get any of those. You can then add to that as the requests come in.

 

[bbrins]

A little advise, I'm just thinking back to when I was 5 or so, if I had been given a tool set of real tools, I would have found everything within reach that I could "fix" with them, every nut, bolt, screw, etc. Make sure that for the next few years, that he keeps them in a place where you can control them, so that you aren't finding random things that have been taken apart.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

 

[dawg69]

Maybe look at what is available as kits at this time.
as a kid I would have been thrilled to get any of those. You can then add to that as the requests come in.

I saw some of the "kids" tools sets the other day and I figured I could put together a much better set for a lot less than them.

 

[KRB52]

My late son had one that we found in a store, back when he was young (4-5 or so). It had both carpentry and mechanical tools. Funny thing was, all the open end combination wrenches were metric (guess where the set came from.) We did have most of it, although I think the box may have fallen apart at some point.

Look for a small bench vise- they can be handy. Watch out for the end-cutters/nippers. My son's set had a pair that were real; he managed to pinch it onto the end of his finger one time. He learned a valuable lesson from that (doing such things really hurt.)

Look around for small wooden projects that your son can do (mostly) on his own. A couple of these, especially on a rainy day, can make a lot of people happy.

 

[sk farmer]

don't discount real tools. i have a pliers that my parents gave to my grandfather shortly after i was born. it had grandpa and my name engraved on it. he is long gone but the pliers are mine.


many years later i gave my nephew a small assortment of tools with our names and the year professionally engraved. if i recall a pliers, an adjustable and some screwdrivers. i bet he still has them.

 

[Empty Pockets]

get tape measure for free at harbor freight.

Don't forget the free flashlights. Kids love flashlights

 

[NUTTSGT]

Checking out the thread as the granddaughter wants a toolbox and a space out in pop pop's garage. I believe she will get a small pink toolbox. But I'm interested on what input you guys have.

For a boy that might stay more interested (maybe) than a girl, I'd suggest getting a decent box. Something like a Cman 3 drawer portable box would too big for him to cart off but will allow him to grow into it and have it for a very long time.

 

[3baygarage]

My 5 year old son seems to like to hang out in the garage with me and use tools, so I thought I'd put together a tool set for him as a Christmas present. I'm looking for input on what to put in it. I'm also on the fence as far as whether to use a tool bag or box. I see ups and downs to both. Some of the things I'm probably going to put in the kit will be:

-Hammer; Likely a stubby one to use at first
-screwdrivers
-tape measure
-pliers
-torpedo level
-Crescent wrench

I'm open to ideas folks. Thanks in advance.

Maybe a pack of inexpensive wood chisels for the list.

 

[skruft]

My father gave me basically the same things, in a wooden box, plus a little workbench. Important to work with the child in using them. I would avoid anything very sharp.

 

[crasher98]

How about some stubby tools? Stubby wrench set, stubby hammer, stubby ratchet, mini screwdrivers, mini pliers -- they'll fit his hands now, and in the extremely unlikely event that a 5-yr old manages to hang onto his tools as he grows, once he's ready for full size tools he'll already have all the stubbies in his box.

 

[crasher98]

Plus you can borrow them if you can't find yours

 

[tjpavlov]

Don't forget the free flashlights. Kids love flashlights

Definitely the blue harbor freight flashlights. My kids love those.

 

[Diesel Mercedes]

1/4 ratchet should do, followed by a 1/4 to 3/8 adapter so he can help you out once you loosen the larger fasteners or vice versa.

I personally think a 3/8 ratchet is too big for a child, or too bulky.

 

[lincwelder225]

Plus you can borrow them if you can't find yours

Haha!

 

[lincwelder225]

I'm doing the same for my little one... So far we (he) has-

- a nos USA 10" crescent wrench
-1/2 drive Armstrong maxx ratchet
-3/8 drive Armstrong maxx ratchet
-Channel lock 430 and 369 pliers
-several nos USA vise grips
-several nos Nicholson USA files
- nos Napa USA metric and standard nutdrivers

All new in the packages... He's 3 now so I have time for sockets, combination wrenches, and screwdrivers.

 

[Tonyuk]

When i was a kid my dad put together a small tool box for me to use with him on his projects in the garage, i don't remember exactly what it had but some of it was;

Pencils
Scale ruler
marking square
quick square
scribe
measuring tape
adjustable spanner
2 screwdrivers
Set of pliers

Everything else came from his box, i liked helping with the marking out. Never really got to use kit like chisels and saws etc.. till i grew up a bit.

 

[visionguru]

My 5 year old son seems to like to hang out in the garage with me and use tools, so I thought I'd put together a tool set for him as a Christmas present. I'm looking for input on what to put in it. I'm also on the fence as far as whether to use a tool bag or box. I see ups and downs to both. Some of the things I'm probably going to put in the kit will be:

-Hammer; Likely a stubby one to use at first
-screwdrivers
-tape measure
-pliers
-torpedo level
-Crescent wrench

I'm open to ideas folks. Thanks in advance.

A ratchet/socket set might be more interesting for boys of this age.

My son (now 7) considers my Gearwrench 1/4 sockets/ratchet set "HIS". He likes to play with the ratchet, extensions, and sockets, then put them back. Once I took some sockets out to do auto maintenance, he came to ask them back when he found out.

 

[gungatim]

I did the same for my son at that age. we made the tool box together, and I filled it with dollar store tools. saw, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, tape measure, etc. the box we just sort of drew out and slapped together out of pine. I still have it...one day he'll get a kick out of getting it back (he's 22) when he finishes growing up...he's been given other better quality tools since then so he's good there, I just wanted to sort of mimic the "Handy Andy" set I was given at that age. dollar store tools are junk compared to our standards but good enough for a kid to cut up some scrap and tear apart his toys...

Have fun!

 

[KnurledNut]

As a child, i didnt have my own tools. I used my fathers tools.
There really wasnt anything off limits.
It taught me responsibility for someone elses property.
You learn to put things back where they belong, (wasnt quite 100% on this one haha) and also how easy some things break. i.e. Drill bits.

It gave me experience with professional tools i still use to this day.
As a kid, I was particularly intrigued with what you could do with a pair of visegrips.

More than any tools though, i remember the TIME spent with dad working on projects and vehicles.
I learned how things work, and why sometimes they dont.
I learned how to hold a trouble light for hours on end.
I learned what tools were called, and the sizes.
I learned what was dangerous and why.

These are things no tool will teach. Only experience. Dont underestimate time with your children. Quality and quantity. They are picking up more than they let on. I did.

 

[creativecars]

I did a similar thing with my son. I thought about getting carried away and putting together a whole set first thing, but I started out with a hammer, pliers, tape measure and cheap wrench set. He learned about what happens when you leave them out, get rained on and lost. (Good lessons to learn by 10) I then added to this throughout the years, birthdays, Christmas etc... Now he is 16 and keeps about 400 tools in a 4 drawer tool cart.

 

[brummy]

I did this with my two boys this summer. We build a work bench together, and put a pegboard back on it. I went to HF and picked up a couple small toolboxes, stubby claw hammers, phillips/flathead screwdrivers, crescent wrench, box wrench sets, 1/4" ratchet sets, and pliers for each of them.

 

[Dingleburry]

Id say go all snap on master set everything

 

[thatguysb]

As a child, i didnt have my own tools. I used my fathers tools.
There really wasnt anything off limits.
It taught me responsibility for someone elses property.
You learn to put things back where they belong, (wasnt quite 100% on this one haha) and also how easy some things break. i.e. Drill bits.

It gave me experience with professional tools i still use to this day.
As a kid, I was particularly intrigued with what you could do with a pair of visegrips.

More than any tools though, i remember the TIME spent with dad working on projects and vehicles.
I learned how things work, and why sometimes they dont.
I learned how to hold a trouble light for hours on end.
I learned what tools were called, and the sizes.
I learned what was dangerous and why.

These are things no tool will teach. Only experience. Dont underestimate time with your children. Quality and quantity. They are picking up more than they let on. I did.

i strongly agree with this. My dad was a diesel tech for 15-20 years. Learnt alot but the only thing i dont like nor still dont like about him, he doesnt teach by allowing you to learn but always told me how to do certain things, it was his way or the hiway. Never liked this method, he still does it but even tho i am 21 years old .

 

[Ohmthis]

When I changed jobs about 10 years ago I had a roll around full of tools. My son was 1 month old and I almost sold them. That set up is his now, but when he was younger he mostly played with pencils, hammers, screwdrivers, and a 12v DeWalt drill. I agree with a rally type box, he can grow into it and it can sit next to his hero's box. As for tools, a tape measure, pencils, slotted and Phillips screwdriver, a hammer, an adjustable, flashlight, and a set of either slip joint or channel lock pliers. You can add as he grows and learns. Have fun!!!

 

[pendragon1998]

Don't forget a small pair of goggles.