Starting off Grandson Right

[eric48237]

Any ideas / suggestions on how to how to start my 7 year old
grandson off with tools, storage and such in the garage? Includes
woodworking and automotive projects.

 

[rhandwor]

The big thing is letting him help you when your working.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I have a niece who likes to do those Home Depot/Lowe's, kid's projects. She has a few of her own tools, but most of the ones she has access to, are plastic kids toys. When using the real ones, she is supervised. I've heard enough stories about my father and some others, using real tools as they were kids (and others finding or finding out about their handiwork).

EDIT: One other thing, that I rarely got to play with as a kid (do they still have them?), an erector set. Between those and lego's, you do get an idea about putting things together and taking them apart.

 

[Monte]

 

[toolnut]

I was given my own tool box with an assortment of stuff. I carried it everywhere and was always "helping" my dad.

 

[expatriated]

My son is 5. My daughter is 3. I take both of them to the Lowe's and Home Depot Saturdays where they put the projects together. I really try to make a big deal about how great they are doing.

I've given my boy a couple of the small drawers in my tool chest and he keeps a few tools I gave him in there. Sometimes, when we're out shopping, I'll buy him a screwdriver or something if he's interested in it.

Then I let him work with me around the house and on the motorcycle, getting him to think he's integral in the whole operation.

It all seems to work. He loves tools and fixing things.

I make a special point to do this stuff with him because my Dad was not mechanical at all and I learned nothing growing up regarding this. So, I came to this game very late in life. In many ways, my son and I are learning at the same time. Scary

 

[volvo420coupe]

My four little girls (ages 7 to 11) absolutely LOVE when I let them help me out in the garage. I have safety glasses for them all, and they all insist on having their own pair of gloves to wear (i always wear latex gloves when working). They are (especially the two older ones) getting to the point now where they are actually helpful, and it blows me away how much stuff they remember about what tools do what and how to use them.

A couple of years ago my second from the oldest changed an alternator in a car, it was an easy one right up top, but the only thing I had to do to help her was take off the serp belt, and crack the bolts loose, then I just sat back and talked her through the rest.

Yes, I was a damn proud dad that day.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Any ideas / suggestions on how to how to start my 7 year old
grandson off with tools, storage and such in the garage? Includes
woodworking and automotive projects.

I really had to face this exact situation just this weekend. On Friday, my son decided it was time for him to spend his money on a 7/16" wrench instead of choosing to buy a toy instead at a garage sale while out with mom. By the time I got home from work, he excitedly showed me his new, used wrench and asked if I might have an extra toolbox that I might share with him.

I told him you bet bud, I will set you up tomorrow. As commonly happens with adults, Saturday brought a cooling nightmare for our elderly neighbors that resulted in taking most of my day to help them resolve. When I came home in the evening, my boy quietly asked if he would still get his new toolbox that day, to which I immediatly told him, absolutely, as soon as I finish this class of ice water. (beastly day over 100 heat index and I work outside in it all day)

Following my water he and I trudged back into the furnace of a garage where I pulled a little hiptop Craftsman box from under my bench and began adding a few tools to it. My boy stood watching as I told him the box was the first box I had been given by my dad. As I added combination pliers, a 6" Crescent, an old pair of needlenose, and a couple of small hammers I also shared that the tools I had just put in his box were a Christmas gift from my folks as well, and some of the first tools I stored in that box when I was not much older than him.

My boy was elated, and has taken to carrying the box everywhere he goes, we will see what the coming days bring. I told him this morning I had a few extra screwdrivers he could add to his box. I have an idea the tool fixation has begun...................

 

[volvo420coupe]

That just about brought tears to my eyes. There is nothing better than seeing a child light up when they get to be "just like dad".

 

[caper]

I also like UB's idea of buying real made in usa vise grips to put away for his son when he's older.I believe Harry Epsteins still has some available.They will be priceless in twenty years,any want to be mechanic cant live without visegrips and the new ones are just **** compared to the old ones.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I also like UB's idea of buying real made in usa vise grips to put away for his son when he's older.I believe Harry Epsteins still has some available.They will be priceless in twenty years,any want to be mechanic cant live without visegrips and the new ones are just **** compared to the old ones.

I plan on setting him up real good as time goes by, but there will be a few things (those Vise Grips among them) he will not know are his till he is old enough to fully appreciate the fact that I bought them years prior just waiting for the time I give them to him. I know if my dad had done something like that the message of the pre planning years in advance would have just blown me away. That is what I hope to do for him years from now.

 

[caper]

He's a lucky little guy UB.

 

[MR. R]

My son, now 15, was always encouraged to come outside and work with me on whatever project from the yard, house to cars etc.. This was a tremendous father- son opportunity which has really helped develop my relationship with him. Let yours try some of the more basic tasks until mastered and then move on. Giving my son his own tools really helped develop a sense of responsibility. Our house has become grand central for my son and his friends now, which is the way his mother and I like it, we know what is going on and who my son's friends are. Encourage the tools, skills and time with the kids. It will pay off in many ways in the future.

 

[back2class]

Had a little kids working tool kt when I was 7. It was a favorite gift! I am putting together a service cart/box for me as a second set. Gives me an excuse to gat great deals at yard sales and when my son is 16 or so it will be his. WIll have a complete set of high quality tools in a kennedy roll cart at that time.

 

[Fedwrench]

I like the erector set, pinewood derby cars, kids projects, models, and helping out with larger projects. I think the key is to get them use basic tools and to use their hands on something other than a game controller.

 

[caper]

I figure when the time is right I'll load up the spare Beach top chest I have by going thru my box.I'll give that to my boy and then I'll have an excuse to go buy more new stuff for myself.That way I get new tools(probably Asian by that time) and he gets to have the ones his dad used to make a living with for so long.I know I would rather have my dad's old stuff than shiny new asian stuff anyday.Then when I pass he gets the new stuff too.

 

[kbs2244]

I have 5 kids.
The oldest is a girl.
The 4 sons got a tool box at around 10 years old.
Nothing in it.
That was up to them.
The idea was to let them get the tools for what interested them.
I got motorcycle stuff, bicycle stuff, general lawnmower type stuff, and whatever.
At around 13 or 15 the daughter complained she didn’t have any tools, so I got her a tool box.
So I got one for her.
Empty.
(She is over 40 now.)
All 5 still have those tool boxes.
Full of what ever they need for what they do.

 

[bchee]

Get him one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SNAP-ON-SCREWDR...in_0?hash=item20acc4f60a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14


LOL never seen one before

 

[fordracing200]

get him a 154 piece craftsman set, or wait for the christmas sale when the 202piece set goes on sale for 1/2 price from 199.99 to 99.99

 

[rjohnson]

Get him a Craftsman toolset. They're constantly on sale, made in USA (majority), and have a lifetime warranty. Next, go to an antique tractor/engine show and pick up a few small gas engines, I like Briggs 5S, cheap and simple. Buy a couple so you have some parts engines. Parts that you need like spark plugs, gaskets, and paint will either be at a local small gas shop or can be ordered. Decals at engine shows or online.

 

[jsaw]

Grandpa bought me a toolbox when I was 8 years old, A set of end wrenches, a couple of pairs of pliers, & a set of screwdrivers. I used to take My bicycle apart & put it back together. I even patched an inner tube once. (Grandpa had to take it back apart to patch 5 or 6 holes that I put in it trying to stretch the tire back onto the rim using a screwdriver) .
At 9 years old My other grandpa bought me an Estwing claw hammer & electric sabre saw. Mom was fuming mad about that. I still have all my fingers.
At 16 years old He bought me a Milwaukee 9" grinder. 24 years later I still use it.
For my 18th birthday, both grandfathers chipped in to buy me a Lincoln welder that I still use 22 years later.
I'm thankful that not only did both of them buy me tools, but they took the time to teach me things.

 

[A_Pmech]

My four little girls (ages 7 to 11) absolutely LOVE when I let them help me out in the garage. I have safety glasses for them all, and they all insist on having their own pair of gloves to wear (i always wear latex gloves when working). They are (especially the two older ones) getting to the point now where they are actually helpful, and it blows me away how much stuff they remember about what tools do what and how to use them.

A couple of years ago my second from the oldest changed an alternator in a car, it was an easy one right up top, but the only thing I had to do to help her was take off the serp belt, and crack the bolts loose, then I just sat back and talked her through the rest.

Yes, I was a damn proud dad that day.

Excellent work! Dad got me started the same way.

I fear for her boyfriend in about 7 years. She'll know more about cars than he does.

 

[Flathead Red]

We, like several others take my two boys 5 and 2 to Lowe's saturday projects and they have a blast. My two year old just likes going and seeing the tools but my 5 year old is starting to get into it. It is a family outing as my wife comes too so she can help with the boys and brings are 1 year old daughter as well. Hopefully she will catch the tool bug and do for herself. We have a toy workbench in their room and lots of toy tools but my oldest is starting to not like them in favor of the real thing. I think he is still a bit young to get real tools just yet. He likes to sit with me at the workbench and tinker but gets a bit turned off by loud tools (Compressor, saws etc).

 

[volvo420coupe]

Excellent work! Dad got me started the same way.

I fear for her boyfriend in about 7 years. She'll know more about cars than he does.

Boyfriends

I don't want to have to start thinking about them yet, (denial I know), but when they do start coming around I plan on using the garage as the "hey son, don't F*** around with my daughter" room.

I already know my hair will be gray by the end of it all, but its worth it.

 

[ZRX61]

My daughter, 2 or 3 christmas's ago..

At least now she is taller than the toolbox

& she helps out with work

 

[vartz04]

im 23, moving out in about 8 months for good (as long as I get a job out of college which its looking like I have one lined up right now)

My dad has a corner of the basement that he calls the "get outa my house" corner. I know he will miss having the extra set of hands around though.

Looking at it right now theres a 10 gal 110v air compressor, a old craftsman circular saw, a framing hammer, and something in a fairly large box that I am not allowed to touch, if he finds out it was opened I don't get what is inside.

by "helping" dad as i was younger I ended up saving myself $1000's of dollars fixing things on my car's myself.

I just want to know what is in that box.