Tool project for a 5 year old?

[dps]

Sorry if this is OT, but my 5 year old granddaughter has expressed an interest in the names of tools and what they're used for. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a simple project that would start teaching some of the principles of fasteners, mechanical functions, etc.

I was trying to think of something simple to dis-assemble, "fix", and re-assemble, or maybe some project to build. It seemed like saw, hammer and nails would still be a bit beyond her coordination (with possibly painful consequences ) but maybe something more mechanical?

What have you guys done to introduce your kids or grandkids to the general world of tools and mechanical functions? Any ideas appreciated! (She'll be the one who inherits the garage domain some (very distant, I hope) day.

Dave

 

[Deafautotech]

i would suggest to do repair the lawn mower engine like open the engine and clean the carbons off from piston's head and cylinder head on old lawn mower.

that when i was child like about 10 years old and i did all lawn mower works and help my dad when my dad show me to do oil change, how to do tune up the engine. in 7 years later, i took small engine class in 10th grade in high school. then i am so interesting in automotive so i took two years of automotive mechanic in high school in junior and senior years then i am top student with A in grade. i did took two years of college program of automotive technology for A.A.S degree which i will graduate this May 2007. i am still working at Chrysler/Jeep dealership with Lincoln/Mercury dealership too.

i am so enjoying to work on automotive and i have side jobs too at home.

 

[wilbilt]

Erector Set?

I had one when I was a kid.

My dad brought home some old telephones from work one time, gave me a screwdriver, and told me to go at it.

 

[the intimidator]

I can remember swinging a hammer around that age I also remember to this day not to hit my thumb with said hammer I think I was helping the old man build a birdhouse or something. I would also have her help out with oil changes on the car and other maintnence on the car for instance spark plug's asuming you have a nice big american car with a v8 like a truck with alot of room under hood spend 5 minutes before you bring her out take all the wire's off and loosen the plugs and just snug them. she can sit in the engine compartment and do a tune-up for you all bye herselve as they are already loose and teach her abought the wire's and how they work with the firing order ect This wont work so well with a small import as their is no room for her to see what she is doing and get the general idea of how it work's

 

[Jbullfrog]

Find a simple shelf at the store and let her help you assemble it. Showing a 5 year old how to remove fasterners can have back side effects. My nephew likes to remove the screws from mom and dad's table, and chairs. Usually, he puts them back, but occasionally, he will get distracted and then its find where the screws came from.
You first need to be sure that she knows to put things back, or that she can't get to your tools on her own. Dad found sockets on every bolt and nut 3ft off the ground that were exposed to the 3 year old that was "helping" grandpa work on the tractor.

 

[dink]

When I was younger......thissss issss bad news.....but I would take apart outlets and put them back together....while the power was still on.....kinda how I learned the use of a screwdriver....not recommended really...but hey thats how I learned......I RECOMMEND the kids first tools from Sears during Christmas time

 

[volvo]

How about a cheaper small basic tool set of her very own to help you with some basic repair jobs. There used to be a plastic toy bench with tool set or a real kiddy helper set available, but cost more than one you could make up.
Like her very own safety glasses, sm hammer, pliers, tape measure , driver or two, gloves and tool bag. She will have fantastic memories along your side fixing everything around and building a project or two , Priceless, go for it...H

Take her to a Home Depot kid project day for starters ??

Kids Workshops
>>>>>>
Kids Workshops are free "How-To Clinics" designed for children ages 5-12. The workshops are offered on the first Saturday of each month between 9:00 a.m. and noon at all The Home Depot stores. Children accompanied by an adult construct projects from pre-fabricated kits. The kits are designed to be both educational and practical.

The Home Depot's Kids Workshops offer useful projects including the creation of toolboxes, fire trucks and mail organizers, as well as more educational projects, such as a window birdhouse, bughouse or Declaration of Independence frame kit.

The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.

In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.
>>>>>>>

 

[wythors]

I would second the lawnmower thing. My earliest tool experience, at about 8 IIRC, was tearing apart an old, non-working lawnmower that was sitting around in the garage. When I reassembled it, it actually ran and I was able to sell it for twenty bux! I'll bet you could find an old one for cheap or free on Craigslist that she could tear into just for the experience.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

I taught my 8 year son how to change a flat tire, I just sit there and watch him go through the steps. Then I must be the one to take the old tire off and put the new one on, then screw on one of the lug nuts

 

[Deafautotech]

I taught my 8 year son how to change a flat tire, I just sit there and watch him go through the steps. Then I must be the one to take the old tire off and put the new one on, then screw on one of the lug nuts

that good to teach your childrens because when they get vehicle then they need know how to do tire change on flat tire because i dont understand why people prefer to have AAA or insurance company to provide the road assisstance when people have vehicle problem or flat tire...

my parent have AAA but it is good for tow vehicles if my mom's car wont start then have it tow to my garage. my parent will not call AAA if it need change flat tire because i will come and do tire change.

 

[eschoendorff]

Just whatever project you choose, make sure that she is supervised! My dad gave me some tools when I was younger and I know what I did with those tools. Make sure that she is safe.

 

[MAD]

My two year old daughter adopted the Black and Decker cordless inline screwdriver from the kitchen drawer a few months ago. The 1/4" hex drive end jams into the big plastic Phillips head screws on her plastic construction toy and drives them quite well. Now she has learned to reverse the direction of the driver so she is able to remove and replace the screws on her "project" without assistance. She is going to be dangerous when she gets a hold of some bits.

 

[wilbilt]

My dad gave me some tools when I was younger and I know what I did with those tools.

Did it make the 6:00 news?

 

[eschoendorff]

Did it make the 6:00 news?

Nah... this was 1980 and considered "normal" behavior for a country boy.

 

[ephotrod]

When i was about ten years old i recieved money for my birthday. When my father took me to the hardware store i picked up a cordless drill. When i got home i went to town with it and made every wall look like swiss cheese. They were so mad that i was grounded for 2 weeks and smacked striaght. Needless to say they took the drill and bought me a sander and had me sand and paint the walls.
Josh

 

[Coach James]

Tonight my 3 year old daughter helped me change the blade on the lawnmower. I loosened the blate bolt, then had her take it off the rest of the way. I put on the new blade, started the bolt back in then she finished it. She prefers the SK 18' offset ratchet. She likes the bend in the handle.

Almost everyday, she asks if we can go outside and "mess with the tools". She can't get to them unless an adult helps her. She likes ratchets so I let her tighten and loosen things for me with one of them when I'm working on something. She told my wife that she wants "Tools like daddy" for her birthday. Now I have to teach her to tell mommy she wants a bandsaw for her birthday.
Coach

 

[ZRX61]

Just have her help you with whatever your doing in the garage, kids soon pick it. Here's my 9yo daughter:

 

[Coach James]

2 questions: What is she working on? And Any concern over sunburn on the exposed skin?

Good pic too.

Coach

 

[kartracer55]

Lawnmower will be a bit intense for a 5 year old. I learned by helping dad. I used to just hold things and he would ask for a certain size tool or wrench and I would have to get it right. Not super technical, but it was a start with fractions I suppose lol. Its amazing how patient he was when I was 5.

Erector sets are pretty good too... lots fun.

Jim

 

[kartracer55]

Just have her help you with whatever your doing in the garage, kids soon pick it. Here's my 9yo daughter:

Sleeves!!!!!

 

[shephd]

I was looking for something else at the Ace Hardware site this morning and noticed this: http://www.acekidsclub.com/

They'll send kids a birthday letter, which is ok. Better yet, they have a list of projects that are in different media.

I would think that it would be best to try to expose a child to lot of different projects. Don't force her to paint flames when she's interested in carpentry, know what I mean? Let them help you put things together, change the height of their bike seat, build a birdhouse, change oil and filters and plugs, etc. Go to your public library. They're sure to have some kid project books. There is a book by Richard Starr called woodworking with children. Lots of introductory books probably have projects in them.

Have fun!

 

[the intimidator]

Yea sleeves may be a good idea though I hardly ever wear something to cover up my arm's unless I am welding vertical or overhead

Sleeves!!!!!

 

[1320stang]

I'm a 'glass is half full' kinda guy, I thought "Hey, she's wearing a helmet..." LOL!!!

My 6 year old son loves to come out into the garage to help me on whatever I'm working on. I've given him and old set of Chinese 1/4" drive sockets, he has a plastic tool bench with plastic tools that he'll load up into a little tray and carry over to wherever "we're" working.

I second the worry about taking things apart or trying to dismantle outlets. Plus, mom & dad are going to be dealing with that day in & out, I think the Home Depot project days (usually Saturdays) is the way to go. If she were 7, I think giving her something old to take apart wouldn't be bad, but at that age..... Last night, on the news, there were two kids that died in a fire, 5 & 3. Mom was in a bedroom changing a diaper on their smaller sibling and they knocked a lit candle over onto a couch, knew they'd get into trouble and ran and hid. Point of the story is, I think at that age, they don't fully know the consciquences of their actions. Now girls mature more quickly than boys, but my son doesn't fully pick up that stuff yet.

 

[wilbilt]

I think proper supervision is a must. Teaching proper tool use and respect at a young age is a good thing. That being said, kids will get into things they are not supposed to.

I learned about table saw kickback when I was about ten. I caught a piece of wood right in the teeth and I'll never forget it. I wasn't supposed to be using dad's Unisaw, but there I was, nevertheless.

I am also jealous. My oldest daughter didn't learn to weld until she was about 14.

 

[dps]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I didn't know about the HD classes, which sound like fun. I just looked them up and both April's and May's sound like something she'd like.

A few of the suggestions do sound fun, but I might need to wait a bit. Her coordination is already pretty good, but attention span is not. She is, though, delightfully obedient, so I probably won't have to worry about unauthorized dismantling.

 

[ZRX61]

2 questions: What is she working on? And Any concern over sunburn on the exposed skin?

Good pic too.

Coach

She was just practising on some scrap. She had finished practising (note the piece of 1/2in plate with multiple beads on it) & then asked me to take a pic "for grandma" & by then she'd taken off her jacket. That's why she doesn't have sleeves.... it was just a bzzzzz click moment

 

[66RICH]

When my grankids (have 6) were about 6 or 7 I
couldn't keep them out of my bolt bin. I took a
piece of 1/4" x 3" flat stock (if I remember correctly)
,and drilled a series of holes 2 ea of 1/4" thru
1/2" spaced a couple inches apart with the size
noted beside each set of 2 with a paint marker.
I made up a set of bolts (course, and fine thrd)
nut's, flat washers, and lock washers. (keep them
in one of those magnetic dishes! LOL) I clamped
the flat stock in the vise, set them on the stool,
and let them have at it. Then provide all the right
size wrenches to tighten them up. Later introduce
them to ratchets, and sockets.
Make sure the bolts when tightened have one to two
threads showing so they learn to reconize the proper
length of installed bolts. It will soon make them know
hole size, and tool size at a glance.
They are all pretty good little mechs now 6 yrs later.
Here's a pic of the bolt bin they couldn't keep thier
little hands out of! LOL
Good luck, Rich

 

[burger]

Since my 4 year old daughter loves to sort things, I'll sometimes have her sit at the workbench and put my loose fasteners back in the correct drawers.

 

[klswvu]

My 5 year old son helps with every project or car repair. He has "helped" with oil changes, starter replacements, building cages for his pets, flooring and etc. using hand and power tools.

To me the key is:
0. BE SAFE... supervise, use safety equipment, use shields and guides
1. Show him how the tool works first
2. Explain and show him what to do
3. I start the bolt and let him finish putting it in and check his work
4. I unplug tools even if i am going to use the tool again in a few minutes
5. I do have locked cabinets for chemicals and power tools
6. When he does not want to help any more, let him stop

... but you still, have to watch see below

At this age it is about the time spent together... they will pick up the what and how in time.

My son was about 3.5 and came in the garage and picked up an electric staple gun behind my back and pulled the trigger a few times. When I turned around he lectured me about leaving things down where he get hold of them and hurt himself. The whole time, backing out of the garage. Did not even get a chance to lecture him

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

Does she have a bike?

If not, maybe suggest her parents buy her one or you could buy her one as a gift. When you go to buy it, ask to buy it in a box to assemble it yourself. Most retailers will happily do this for you. I assemble bikes as one of my jobs and they come mostly assembled, it's very straight forward. It will give her respect for her things and a sense of accomplishment to build something she will actually use. If she already has a bike, maybe teach her to maintain it a little bit and do various things on it.

 

[dps]

These are great ideas guys! I'm definately going to have do some sorting. And she does need a bike, so getting it in the box is what we'll do.

 

[Mikeyworks]

My 4.5 yr old has her own set of tools, some of my extras...and loves every minute of it. She's very into helping daddy. When I work on my cars, she wants to be right there with me. I let her turn wrenches and screwdrivers, under daddy's supervision of course.

The best thing I have done for her though is Home Depot Kids days. The first Saturday of every month, HD stores everywhere run a kids workshop starting at 9am. Show up, they provide the kit (birdhouse, tool box, race car (#20 of course), pencil box, etc.) provide the tools, give the kids an apron, have them wear safety glasses, and then give them a certificate and pin when they finish. My little girl asks every Saturday if it's a HD Saturday!!!

When she wants to help, most of the time I let her, within reason of course.

Ask her what store is her favorite. Disney? WalMart? Toys-R-Us? None of the above. Try Home Depot. You should see her watching Tony Stewart on Sundays...she almost cried when he was edged out by Jimmy Johnson a few weeks back. She just wants HD to win so much...she loves the store!!!!

Disney Channel also has a show on called Handy Manny (http://disney.go.com/disneychannel/playhouse/handymanny/index.html). It's a great show that teaches kids about tools, moral lessons, and human tollerance. I would let her watch it all day long...go Handy Manny!!!!

Teaching kids about tools, how to use them, and how to use them properly is critical. If you don't teach them how to use them right, they will use them wrong and get hurt.

Mikey

 

[gmcjimmy88]

I had my son in the garage helping with my lift on a 90 blazer. He did pretty good. I would let him remove and install bolts. He had fun getting greasy and dirty with dad. Now he changes my tires (after I break the lugs loose). He will be 6 in Oct. I need to get him in the garage to help me with the restoration of the 67 to teach him painting LOL.

 

[BowtieNut]

Wow, these are some great ideas! I had no idea about the HD kids days either. My 5 y.o. has been expressing an interest in tools lately too, and I thought about building a birdhouse with her, but if they have something like that at HD already that might be just the ticket. So far she HATES HD since every time she goes there with me, she gets bored that I'm in there so long. (Plus they don't give away free food samples like when she goes to Costco with mom)

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

These are great ideas guys! I'm definately going to have do some sorting. And she does need a bike, so getting it in the box is what we'll do.

Sounds like a good plan.

The ones I build, anyway, are very straightforward. Take it out of the box, put on the front wheel, handlebars, seat, training wheels (if applicable), and put on the pedals (be careful as they are different left and right and very easy to cross thread - but most come labeled.) Have fun!

 

[dps]

Well, we attended our first Home Depot Kid's morning today. She got surprisingly good with a hammer. She liked getting the apron a lot. She wondered why I didn't have any kid's safety glasses when we got home, so that's now on the list.

We had a fun time together and I'm sure it will be a regular thing; thanks for the suggestion! It's smart marketing on HD's part.

 

[gmcjimmy88]

Well, we attended our first Home Depot Kid's morning today. She got surprisingly good with a hammer. She liked getting the apron a lot. She wondered why I didn't have any kid's safety glasses when we got home, so that's now on the list.

We had a fun time together and I'm sure it will be a regular thing; thanks for the suggestion! It's smart marketing on HD's part.

Looks like ti was a good time. I need to take my kids up there myself. Does anyone know if Lowes does this as well?

 

[volvo]

>>>>We had a fun time together and I'm sure it will be a regular thing; thanks for the suggestion! It's smart marketing on HD's part>>>>>>>>

That is one cute happy little girl being with her DAD. From now on she will be letting you know when to get to work when the orange helper apron gets put on... Good Job DAD..........H

 

[ZRX61]

Mins is usually with her mother on the first weekend of the month, but not always. I'll be paying attention so she can go to Home Cheapo when she has the chance..
..even tho I try to avoid the place in favor of Lowes. The 2 local Home Depots are so dirty I feel I need a shower after I've been there, I half expect to find trolls living under the shelves, whereas Lowes is bright & clean.

This is her on christmas day with her toolbox

 

[ZRX61]

(Plus they don't give away free food samples like when she goes to Costco with mom)

My kid calls Costco the "free food store"