7 Wood Projects For Kids that are Fun and Easy

This list of wood projects for kids is sure to help you have a good time getting your hands to work with your kiddos. For me, one of the most fun things to do with my kids are wood projects. We love woodworking, and there are many different ways we can do projects with wood together starting at a very young age.

1. Paint wooden shapes

This is a fun one for all ages. You can get cute little wooden shapes from Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and other similar stores. It’s so fun, even with a very young toddler, to paint these shapes. You can choose shapes that go with the season or holiday that is happening or just with whatever interests your child.

2. Paint wooden letters

Getting simple wooden letters to paint can be especially fun for young toddlers and early readers as they are excited to learn how to spell their own names. They can also be fun for all ages to use to create custom art for decorating their rooms or maybe for decorating for the holidays. Custom art made with letters can make a great gift as well and your child can be so proud of what they have created for someone special.

3. Practice using screwdrivers

You can use Montessori style boards to practice using screwdrivers of different types to help your child develop the skills needed for woodworking. This is also good for developing fine motor skills.

4. Build simple models (glue and wood only)

Build simple pre-made wooden model objects like planes and boats and birdhouses using glue and precut wood pieces: the Dollar Tree has excellent little simple kits for this. We have used their kits before to make small boats, airplanes, and helicopters. These are good for young ages, since no hammering or using a screwdriver is needed, only glue and pre-cut wooden pieces.

5. Build with kits using nails and screws

Use free kits from Home Depot, which involves hammering with nails and using a screwdriver and screws with pre-drilled holes: once a month Home Depot gives away free woodworking kits for kids. They are so fun and have excellent step by step instructions.

6. Involve children with projects around the home

From a very young age, children can help with using the allen wrench, or screwdrivers or learning to drive nails even. With your supervision, they can help with the assembling of furniture or toys. They can also watch as you build and describe what you are doing. More experiences help foster a love for building for your child.

7. Provide wood scraps and tools for creative woodworking (with supervision)

You can keep scraps from home improvement projects or just purchase small pieces of wood to have on hand to encourage your child to build. There are also kits of wood with project ideas that you can have for your child to build more advance woodworking projects. You can also have a tool kit for your child, which is sized better for them to use and also, makes them excited to have their own tools.

Woodworking and building are so rewarding and so beneficial. Woodworking can reinforce mathematical concepts such as measurement, geometry, and basic computation as well as increase your children’s confidence as they begins to take pride in their work and gain important skills.

I hope these ideas have gotten the wheels turning for you on ways to get your kids involved in woodworking. Finding wood projects for kids and doing them together with your children is a great way to spend quality time together. Also, it’s so important to give children skills that will serve them throughout life.