Teaching your child to use hand tools can be great for a parent. Many children enjoy building things and using "grownup" tools, which makes them excited about spending time with you. Together you can build useful or decorative objects at the same time you build lasting memories. For many parents, safety is a serious concern when teaching their children use tools. However, safety with hand tools is a simple matter of setting a few ground rules. Does this Spark an idea?
Safety Gear
Teach your child to wear safety equipment. This includes long pants, closed-toe shoes, long shirts, work gloves and safety goggles at all times while performing construction tasks. She should wear a hard hat if any parts of the task will happen above her head. Although these aren't strictly necessary every time for every task, it's best to set this as a hard and fast rule. Remember, you're building safety habits here, and your child should get in the habit of always wearing all the appropriate safety gear. Later, when she fully understands safety, she can make choices about what to wear and when.
Knowing the Tools
Your child should be able to name and describe the basic use of every tool he picks up, before he picks it up. He should also be able to scan the tool for any signs of wear or damage. A broken tool is a common cause of injury while using hand tools. Teach him to safely-check a saw blade for a firm mount and to make certain his hammer head and screwdriver shaft don't wobble. Another part of this task is choosing the right tools for your child to use. To start, teach your child use a hammer, screwdriver, handsaw, pliers and wrench. Build up to more esoteric and complex tools once they've mastered those.
Proper Use
Teach your child hold, apply and use any tool you allow her to touch. This means the basic application, such as set and turn a screwdriver, as well as finer points like sawing with the whole length of a blade. Set a hard and fast rule that no child ever touches a tool before training in its use. If you like to have your child hand you tools while you work, you can make that the only exception.
Everything Has a Home
Teach children that tools are only in one of three places: the toolbox or shelf, a specified staging area, or in the hand. On the job site, each tool should have a specified temporary home. This is especially important for sharp tools, but will also protect your child from a hammer falling off a shelf. When finished, tools go back in their toolbox or on a shelf every time without fail.
Tags: hand tools, your child, your child, child hand, child hand tools, child should, every time
