What age to start woodworking?

With children growing up quicker today (in many ways) a guiding milestone is probably pubity when dexterity is better. Of course woodworking with sharp-edged and heavy tools is a dangerous activity and requires discipline.

Many young toddlers will likely experience using a mallet to drive in pegs into a block of wood use a toy peg locating block dowellig block. This is probably the earlist inroduction which is relatively safe.

A lot depends on the environment and the most natural entry to woodworking is to learn from a parent. It also depends on the nature of woodworking and tools first introduced. One of the gentlest tools is a powered fretsaw used to cut shapes in thin wood such as plywood.

A powered fretsaw is a safe and satisfying entry into woodworking for a child aged six.

I have had requests over the years from manyyoung people to give tuitin quite part from my teaching jobs in secondary schools. I would say the age of 3/14 is when skills can be quickly developed.

A 3 year old uses a router for the first time

Of the course the penknife is easily disregarded as a useful tool and one that can be mastered for carving or whittling away wood at an early age - maybe around 10 years of age. I recall using ne much younger but also in the Boy Scouts when camping. It is sad to think that such tools need supervision.

When using a pen knif always cut away from the hands - safety first.

Whatever tools are used, whether the be a sa, chisel, plane or drill, saafety always comes first and that is why it is best to first start learning woodwork under supervision where safety is taught.