DIY Skills For Kids
There are plenty of fun ways to bond with your kids, but the moments which you will remember the most are the ones in which you teach them something valuable. As your kids begin to grow up, they’ll start to experience different walks of life which will shape them into mature, curious individuals. Some of these walks of life will be all down to you, so it’s time to get teaching.
Teaching your kids doesn’t have to be a tedious experience; there are plenty of fun ways for them to learn new skills while having fun at the same time. When you next find yourself having some quality time with your kids, take one of the incredible skills from this guide and teach them something that they will use for the rest of their lives. All of these skills can be done safely and are suitable for those of young age – it won’t be long before you’ve taught your kids how it feels to be patient and have a sense of accomplishment. So, without further ado, it’s time to get the tool box out and start teaching!
1. Tinkering
If you’re in need of an extra pair of hands to help around the house with general maintenance, then why not teach your kids some tinkering skills? These don’t have to be too complex, but simple tasks that require a bit of equipment will provide you with a great opportunity to teach your young ones how to work with lots of DIY tools. For example, the next time a bolt is loose in the wall, you can get the tool bag out and teach your kids how to use a hammer safely and effectively. If you don’t want them to practice on your lovely walls, simply give them a woodblock to hammer some nails into; they’ll find this just as fun and you won’t have to worry about your wall getting damaged in the process.
It doesn’t have to stop with a hammer, either. The tool which will be used will depend entirely on the job which needs doing, and tools that are safe for kids to use (with assistance) include vice grips, locking pliers, and Allen keys. To put it simply, the next time you’re at your portable workbench, give your kid a tool belt and show them the way. The tinkering skills that they learn from a young age will benefit them greatly as they get older and start living independently.
2. Drilling
We don’t blame you if the thought of your child holding a cordless drill sends you into a panic, but teaching them how to use one is actually a pretty wise idea. Once again, you can get them to practice on a wooden block to ensure that they aren’t damaging your precious belongings.
When it comes to teaching children how to use a drill, give them a powered screwdriver. Powered screwdrivers are slower when they spin around, and they have blunt edges, meaning the risk of injuries is minimal. Teaching your kids how to use a powered screwdriver will not only give them the physical skill, but they’ll soon learn a lot about coordination, too. It’ll be a 2in1 lesson – you can’t complain there! You can also allow them to use a ratchet screwdriver.
3. Painting
Unleash your child’s inner Picasso and give them a tray of paint to play with. There are two ways which you can go about this, from sitting in front of a pretty view and attempting to paint it onto canvas or giving them a wall, which needs a lick of fresh paint. Either way, you will be teaching your child the wonderful art of creativity; a skill which they will depend on through childhood. Painting alongside your kid will give you the perfect chance to bond with them, besides, it’s not every day that you’ll be able to get them sitting still for long periods. Embrace the wonderful, patient, world of painting and see if your kid has a true passion for the arts.
4. Sewing
At some point in their lives, your children will no longer have their parents to rely on when their favorite piece of clothing rips. Of course, this will be less apparent of a problem once your kid stops tumbling around everywhere, but nonetheless, unwanted rips in clothes can’t always be avoided. To get ahead of the times, start teaching your kid how to sew, so that doomsday doesn’t arrive the next time that their garments tear. Start with basic sewing techniques which can be done with a simple needle and thread. The second that your kid receives the satisfactory feeling of putting pieces back together, they’ll start itching to learn more techniques.
If you’re hesitant about letting your kid work with a small needle, simply purchase them a kid sewing set for practice. The utensils in a kid sewing set tend to be blunter, meaning no painful injuries will be at bay.
Once your kid has mastered some basic sewing techniques, why not get them a small sewing machine to work on? It’s likely that they’ll find this machine far more exciting to use, and who knows, they might even end up fixing your own clothes!
5. Sanding
You don’t always have to give your kids big tasks in order to get them to learn a new skill. The next time you’re doing some woodwork, why not get them to assist with odd-jobs that need doing? For example, hand them a bit of wood and sanding paper and they’ll have endless fun roughing the edges down. Remember, what might seem like a boring task for you, will be a task full of excitement for them, so don’t be afraid to give them a simple activity. Learning how to sand isn’t a useless skill, either, as those who work in maintenance and on industrial sites will find themselves sanding on a daily basis!
You could even make the sanding process into a fun competition – set yourself up alongside your kid and see who can sand their edge down the fastest. You could even get someone else to judge the finished results. But don’t cheat by using random orbital sander!
6. Gardening
Kids love to spend time in the outdoors getting muddy, so why not make it into a fun skill-learning experience? If you’re lucky enough to own a garden or plot of land, dedicate a small area of it to your child and let them work their gardening magic. You can either show them how it’s done or let them run loose with a pair of gardening gloves and a digging spade. Either way, your child will soon learn the art of garden maintenance and will have a place to call their own.
Teaching your kid how to garden is probably one of the best things to do if they enjoy being in the open air. You can even prolong the bonding experience by taking them to a local garden center and choosing which flowers they wish to plant. By keeping your kid involved in all aspects of the decision-making process, they’ll be over the moon with their new-found sense of independence!
7. Construction Kits
It doesn’t matter how weird and whacky it is – teaming together to build a construction kit is a great bonding activity which will take your creativity to new heights. Whether it’s a Star Wars Lego set or an out-of-this-world supercar, the fun which you will both have when putting the construction kit together will last hours.
As you spend your day putting the fiddly pieces together, you’ll both be working on your coordination, patience, and teamwork. To be honest, you’ll be learning just as many new skills as your kid when it comes to construction kits, as no piece will ever be the same!
So, if you’re looking for a creative way to teach your kid some skills, construction kits are the way forward. Your kid won’t even notice that they’re taking part in a learning session when they’re faced with a Death Star or something of the sort to build.
8. Drawing
Just like painting, as mentioned earlier in this guide, drawing is another skill which will help your child to release their inner avant-garde. This time though, instead of paints, give them a range of colored pencils and pens to use. Depending on their age, you could give them a color by numbers workbook to complete, or a portrait to copy. The whole point of art is to be expressive, so teaching your kids how to draw will be a really interesting hobby for them to pick up. Your house will soon be full of wonderful vibrant paintings of various different images which run through your child’s mind.
If you want to think outside the box when it comes to teaching kids how to draw, then why not tackle it from a designer or architects’ point of view? This is a particularly good idea when it comes to teaching older kids. Get them to envision something which could be bought to life, and map out sketches accordingly. Who knows, this might even spark some career ideas in their minds and bring some passions to the surface!
9. BBQ
This one is for the BBQ lovers. And, yes, it’s an important skill…
There’s nothing manlier than being able to host an epic BBQ feast, so why not raise your kids in the same steps? The next time you’re planning to use the BBQ, give the kids a pair of BBQ tongs and teach them how to BBQ some fresh meat the proper way. You can get them involved in every stage of the process, from preparation to cooking to serving, so lots of skills will be available to learn.
When you think about it, teaching your kids how to use a BBQ is a win-win, as the sooner they master it, the sooner you’ll have tasty meals without having to move a muscle.
10. Build A PC
We’re ending this guide with a slightly more challenging task. A task which will take lots of patience, but is rewarding nonetheless. In a day and age of technological advancements, gaming via computer has become an extremely popular hobby for kids. Even more recently, many kids have realized that they can earn money from gaming, through streaming online. This is all thanks to sites like Twitch, which have a sole focus on hosting for a game streaming community.
If your kid seems to have a keen interest in the world of gaming, why not take them away from the screen for a little while and build a PC with them? This is a slightly more advanced skill to learn, but one which will give your kid a great sense of accomplishment when complete. Learning all the ins and outs of a PC will help your kid to see it in a new light, and will also mean that they take a greater sense of care when it comes to looking after it.
It’s highly unlikely that your kid will learn the skill of building a PC anywhere else, so this will be something that’s kept between just the two of you. It’s one of those things that they’ll always talk about and remember for years to come.
A lot of tools will be needed in order to build a PC, but there are plenty of kits online which will make the process easier. The skills learned from this whole process may even shape your kid into being one of the best engineers around.
Are You Ready To Teach?
As you can see, there are so many amazing skills that are waiting to be learned by your kids. With help from you, they can learn anything that they put their mind to. All it takes is a little motivation and your kid will soon be bursting with knowledge and memories thanks to the huge variety of fun and different activities you show them. With both soft and hard skills to learn from these 10 activities, your kid will never have a dull day again. And, neither will you.
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