Make Wooden Houses

Workshop Overview

This workshop is a hands-on session specially designed for children aged 3-5, with a focus on 4-year-olds. It offers young participants the chance to acquire essential woodworking skills, emphasizing safety, measuring, drawing, clamping, cross-cutting, surface finishing, and gluing. Aligned with all learning strands of Te Whāriki, this workshop strives to instill a 'can-do' mindset in children, nurturing a strong sense of empowerment. Engaging in this workshop offers children invaluable opportunities to experience a profound sense of accomplishment, elevating their confidence. They'll find newfound motivation to embrace fresh challenges, learning from any missteps along the way. This journey fosters a deep sense of pride in both themselves and their achievements, which they can joyfully share with their friends and family. The project actively encourages the exchange of ideas, the sharing of knowledge, and enthusiastic participation within a collaborative environment. Children will have the opportunity to work with untreated pine wood, carpenter's pencils, squares, clamps, pull saws, saw guides, sanding blocks, various grits of sanding paper, and wood glue. The end result is a charming set of wooden houses that will bring joy to every child at the kindergarten. While up to four children can actively participate at a time, others will have the chance to observe and learn, taking their turn in due course. We recommend scheduling this workshop between 9 am and noon, as this is when children are most alert and receptive to learning. We provide all necessary items for a successful woodworking session, including a workbench, tools, materials, and safety gear. The workshop requires a sheltered outdoor or indoor area with a flat surface, ideally around 3x3 meters in size.