Easy Wood Projects for Kids

Kids today are tuned to their iPod, television, or their computer. How do you get them away from all these mundane, unproductive activities to doing something innovative? How about introducing them to the art of woodworking and coming up with simple but unique and amazing crafts?

Creating your own artistic items is so satisfying and fulfilling that they will look forward to doing more. Here are some easy wood projects that they can start off with, to create their own masterpieces.

The easiest articles are those made of popsicle sticks. Start saving some, and make some of the best crafts. The best part using these woodworking ideas is that you don't have to use a saw, or a drill, or other device that would be dangerous. They can create almost anything they like simply by using a strong glue. Here is a list of items that can be made:

1. For this project, you will require a few clean popsicle sticks, some interesting animal face stickers, and some paints and brushes.

2. First, paint the sticks in a color and design of your choice. For instance, if you are making a bunny, paint the stick white or gray. Allow it to dry.

3. If you have bunny face stickers, well and good, otherwise you can make a small face on a chart and cut it out. Also, make the small feet of the bunny.

4. Stick the face on one edge of the stick, and the feet on the other.

5. Use double-sided tape to hang up the different animals you have created, on the walls of your room.

This wind chime will not actually chime, but it looks like a beautiful piece of art that you can hang from a corner of your room ceiling.

1. You need about 50 popsicle sticks, some glitter, beads, sequins, strong glue, and a strong thread.

2. You will also need a flat, circular piece of wood (8" diameter) that has been sandpapered and finished. Such ready-made pieces are also available.

3. Tiny hooks have to be fixed at equal measures in this circular piece, which should be done by an adult. These hooks will hold the wind chime.

4. Take ten sticks to make a star. Draw a star on a piece of paper, and start placing the sticks on the edges.

5. Glue the tips together, where the sticks meet, till you have used up all the ten.

6. Follow the same technique to make the rest of the stars. You should have five of them at the end.

7. Decorate the stars with glitter, beads, sequins, or other such materials.

8. Take the thread, and run it separately through each star.

9. Use varying lengths of thread so that each star hangs at a different height, and put the thread across each hook on the circular wooden disc.

10. Another hook will have to be fixed at the top of the circular disc, to allow it to hang.

11. If you want this piece to chime, you can attach tiny bells at one edge of each star. Your beautiful stick wind chime is ready.

1. You will require several ice cream sticks, some wax paper, glue, and felt pens and stickers for decoration.

2. Stick together 4 sticks at the tips to make a square. Make 4 such squares.

3. Cut the wax paper according to the size of the squares with a margin of about ½ an inch on all sides.

4. Glue the paper to the square frame, and fold in the extra edges (leaving one edge on each frame), and glue them.

5. Once all 4 frames are ready with the wax paper, start decorating them in different designs as you like.

6. You could also cut out various shapes from the wax paper. Cars, flowers, butterflies, baseballs, etc., can all be made on the paper.

7. Make a base for the lantern, by gluing the sticks together at the edges. The base should be as big as the four frames arranged to make a square lantern.

8. Start placing the decorated frames on the base, and glue the excess wax paper that you had left on one edge to the base, to hold the frames in place.

9. Once this has been done, place a votive candle in this piece, and watch your beautiful lantern light up. You can also make hanging lanterns of various shapes and sizes using this idea.

There are many more items that can be made from wood by children. Some of them are given here:

1. To make a simple tray, you will need a rectangular piece of wood (sandpapered), which is compact enough to look like a tray.

2. Next, use scrap wood to cut 4 pieces, 2 short and 2 long. The long pieces should be the size of the tray's length, while the short piece should be the size of the breadth, subtracting an inch from each side.

3. Place the shorter ones along the breadth of the rectangular piece, and punch nails at the corners. Screw them from the other side.

4. Place the other 2 pieces along the length, and repeat the procedure.

5. Buy ready-made, sturdy, wooden drawer pulls, and glue them on the shorter sides of the tray opposite each other.

6. Paint the tray as attractively as possible.

1. Try making a baseball cap rack with the use of wooden spools.

2. While maintaining the base of one spool is necessary, the bases of the remaining can be removed (from both sides). They can then be stacked up over each other.

3. Have an adult fix hooks at different positions and heights, so you can place this rack in a corner of your room, and use it to hold all your baseball caps.

4. The rack can be painted to a color of your choice, and you may use additional decorative items to enhance its look.

1. What you need here is a small piece of sandpapered wood, with jagged but not rough edges for a rustic look.

2. Either a hook can be fixed on the back of the wooden piece, or two punch holes can be made to hang the piece with a string.

3. Decorate the piece as you like. Put up a message, a funny quote, or simply your name on the board.

4. Use different writing styles such as graffiti to decorate it, and put it up on your door.

Do not leave your little ones alone, while they are working. Have them create these wonderful masterpieces, and show them off to their friends. These can also be used as great gifts for upcoming festive occasions.