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How to Involve Your Kids in DIY Projects

There are so many benefits and important life lessons that can be learned from using your hands to build something. Kids can learn about patience, paying attention to detail, planning ahead, accomplishment, how to deal with failure, perseverance, self-reliance, innovation, following directions, and so much more. These days it can be hard to get your kids to actively participate in anything that doesn't involve a cell phone; but involving your kids in DIY at a young age may help to curb that. Spending quality time together is crucial, and DIY projects are a fun way to do that. Here are some easy ways to involve your kids in DIY projects, and hopefully instill in them a love for crafting and DIY projects that will last for years to come.

1. Measure, Measure, Measure

Teaching your little ones how to read measuring tape, or other tools that measure. It’s a good skill to have in general, and it will also help your children to feel as though they are an important part of your DIY project. Reward them when they measure something correctly, and teach them how to do it correctly in moments when they don't. They'll catch on more quickly than you think!

 

 

2. Painting

Kids LOVE to paint. (Who doesn't?). Allow them to do a coat of primer, or a finishing gloss, or even the main paint job itself. Worried they may not have the skill to do the best job? Teach them! Show them how to do even brush strokes. Show them how to avoid touching newly painted sections. It may take a little longer, and maybe it may take a few extra coats of paint, but the time spent together is invaluable!

 

 

3. Handy Sandy

Sanding is another low-risk way that you can involve your kids in DIY projects. Show them how to sand with or against the grain, how to wear protective goggles and other safety gear, and help them learn to know when the sanding is complete by feel. It’s a great exercise for hand- eye coordination, and is a great way to build delicate motor skills.

 

 

4. Let Them Pick

One of the most important ways to involve your kids in DIY projects is to let them feel that their participation is needed and valued. One way of doing this is to let them pick a project you both and work on together.  Let them browse around Pinterest or other DIY networks and choose something that matters to them. We all know kids have no problem doing something they want to do!

 

 

 

 

5. Removing Hardware

If your DIY project involves repurposing materials, have your kids remove all of the old screws, nails, and bits of hardware and safely collect them in a jar. It will take a tedious task of your plate, and is also a good way to teach your children about safety and the value of preparation

 

 

 

 

6. Tool Assistant

For especially young kids, let them act as your tool assistant. This can teach them the names of each tool in your tool box, and is a way to actively involve your kids in DIY projects even at an age where they may be too young to use tools safely. They will feel a sense of accomplishment by helping you. Additionally, who couldn't use an extra set of hands every now and again?

 

7. Design

When your kids get a little older, a good way to involve them in your DIY projects is to allow them to help in the design process. When you're planning out exactly how your DIY project is going to come to be, allow them to help lay out the outline and plan out the project before you get started. This can foster creativity, will make them feel valued, and is an all-around good way to spend time with your kids

8. Screws and Nails

An electric screw driver is actually a great place to start when introducing your kids to power tools. They don't spin as quickly as drills, and they don’t have dangerously sharp bits like a drill. Of course, don't leave children with power tools unattended, but together you can teach them how to do simple tasks like drive screws (with your help), hammer in nails, and tighten bolts. These are all great ways to learn patience, coordination, and determination. Valuable lessons!

 

9. Level Out

Involve your kids in DIY projects by teaching them how to use a level. Allow them to help you hang pictures, shelves, etc. by being your handy-dandy-leveler. Let them go around the house and straighten your pictures. They won't even realize it’s a chore!

 

 

10. Use What You Make Together

The most important way to involve your kids in DIY projects and continue to have a passion for crafting, is to actually USE the items you build together. Even if it isn't perfect. It is the DIY version of putting their art on the fridge. It is important; and kids will quickly lose interest (as anyone would) in spending time making things together that end up shelved or in an attic somewhere.

 

 

 

In Closing

There are many ways to involve your kids in DIY projects, and we hope that the ten above are a good start that will inspire you to find other ways to involve your little one in your DIY lifestyle. Building things together is a lost art form, and one that teaches some seriously valuable lessons about independence, and how to be a functioning member of society who can be self-reliant enough to solve problems. Pick a project and get started today! You'll be so happy you made the decision to involve your kids in DIY projects.