Woodworking club for primary school children

[eg]

Hi,

I was approached by my children's school to run a woodworking club. It is a small primary school, with high level of involvement from the parents (or guardians, as they like to call them in this hyper-politically-correct era).

As this is the very first time I am doing something like that, I have numerous questions - how many children should I take, should I restrict the age of the children (say year 4 through 6), how long should each session be, what tools are required (what should the club supply and what should the children bring), what projects can we do, should I run it as a children/parents club, etc.

Any advice / information / reference would be highly appreciated.

Thank you,

Eyal

 

[DomValente]

Hello Eyal besides teaching art and design technology my wife also takes a woodworking club she has books of what to teach classes 4/6 .
She tells me that classes below this level are a little too young, also there are regulations on what equipment can be used.
If you want to borrow these books e-mail or telephone me and we'll arrange something.

Dom

 

[mr]

There are also rules pertaining to the child : adult ratio. The other thing to be aware is that you will be required to have a police check carried out into your background.
Cheers Mike

 

[Modernist]

Quote I heard from Dr Heinz Wolf of the Egg Race et al

Even 4 year olds stop sawing before they get through the bone!

I'd keep them off the moulder just at the beginning though!

Brian

 

[ByronBlack]

would insurance be covered by the school, and would parents need to sign any waver-forms or such like? Children that young could be quite risky - depending on what tools you are using of course. I think a spindle moulder might be a bit too much of a risk

 

[woodbloke]

As an ex-woodwork teacher of the 'old school' my view on this one would be...... distinctly limited. At that age, IMO children (no kids please) are physically not big enough to handle and control sharp edged tools ( I had enough trouble with that sort of thing when they were 11 and much bigger). In addition, benches would need to be made the correct height, no use using a standard bench and standing them on an orange box :shock: . This is a complete non-starter in my view and were I offered the opportunity to do this sort of thing would reject it without a second thought apart from all the other things like others have said such as Police checks.
As a positive suggestion tho', get the children to build and fly kites, which is what I did for many years at school and went down fantastically with all the year groups from year 7 up - Rob