Are kids allowed in your shop?

[Luther Oswalt]

I am lucky enough to have a 20’ x 45’ concrete apron in front of the shop … when my two grand children (3 and 5) are here they love to ride their little bikes with training wheels on the concrete … they also have a small area in the shop to store their bikes and outside toys … My grand daughter, the 5 year old, could care less about the shop, but my grandson wakes up in the morning asking to go to the shop! They are welcome but no horse play in the shop! What grandpa says goes period … end of discussion … but if you have question ask and you will receive a courteous and complete answer … and it will be explained until either you understand or had enough info for the time being … we have fun in the shop .. We do lots of things but no power tools yet …
Leo

[Kyle Kraft]

I allow my kids in the shop but require safety glasses and hearing protection when I'm running machinery. They are instructed to sit at or near my desk during machining operations. They have also been instructed regarding barging in the door without knocking or otherwise entering slowly and at no more than a normal speaking volume level.

At timesI will lock the door if I am feeling jumpy that day forcing visitors to call me on the phone for entry.

[Prashun Patel]

I think we're better parents when we share our passions w our kids. The goal shld be to figure out HOW to integrate them into the shop safely - not WHETHER.

I have a 3 and 4 yr old. They've actually forced me to design the shop with some safety features: like enclosing all blades, and hanging any tool cords well out of reach so they can't be plugged in; separating batteries from their tool bodies, etc.

They also know to never go into the shop when daddy's not there and to leave whenever there's a loud tool on.

However, I LOVE having them help me sweep up and explaining to them what all the different tools do. They even get to help with some hand tools.

Bet my kids are the only toddlers in central Jersey that know what 'PVC' stands for and can tell the difference between an 'inchan-fife-ates' and 'inchan-a-corter' screw...

[Bill Wyko]

When I was a youngster, we had an old guy we all called POP that lived in our neighborhood. His shop and his house was set up for all the kids. He'd let us build stuff, take us out to old mines to look for unique rocks and tell us about the rocks and their mineral content. Everyone had their own cups and dishes labled for themselves. He was a great guy. A very positive influence on the kids too. I'm all for kids in the shop.

[Mike Ruggeri]

My kids are often in the shop with me (particularly the 3 year old). That being said, I think the key is to take the necessary precautions and teaching them shop safety from the beginning. For example, mine have always been taught "not to touch buttons" (that being switches for tools even though I always unplug all tools unless I am working with it at that moment), they must wear shoes in the shop, and they know to wear hearing and eye protection anytime we are working (my 3 year old loves wearing the ear muffs all around the house). If I am doing something that requires more concentration (like ripping something on the table saw) then they step out of the shop and wait for me to say OK to come back in (for them this is just stepping out of the shop into the finished part of the basement). If I am doing something that doesn't quite need that much concentration or is not dangerous then they know where they can go and where they cannot go. Also, I have an area where they can do their things without my assistance(bang on wood with a hammer, sand a piece of wood with sandpaper, etc..). I really enjoy them learning and spending time with me and I think we do it in a pretty safe manner and it should presumably get easier as they get older (maybe not).

Mike

[Lance Sleeper]

My boys are five and seven and have been in the shop since they could walk. They have assisted with running the planer and do the cleanup. My oldest has begun helping with sanding on some of my projects and does a fair job. I just have some simple rules:

1. Eye protection at all times
2. Hearing protection when tools are running
3. Only daddy touches the power switches unless you are told to do so
4. You can use your own tools anytime you want to, ask permission to use mine
5. Ask before putting nails or screws in a piece of wood.

They both do a great job and go play in the yard when they get bored. Lots of shop safety lessons and learning to work wood.

[Chris Padilla]

My daughter's been in the gara...err, shop with me plenty of times; she turns 6 Sunday (2/24). She has her own gloves, hearing protection, and eye protection and I always let her use what I'm using (well, most things). So far, so good although we had an incident recently in the living room that is undergoing a remodeling.

She was drilling some drywall screws into a chunk of wood with my cordless and somehow managed to get her golden hair into the spinning chuck and ripped out a good chunk of it. Boy, was the wife P-O'ed about that one! If my wife had her way, she'd lock our daughter in a padded room... I on the other hand like to allow her to experience things and, yeah, some pain and blood may come about but that is part of being a kid. At least the hair that was removed was easily covered by the rest of her hair so not so bad. Live and learn....

[Jody Malinich]

I've got teenagers so having them in the shop is like getting a woman out of the mall on black Friday. But on occasion I do get a visitor that hasn't been around before. I stop all work and ask that they not touch anything while they are there and if they have questions to ask me. I do not work while visitors are in my shop and if I feel that they are not going to abide by the rules we leave the shop. Once in awhile a buddy or two or three will come down and we'll work on a project together but I insist that they follow my instructions when working with any of the tools. It takes quite awhile for me to get comfortable with a persons skill to just let them run loose with no supervision. I've had guy working with me for six months and I still keep tabs on him, and watch him like a hawk when he is doing something new.

I do have one rule for my kids and LOML tho. "If I am working with a power tool do not bother me until I turn the tool off" This has worked pretty good but occasionally one of them will scare the beeswax out of me when I finally see them standing there by the door.

[Joe Petersen]

Both my kids have access to my shop. Son is 10 and daughter is 6. I have had a couple close calls that went a long way in reminding me of safety precautions.

I don't leave sharp tools out and I don't leave metal sticking out. I do unplug machines if I am not actively cutting a board or piece of steel.

My son is quite precocious and has been from an early age. Fortunately he is easy to appease like when I need him to straighten nails on the anvil.

I don't see anything wrong with subjecting kids to "grown-up" things at an early age as long as you take the time to explain the why and when. Once you start to think like your kids and know what they do and how they act, it makes it easier to protect them.

I bought a PC brad nailer at the pawnshop this weekend and my son used it to help build my outfeed table yesterday. My wife looked at me like I'm crazy when she saw it in his hand. It sure beats raising a crippled man that has to call a HERO unit to have a flat tire changed.

I had a close call when he was 5. We were rebuilding the motor in my truck and I was installing the bolts in my flywheel/torque converter. I had a remote switch installed so I could bump the motor over for each bolt. I had just remembered this and pulled my hands from the bell-housing to go unplug it and it turned over. It would have been real ugly. But I was the one to blame for leaving such a tempting item to be touched. Once you get in the habit of unplugging as soon as a cut is made it becomes second nature and everyone is safe.

Edit: Sorry for the run-on. I had it done right but when I posted it was all together.

[Pete Stack]

My four year old son is in the shop with me quite a bit. He has his own ear and eye protection and asks a lot of questions about the tools I work with. I think (hope) this is giving him a healthy respect for the tools I work with and how important it is to be safe. He has his own set of small clamps and enjoys making creations out of wood scraps and glue. To me, this is quality time at its best.

My workshop also has a master power switch. All power--except one outlet that has my rechargable batteries plugged into it--is off when the switch is off. You need a key to get to the switch. Prevents the kids from turning on anything when I'm not around (though the workshop is off-limits when I'm not around).

The switch also has a dual purpose. My neighbor would come over just to "cut a couple boards" when my wife was home but I was not around. She didn't want to seem un-neighborly and say no, so she always allowed it. But after I put the lock on the switch, it was a lot easier to say no. Now he only comes over when I'm in the shop and can monitor exactly what he's up to!

[Lee Schierer]

My kids (all grown now) were in the shop with me from time to time. I didn't have a real shop when they were really young, but they were in teh shoip as early as 7 or 8. My grandkids are often in the shop with me. Sometimes working on a special project for them (pine wood derby cars) or they just play with scrap pieces. They wear ear protection, they think the sound muffs are cool to wear!

I generally try not to work on anything complex when they are with me as you do need to watch what they are doing and you can't watch kids while making cuts on the saw.

They like stacking up scraps and gluing them into odd shapes. They really like making something useful so when they are around, I try to plan on something fun for them to do. Off the top of my head, we've made napkin rings, cars, whistles, bird houses, rockets, kite string winders and a step stool. I let them help, but always with my hands right there guiding theirs. Eventually they will get to do more and more as their skills develop. I have a couple of old shirts they wear as smock when they paint to keep the finish off their clothes.

Teaching someone how to make things for themselves is the most rewarding thing you can do.

[Dave Burris]

I am a father of six kids ranging from 13 to a pair of 4 year old twins (boy and girl). Yes, life is interesting to say the least ...

I do allow the kids in the shop as long as I am there with them. The twins seem to be the only ones that enjoy it. They have their own little space to work. They have a few small hand tools like a hammer and some screw drivers. I really enjoy working in the shop but sometimes it is just more fun to sit back and watch those two get together on a 'project'.

Now safety is number one. I know one day I will lose my sanity (six kids remember?) and I have to make sure they are still around to take care of me when I finally snap. So ... all kids know that if a tool has a power cord or a battery, NO TOUCHING! Period. No one is allowed in the shop without me. Since the twins have come, I have gone the extra mile to attach a throw swith on the wall for each piece of equipment. After the i'm done, the switch is thrown and no power. The cabinets with sharp tools and equipment have locks on them and the key is put away in the house. And yes a 4 year old does know how to work a master lock if he has the key. If I am using a big machine the kids know to stay away until the noise stops. The twins picked that up right away. It is the wife that just can't seem to grasp the concept ....

Anyway ... yes I love having the kids on the shop. My father and I still do things together I hope someday to do the same things with my kids.

Now ... what did I do with that key again?

[Thomas Knighton]

My shop is currently a Workmate in my front yard, but when I'm building something, my son will be out there with me. He loves the feel of wood curling up from a hand plane he's pushing. However, when power tools are fired up, he has to go inside for the time being. I have to get him some eye protection and hearing protection so he can stay out with me.

I have such a blast sharing my limited knowledge with my son. At his age (he'll be 7 in July), he's a sponge for information. I can't wait to teach him more!

Tom

[Michael Lutz]

I have a 2.5 year old son. He loves to go to the shop. He like to put things away for me. When he is in there, all the shop power is off except for the lights. I don't run any machines with him in there, because he doesn't always listen well, especially when he is curious. He usually sweeps saw dust around in the shop or rearranges things he finds on the floor, which is why I am trying to build as much storage off the floor as possible. He likes hammers and screwdrivers. I like having him around.

Mike

[Scott Haddix]

My son is now twelve, but he and I have been working in the woodshop together since he was in cub scouts, but he's not yet allowed to operate any of my machines other than the band saw and drill press, and those with supervision. He's allowed to use a jig saw, sanders, etc., but not a circular saw. I not only unplug my tools, but I flip the circuit breaker switches to off for all of my 220 equipment (jointer and table saw). Luckily the panel is conveniently located.

My son and I come up with projects that are specifically of interest to him to tackle, as a way of getting and keeping him interested in learning and developing new skills. But, he only comes into the shop to work when I'm there. He's old enough to use most hand tools by himself, but he really is only interested in being out there when we're working together. Hope that lasts a few more years...

I've also offered to work with some of the neighborhood kids as they take 'shop' in school, but clearly that would only be under direct supervision.