School Holidays are just around the corner, and if you’re not lucky enough to be escaping somewhere warm, it could be a long two weeks if you haven’t got any activities planned. Introducing your children to the art of DIY is a fun way to encourage hands-on skills and drag them away from the TV, and other screen-based entertainment. Here are our top kid-friendly DIY skills to try with the kids these July school holidays.
Top DIY Activities For Kids
- Hammering Bubble Wrap – this is a fun and safe activity for preschoolers. Use a rubber mallet and supply hearing protection to safeguard your little one’s hearing.
- Take Apart Old Appliances – more suited to older children, unscrewing an appliance is fun and educational. If there’s nothing lying around the house, you can look for older style (not snap-together plastic) toasters, fans and other gadgets at garage sales or op-shops.
- Screws + Plasterboard – plasterboard is much easier than timber for children to screw into, so this activity is a great way to introduce kids to screws and screwdrivers (manual or cordless).
- Tree Stump Nails – Get some roofing nails (their big heads make them easier to hit) and let your kids hammer to their heart’s content into the end grain of a tree stump.
- Bolt Boards – Get some timber boards and sink some coloured bolts into them. The kids can then use a shifting spanner to match the coloured nuts to each bolt.
Check out these other fun DIY projects you can do with kids.
Teach Safety First
It’s never too early to start teaching the importance of safety. You can do this by:
- Set up a work surface at an appropriate height for your children. This doesn’t mean you need to purchase a child-size workbench. It’s easy to cut down an existing one (approx 600mm high for preschoolers and 700mm high for school-age kids) or make your own.
- Encourage your children to wear safety goggles, gloves and close-toe shoes.
- Long hair should be tied back.
- Applying the ‘clean as you go’ motto will make it easier for your kids to tidy the work area after the project is finished.
Nowra’s Local Hardware Store
For all your timber, hardware and DIY supplies in Nowra, come in and see Ison & Co. Independently owned since 1917, we are the locals favourite. With convenient locations in Nowra, South Nowra, Sanctuary Point and Huskisson, we stock everything for tradies and DIYers.